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ORIGIN: Poland and Germany
Pomeranians descended from the sled dogs of Iceland and Lapland. Eventually, the breed’s ancestors were brought to the Pomerania region of central Europe. This region, which means “on the sea,” is bordered on the north by the Baltic Sea, and extends from west of the Rügen Island to the Vistula River in the east. Throughout history, it has been under the control of the Celts, Slavs, Poles, Swedes, Danes, and Prussians. It is now part of Poland and eastern Germany. The closest relatives of the Pomeranian are the Norwegian Elkhound, the Samoyed, the Schipperke, and the whole Spitz family.
Breeders in Pomerania improved the dogs’ coat and bred them to be smaller and therefore better suited to city living. However, when the breed reached England, Pomeranians still weighed around 20 pounds.
Through trial-and-error and Mendelian theories, English breeders continued to reduce the breed’s size and are credited with developing its many colors. Due to selective breeding, the modern Pomeranian is small, but it retains the hardy disposition and thick coat typically found on cold climate breeds.
Although the breed was not officially recognized until the 19th century, its Spitz family predecessors were introduced to English nobility by Queen Charlotte the late 1700s. These dogs gained international popularity when the queen’s granddaughter Victoria returned from vacation in Florence, Italy with a Pomeranian named Marco.
The Pomeranian is a very active dog who is intelligent, courageous, and a loyal companion. However, Pomeranians may not interact well with small children. In fact, their small size makes them prone to abuse from children.
Pomeranians can be trained to be good watchdogs who announce intruders with loud, sharp barks. Unfortunately, a frequent lack of dedicated training has given the breed a reputation for constant, undirected barking. If insufficiently trained, Pomeranians are more often dangerously ineffective watchdogs, and can prove very stressful company for those unaccustomed to their vocal nature.
The Pomeranian easily adapts to life in the city, but it also makes an excellent dog for country living, as it retains strong hunting instincts from its wild ancestors.
