What to know before getting a Pomeranian

Grooming

Grooming is a huge part of Pomeranian ownership, and such an important one. Pomeranians have double coats, and so if the coat is not properly maintained, this will result in painful mats and affect their ability to regulate their body temperature. I brush Paris every day, first using a wide tooth metal comb, and then going in with a slicker brush to line brush, and finishing off with the comb to make sure I didn’t miss any spots. Paris also has super watery eyes, so I use EyeEnvy products every day to clean her tear stains, and apply the powder to prevent new ones from forming. It is also important to brush your puppies teeth to avoid dental problems. I bath Paris once a week to desensitise her to bathing and everything that comes with it, such as the hair dryer, and frequently touch her paws, teeth and ears to improve her behaviour at the groomers, however, I will bath her less often as she gets older to prevent skin and coat issues.

Energy levels

Although Pomeranian puppies are small, they are little balls of energy. Its really important to get all of this energy out to avoid destructive behaviour and boredom. I love to give Paris mental enrichment to keep her busy and work her brain. Some of my favourites are snuffle mats for sniff work and puzzle toys, as well as lick mats. Obedience training is also a great tool as it tires out your puppy while also training them. However, puppies only have a short attention span, so its important to keep the training sessions short to prevent your puppy getting bored and frustrated.

Exercise

Pomeranians do not need to be walked for hours on end, and they shouldnt be (especially when they are puppies) to prevent joint problems. Paris is 4 months old now, and I follow the general rule of 5 minutes of walking per month of age – so she gets walked for 20 minutes, twice and day. When they reach adulthood, they require 30 minutes to an hour of exercise a day.

Intelligence

Pomeranians are highly intelligent dogs, so they love to be taught new tricks. My Pomeranian puppy loves to do obedience work, and currently knows sit, down, stand, and stay. We are currently working on her recall and ‘heel’ which she is doing amazing at and has picked up really well. I thought my puppy wasn’t food motivated at all at first when I was using her kibble as rewards, however, when I began using cooked chicken, training became so much easier and Paris was much more motivated.

Clinginess

Pomeranians tend to attach themselves to one person, and stick by their side for most of the time. Paris has chosen me to super-glue herself to as I spend all day with her, so she follows me EVERYWHERE. It is important to train your Pomeranian to know that you will come back to them to prevent separation anxiety from developing. Over the past few weeks we have trained Paris to be left alone for just over an hour. To set her up for success we take her for a 15 minute walk, and then do some obedience training to tire her out.

These are just a few of the things you should be aware of before getting a Pomeranian to help you decide if the breed is for you. Pomeranians are amazing dogs and will quickly become your best friend!