The Perky Pomeranian

Dogs come in all shapes and sizes, with differentThe shoulder blade and the upper arm should be of
personalities, colors and coats. In mixed breed dogs,approximately equal length. The Pomeranian has a
it can be hard to predict how a puppy will turn out.double-coat consisting of a soft undercoat and a
Sometimes it doesn't matter, but if you're living in along, textured outer coat. The outer coat forms
studio apartment and you get a Pomeranian puppyfeathers on the legs and a frill around the shoulders
that grows up to be three feet tall and weigh fortyand chest. A soft, flat or open coat is a major fault
pounds, it matters!that leads to disqualification.
The American Kennel Club knows that it matters andAll colors, patterns and color combinations are to be
that is the reason for the establishment specificjudged the same, and any color of coat is permissible
standards for each of the breeds it recognizes. Theunder the standards of the Pomeranian breed. The
American Kennel Club requires that certainmost frequently shown Pomeranians have coloration
characteristics of a breed be stable for manypatterns that include black and tan, brindle and
generations of dogs before it recognizes a breed.parti-color. The black and tan Pomeranian dog has
Thus, a puppy buyer can predict how big or small alight patches above the eyes, on the muzzle, throat,
grown dog will be and what kind of temperament itchest, legs, feet and under the tail. The
will have. According to the American Kennel Club, abrindle-coated dog has a gold or red base with black
Pomeranian puppy, for instance, will weigh no morecross stripes. A parti-color dog is white with patches
than seven pounds and have a perky, energeticof other color and a white blaze on the forehead.
personality.Pomeranians are sometimes divided into three
Well-known, established standards for breedsdifferent groups for judging, depending on the color
encourage good breeding practices. Toy dogs havepatterns of their coats. Red, orange and sable dogs
fragile skeletal systems, and preventing the breedto in one group whereas black and brown dogs go in
from getting too heavy helps reduce the likelihood ofanother, and other combinations are judged in a third
injury to bones and joints. Nearly everything aboutgroup.
the Pomeranian is covered by the standards of theStandards of the breed also cover the dog's
breed, from the dark nose to the high, plumed tail,temperament. Pomeranians should be confident,
which, according to breed standards, must lie flat andinquisitive and intelligent. In full trot, a Pomeranian
straight against the dogs' back. Pomeranians shouldshould command attention. Pomeranian breed
have small, pointed ears, short muzzles and dark,standard information is available to any breeders or
almond-shaped eyes.fans of the breed. The American Kennel Club makes
Pomeranian standards rely on proportions forPomeranian information easy to get so breeders can
definition of the Pomeranian's body. The breed'sfamiliarize themselves with the standards of the
height from its elbows to its withers is about thebreed.
same as the height from the ground to the elbows.