| Dogs come in all shapes and sizes, with different | | | | The 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 a | | | | long, textured outer coat. The outer coat forms |
| studio apartment and you get a Pomeranian puppy | | | | feathers on the legs and a frill around the shoulders |
| that grows up to be three feet tall and weigh forty | | | | and 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 and | | | | All colors, patterns and color combinations are to be |
| that is the reason for the establishment specific | | | | judged the same, and any color of coat is permissible |
| standards for each of the breeds it recognizes. The | | | | under the standards of the Pomeranian breed. The |
| American Kennel Club requires that certain | | | | most frequently shown Pomeranians have coloration |
| characteristics of a breed be stable for many | | | | patterns 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 a | | | | light patches above the eyes, on the muzzle, throat, |
| grown dog will be and what kind of temperament it | | | | chest, legs, feet and under the tail. The |
| will have. According to the American Kennel Club, a | | | | brindle-coated dog has a gold or red base with black |
| Pomeranian puppy, for instance, will weigh no more | | | | cross stripes. A parti-color dog is white with patches |
| than seven pounds and have a perky, energetic | | | | of other color and a white blaze on the forehead. |
| personality. | | | | Pomeranians are sometimes divided into three |
| Well-known, established standards for breeds | | | | different groups for judging, depending on the color |
| encourage good breeding practices. Toy dogs have | | | | patterns of their coats. Red, orange and sable dogs |
| fragile skeletal systems, and preventing the breed | | | | to in one group whereas black and brown dogs go in |
| from getting too heavy helps reduce the likelihood of | | | | another, and other combinations are judged in a third |
| injury to bones and joints. Nearly everything about | | | | group. |
| the Pomeranian is covered by the standards of the | | | | Standards 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 and | | | | inquisitive and intelligent. In full trot, a Pomeranian |
| straight against the dogs' back. Pomeranians should | | | | should 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 for | | | | Pomeranian information easy to get so breeders can |
| definition of the Pomeranian's body. The breed's | | | | familiarize themselves with the standards of the |
| height from its elbows to its withers is about the | | | | breed. |
| same as the height from the ground to the elbows. | | | | |