Most people are not completely familiar with the Pomeranian breed on a personal level. I had never experienced a Pomeranian in real life. I had only seen them on T.V., therefore I had a nasty perception of the Pomeranian. I figured Pomeranians were for stuck up girls who drove BMWs, like Pit Bulls were for large scary tattooed men that ride motorcycles. I myself do not have a motorcycle or a BMW, unfortunately. Likewise, I thought neither of these dogs were for me. Turns out, Pit Bulls aren't for me, but my Pomeranian is.
A POMERANIAN THAT RIDES A MOTORCYCLE...I eat my words.
I researched the history of Pomeranians and found PomeranianSavvy.com. This introduced me to a lot of information regarding the breed. Pomeranians originated in the region of Pomerania, now recognized as Germany and Poland. They first were larger in size and were used to heard sheep! Eventually, they were introduced to England as a gift for Queen Victoria in 1888. In the early 20th century, they were brought to America. However, they carried high esteem and were not the common household pet. They looked a lot different as well.
PomeranianSavvy.com introduced me to an alternate appreciation for Pomeranians. Not only are they cute, but they are helpful too,
Aside from having a history of being cute, fashionable dogs with plenty of personality, Pomeranians have also been used for other purposes than simply as a gift to the Queen. For instance, Poms are celebrated for their intelligence and hard work. They were, and still are often used for:
- Search and rescue – When the assistance of a small dog is needed to search for survivors, such as in an earthquake.
- Hearing assistance
- Therapy for the ill and elderly – Poms are often brought into nursing homes to cheer up the patients.
Who knew Pomeranians were known for something other than barking and bitching?
Pomeranians are quick to learn, but like to assume the role of boss. They are known to bark often and can be very whiney. They can be good watch dogs, but can also be hard to handle if not trained properly. Lydia has become much like a watch dog. She only barks when she hears noises she cannot identify or hears other dogs barking. However, she barks to let me know and then stops.
One thing I have noticed that Lydia really identifies with in a Pomeranian description is the fact that she is very needy. I cannot take a shower without her missing me. She gets used to me being gone when I leave, but for the first few minutes seems to be in real agony
Pomeranians have a thick double coat that needs to be kept up with. This requires grooming frequently. They stand 8-11 inches and weigh approximately 3-7 pounds. Lydia weighs in at about 5 pounds on a fat day. This requires Pom Parents to keep good watch of their dogs to ensure they are not injured, especially when children are handling them.
Pomeranians make excellent pets, DON'T LET THE STEREOTYPE SCARE YOU. I've never been a fashionable or frilly girl, all though my Led Zeppelin t-shirts and long, crazy pot-head hair might have fooled you. However, I find the Pomeranian to be a lovable and easy dog to handle, when the correct research is completed.
I definately believed in the pomeranian stereotype at first. But now, hearing from someone who has one helps. I had orginially heard they were just loud-yappy dogs who are constantly on "go" mode. I am a dog lover (especially smaller dogs) and have been doing a bit of dog research myself since I will be moving out soon and will need a friend. I hadn't ever considered a pomeranian until (embarassingly enough) I saw a "teacup pom" on an episode of Real Housewives ( I don't routinely watch it, I promise) it was THE MOST adorable thing I have ever seen. I really enjoyed your post because of your sense of humor. The picture you found that combines the two stereotypes you had mentioned is hilarious.
ReplyDeleteI also believed the same thing you did about people who own pomeranian's and bull dogs. However, my husband and I have recently bought an English bull dog and it is the cutest thing ever. It was so ugly that I fell in love with it at first sight. Now he's just another part of our family, and me and my kids look silly walking him.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know anything about Pomeranians before i started reading your posts. I'm not really in to pets. But i had no idea a that they would be used for anything besides being a pet, that was really interesting for me to find out. I read where you said they were used for hearing assistance, what exactly does that mean? Overall i think your post was really informative.
ReplyDeleteHi Smg,
ReplyDeleteFirst, I enjoyed the history you provided about Pomeranians. I checked out the website you provided and even goggled to try and find the original size of the Pomeranian, but my short search yielded nothing productive.
Also, I really like how you compared your dog with the standard of a typical Pomeranian, but I assume most of the typical Pomeranian standards would match your dog. However, have you noted any interesting behavior that would not be considered typical Pom behavior? Or have you noted when Lydia has assumed the “boss role?” Love your blog, cant wait to read more.
Lydia does try to be the boss a lot of the time, but is slowly realizing that I am in control. I've tried to instill that thought process in her while raising her, so she won't get into the habit. WIth other dogs, regardless of size, Lydia is DEFINITELY the boss. She will play with giant dogs that end up following her around. She barks at them when they won't play, and controls when they play. It is hilarious to watch.
ReplyDelete