HOW TO IDENTIFY A POMERANIAN even when it's "pet quality" (still under construction) |
COLOR: Poms come in many different colors. The most typical color is some variation of what is called Orange, but there are many other possible colors. Some of the more common colors are: Red (think Irish Setter) Light Orange or Cream (sometimes called Champagne) Sable (any of the above colors with an overlay of black, especially on the back) *Orange, red, and cream colors may also have lighter color shading, especially on the tail and the hair around the tail. Black (sometimes greying as early as 2 years old) Black and Tan (think Doberman) Other colors: White, Brown (as in Chocolate), Beaver, Blue, Parti-color (think Papillon) There is also a possibility for Wolf Sable (think Keeshond), but that is extremely rare in adult Poms. Many puppies that will grow up to be Orange or Orange Sable are Wolf-Sable colored as puppies, and are incorrectly labelled as Wolf Sable by ignorant or unscrupulous breeders. *Any Pom's muzzle or chin may be black, especially in puppies. |
| This page is designed to aid shelter-workers in particular, but also anyone else who is interested in identifying a Pomeranian. Much helpful information is also available on the American Pomeranian Club's Rescue page. Whenever possible, I will link a description to the picture of a Rescued Pom or of one of my own Poms that matches the description. (Click on the link to see a picture.) ****** Pictures of Pom puppy stages from 9 1/2 weeks to 9 months ******* *******************Antique styles of Pomeranians******************** |
| SIZE: The correct weight for a Pomeranian is 3-7 pounds. The Poms we see in Rescue are generally larger (8-12 pounds) and sometimes much larger; I have seen them up to 18 pounds, and have heard of 25-pounders. This is because Poms were bred down in size during the Victorian period and frequently, with poor breeding, will revert. Puppy millers prefer the larger females, since they produce bigger litters. ****There is no such thing as a Toy, Miniature, or Standard Pomeranian**** There is only correct or incorrect size. |
COAT: The Pom coat should be heavy and "double," with a short, soft, dense undercoat that makes the longer, harsher outer coat stand out. The coat resembles that of the Keeshond or American Eskimo Dog, Spitz breeds closely related to the Pomeranian. In Rescue, however, we often see flat, soft, or short coats. Males at age one and females a few weeks after giving birth "blow coat" heavily. Four-month-old puppies also lose coat heavily; this stage is sometimes called the "puppy uglies." Any Pom "out of coat" may be mistaken for a Pom mix. Also, some Poms, especially males, develop a condition known as "Black Skin Disease" (which is not a disease, but a genetic problem) that causes them to lose most of their hair. The skin turns black; hence the name. Sometimes the coat comes back later. |