This compact little dog is a wonderful
companion. An extrovert which is affectionate, obedient and full of
character. For their size Pomeranians are excellent house dogs with
a deep bark.
Description & History
The Pomeranian is the smallest member
of the Spitz group and came from Pomerania in the north of Germany.
The breed was well established on the continent before arriving in Britain
in the 1880's.
Although now classified as a toy, the
breed when first introduced to Britain was a large white herding dog,
weighing up to 13 kg. Selective breeding and naturally smaller whelps
gradually produced a dog one tenth of the size of the original north
German sheepdog. The reduction in size did not alter the physical characteristics
of the breed. It has the typical ruff, small erect ears, straight hind
legs, and the attractive tail - carried over its back - of all Spitz
breeds.
Pomeranians became popular in the late
nineteenth century mainly due to royal interest. In 1883 Queen Victoria,
when visiting Florence, saw these dogs and formed an attachment to them.
Later she established a kennels in England for the breed and exhibited
a number of dogs, being particularly successful at Crufts Dog Show.
In 1891 six dogs were shown from the royal
kennels at Crufts Dog Show and all won prizes. The Pomeranian has great
intelligence and a natural gift for learning, which made it a popular
circus performer.
Like all dogs in the Spitz group, it is
an independent breed and shows this characteristic from an early age.