The Pomeranian is a breed of dog in the spitz family, named for the Pomeranianerania region of Historical Eastern Germany, which is today part of northern Poland and part of eastern Germany, and classed as a toy dog breed because of its small size. As determined by the FCI the Pomeranian is part of the German Spitz breed, and in German and many foreign speaking countries known as the the Zwergspitz, or Toy German Spitz. the breed as a whole did not fully exist until the 19th century.
Appearance
The head of the Pomeranian is wedge-shaped, making it somewhat foxy in appearance. The ears are small and set high. Its tail is characteristic of the breed and should be turned over the back and carried flat, set high. When born, the tail is not spread out; it may take months for it to grow over the Pomeranian's back, and flatten.
The Pomeranian's coat is its glory, two coats, an undercoat and a top coat; the first is soft, thick, and fluffy; the latter is long, straight and coarse. The undercoat is shed once a year by males, by intact females when they are in season, after delivering a litter, and during times of stress.
One breed standard calls for a cobby, balanced dog. A cobby dog is as long or shorter than it is tall; try to picture it as a circle in a square. A balanced Pomeranian fits together logically and in proportion. For instance, a small, delicately boned Pomeranian with a large head looks unbalanced because its head type doesn't match its body type. A balanced Pomeranian displays legs in proportion to its body: neither so short as to make him appear dumpy nor so long as to make it look like he is walking on stilts.
This standard also calls for an expression that imparts great intelligence, showing that the Pomeranian has an alert character and that he behaves accordingly. The Pomeranian's alertness makes it a superb watchdog, and a great companion, However they are very feisty and stubborn at times (they need a lot of attention).
Temperament
The Pomeranian is a very active dog who is intelligent, courageous, and a loyal companion. But due to its small size it can suffer abuse from children. Beneath the Pomeranian's fur is a small but muscular dog, similar to a Chihuahua.
Pomeranians can be trained to be good watchdogs by announcing intruders with loud, sharp barks or yips. Unfortunately, lack of very dedicated training has instead led this breed to a reputation for constant, undirected barking. For this reason, these dogs can prove very stressful company for those unaccustomed to their vocal nature.
The Pomeranian easily adapts to life in the city, and is an excellent dog for country living with its strong hunting instincts from its wild ancestors.