Pomeranian = Ankle Biters?

Question

I've seen a few people refer to them as that, how come?
It's obvious being that they are toy dogs, that will be the most likely place they will go for, but are these dogs aggressive in that way, or is this the way they defend their owners and themselves? I love these dogs, they are so adorable and fluffy.. Also if you can provide any more information about them, that will be nice...Thanx in advance

Answer 1

Poms can be very aggressive IF not properly socialized. Wikipedia has a great entry about them, see the link below. Did you know that they were bred from the Spitz family of dogs? They were much larger at one time. They are great little dogs that need a firm hand with training or they bark incessantly and become the nervous type of dog commonly referred to as ankle biters. They do require daily grooming of their fabulous coats to keep them from becoming badly matted. Underneath all that hair is a very tiny dog, the standard size ranges between 3 - 7 pounds, so care should be taken to protect them from over eager children and careless people in general.

Answer 2

The temperament of dogs will have a lot to do with the breeding and care of the animals. As with every dog breed, there are good Pomeranian and bad ones also. My Father-In-Law is on his third Pom. All three have been friendly, but they do tend to be hyper, yapping dogs. The first two were the light golden color with fluffy hair. The one he currently has is black with a flat coat. All three have had teeth and stomach problems but that might be because he got all of them from the same breeder. Here are to web site that list some of the health problems this breed of dog has. Hope this information helps you.

http://www.dreamweaverpoms.com/health.html
http://www.mbfonline.com/pomhealth/

Answer 3

I'm not answering your question but just want to say so glad you asked because I LOVE them also. I want a pomeranian when we go dog hunting again. They are sooooo cute aren;t they? I think there is a website you can research the disposition of particular dogs. I've never heard of pom's being aggressive. I usually think of the "ankle biter" term as a sort of joke because the dog is so small they can only bite ankles. A sort of endearing descriptive term.

Answer 4

I have a Pomeranian mix dog. I had never heard of the term "ankle biter" until my daughter came to visit and she shuffles her feet when she walks, so he bit her ankles. I purchased a sturdy pair of slippers for her and the biting seems to have quit.

Answer 5

Poms...I love them too...I had one named Bear,.he was a blonde his breeder was going to put him down because he was over the breed standard of 2 lb. He grew up to be a big boy of 10 lb. Just right for an obedience dog. He got his Companion Excellence degree. He was the best. Could he be an ankle biter...only if he thought someone was going to mess with his household.but then he had his Labrador, and Australian Shepard buddies to back him up...He was quick to learn , quite the speedy and precise heeler loved to retrieve. and loved the jumps. He also loved to go to the nursing homes to visit the people. His favorite trick was to site on their laps and when asked "are you ready to leave Bear?" I would point my finger at him and he would bare his teeth at me and make a slight growl noise....it would send the patient into a squeel of delight...."see he loves me more than you and wants to stay here",,,,, I would signal him then to give then a nuzzel good bye and off we would go...I am quite fond of Poms.he passed on at the age of 20.....Only medical problem I ever had to watch out for was the knee sometimes would slip when they get older out of place and they would limp for a bit until the can kick it back into place...Thank you for your question it brought back many wonderful memories tonight...thanks.

Answer 6

They also pick up a fantastic amount of dust. Cruising around at low altitude they are perfectly suited for this. They are the prototype of the Roomba robot vacuum. Their hard exterior bristles pick up the most stuborn dirt while the soft inner fluff holds the dirt firmly while continuing to clean your room. Excellent choice!

Answer 7

i've had a pom...one of the sweetest dogs i've ever had. it's just a stereotype. i love big dogs, but if i were to have a small breed, i'd pick a pom again. they are very loyal, and not aggressive.

Answer 8

My daughter has a pom got it as a young pup she neverhas had that problem.