Pomeranians

The long coat has a very thick undercoat, so you need to carefully use a pin brush and comb to get all the way down to the skin all over the dog. Otherwise they can mat beneath the outer coat. Most of the time you can brush two or three times a week, but during shedding season, you should brush the fluffy double coat daily or even twice daily. A warm water bath will help loosen dead hair and hasten the shedding process. Some people prefer to have their Poms professionally clipped in a cute Pom haircut, which will need to be repeated every 6 weeks or so. Once you start doing this it’s hard to regain the look of the natural hair, as the undercoat can outgrow the outer coat, and may mat more during this time, so make sure this is what you want before committing. Some Poms are affected by a condition common to many spitz breeds called alopecia X (also called black skin disease). The dog develops alopecia (hair loss) on the body as well as dark, pigmented skin in the bald areas. The legs and head usually retain a normal coat. It’s mostly a cosmetic condition, but you will want to talk to your veterinarian about possible therapy. Clip the nails as needed. You may find it easier to use a nail clipper for small dogs or cats. Check the ears for debris, but Pom ears are generally clean. Like all toy dogs, Poms are predisposed to dental disease. This makes it even more important to check and brush them daily.

Poms prance and pounce with seemingly unlimited energy. Sometimes they just run and twirl in circles out of sheer exuberance. Their small size means that they can run around an apartment in the same number of steps as a larger dog runs around the block. So physically, their exercise needs can be met in a more limited space. And the advantage is they don’t need you in order to run amok on their own. The disadvantage is that some owners become complacent and forget their Pom also needs mental stimulation. They still need to go outside and sniff around the yard or see the sights on a daily walk. They’re too small for most dog parks or any rough play, although one with a special small dog area might work. There are no special athletic activities for Poms. Swimming is not their thing. They may enjoy hiking, but you may have to take extra care due to their small size. Sledding may be in their blood, but unless it’s a Barbie sled, not terribly realistic. Many enjoy retrieving a bit, but aren’t very serious about it. So mostly, they just make up their own rules for games and you follow along.

Tiny dogs need to eat more per pound of body weight compared to larger dogs. But tiny dogs have tiny tummies, so you have to make sure the food has sufficient calories in it. When feeding tiny pups the balance of the diet becomes harder to maintain. If you hand your big dog a few fallen potato chips it won’t make much impact on their diet, but if you do the same with a tiny dog those chips will become a huge part of their daily intake. Treats can unbalance the diet and/or add way more calories than you planned to feed. So you have to be extra careful when feeding tiny dogs. Note that some Poms can be finicky eaters. Poms have tiny teeth that may have difficulty crunching up some kibbles. Some kibble made for large dogs is so hard and big that a small dog has to either exhaust his jaw power trying to chew it or just give up and swallow it whole. Not only does that take a lot of pleasure out of a meal, but swallowed kibble can't help scrub plaque off teeth. The solution is to feed a high quality commercial food especially formulated for small dogs. This becomes even more important as your Pom ages. Like all small dogs with tiny muzzles, Poms can have dental problems as they age. This means you may need to feed a kibble food that requires less chewing, or even a soft food if there’s tooth loss. When choosing treats, beware that many commercial dog treats are choking size for small dogs. Or you can squish or break some of the commercial treats. Pomeranian puppies, especially very young or very small ones, must be guarded against hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia occurs when the level of sugar in the blood drops too low, usually because a young puppy has gone too long between meals. Aim to feed your young Pom puppy about every 4 hours. Don’t have your baby puppy exercise before bed, when no food will be available overnight. Hypoglycemia is potentially fatal, and a real emergency. Signs start with the puppy being hard to rouse, and acting wobbly. You can help to increase blood sugar by rubbing corn syrup on the puppy’s gums and rushing to the emergency vet. As your puppy ages, you can gradually cut back to three meals a day. Fortunately, most Poms will outgrow this danger by the time they’re 6 months old, and then go to two meals a day. As with any dog, consult your veterinarian about the best diet, especially if your Pom has any medical conditions.