To all you Pom lovers out there!?

Question

I'm seriously considering getting a Pomeranian in the nearnear future and want all you owners out there to let me know a little bit more about them. You can read everything there is to know about them in books and online, but I want a more first hand experience outlook on them. So, tell me what you love/dislike about them. What is better to get, a boy/girl, and the differences between the two? And your favorite/least favorite thing about them!

Thanks to all who answer!!

Answer 1

Hi London
I am a big Pom lover and have had both male and female. Currently, I have just the 2 females. Both male and female are very smart and affectionate. One of my females is very friendly and affectionate with everyone, while the other is more wary of strangers. My male was also very affectionate and loved attention, so it really is personal preference. I prefer females only because I am not big on the humping and marking aspects of a male, but both have wonderful personalities.

Poms are great little watchdogs, but are not recommended if you have small children. They are loyal, loving, comical, affectionate, devoted and love to be pampered. They are very intelligent and demand attention, but can be vocal if they are not socialized. Mine are pretty quiet and I don't have much problems with them barking uncontrollably.

They must be socialized with other dogs and people or you probably will end up with a nipper. They are very easily trained with the exception of housebreaking. Mine are 5 years old and still not 100% housebroken. They need grooming several times per week to keep the snarls and mats to a minimum. They are prone to having bad teeth, so you should pay extra attention to brushing and regular dental cleanings. They are also prone to luxating patellas (knees slip out of place) and sometimes require surgery, but this is common in ALL small breeds, not just Poms. It's pretty common also for them to have tracheal collapse and/or reverse sneezing. One of my Poms (the black one) has reverse sneezing. It is not dangerous or anything to be concerned about. It's important that you keep your Pom cool so they don't overheat, as they can overheat quickly. I have a fan that runs 24/7 even in winter. It's a little chilly for me, but they love it! DO NOT ever shave your Pom. They have a double coat and it will ruin their coat. It will not grow back the same.

They are great for small places and don't require a lot of room or exercise, although, they should be walked and played with daily.

They really are fun little dogs, but you need to pay special attention to grooming and their teeth.

My favorite things about the Poms are their loyalty and comical antics. One of my Poms likes to come to me and "tattle" on the other. She will look over at the one she is telling on and bark this tiny little barky-yip. It is hilarious! And like Claudia mentioned, they are a dramatic dog.

My least favorite is the fact that they are difficult to housebreak. I have come to terms with the fact they they will never be, but I haven't given up. I have invested in a steam cleaner which has made cleaning up their accidents a lot easier for me.

ALL small breeds can have dental problems, hypoglycemia, luxating patellas, tracheal collapse and ARE NOT BREED SPECIFIC.

Here is a few links so you can have a little more information.
Reverse Sneezing:
http://www.purinaone.com/dogcare_cond_atoz_article.asp?Seed=784&ArticleNumber=30071
Tracheal Collapse:
http://vetsurgerycentral.com/tracheal_collapse.htm
Luxating Patella:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1569&articleid=457
Hypoglycemia:
http://www.vetinfo4dogs.com/dhypogly.html
Poms in general:
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/pomeranian.htm
http://www.akc.org/breeds/pomeranian/index.cfm

I wish you the very best!

Answer 2

They are a very proud breed. They are loving little lap dogs. They let you know when someone is at the door. They will dance around in little circles. They pretty much love all people. Ours are great with kids and adults.( some poms I have heard do not do well with young children) They like to be the center of attention. All of ours were very easy to housebreak. although I have heard from other people they have had trouble. They require brushings. We brush ours every other day. as they do shed through out their lives. They shed bad twice a year, They will need have a check up once a year for health and teeth cleaning. If poms are not well taken care of they will loose their teeth prematuraly. Dry food is better then soft. if you feel the need to feed wet. Make sure there is also dry with the wet.
Pom pups will go through an ugly puppy stage between 4 and 9 months of age, this is where are loosing their puppy coat and growing in their adult coat. Not all poms have a fluffy coat or small nose. Some coats lay almost flat on their backs, some are thinner and some thicker. Their noses, some are longer and squarer then others. Most poms are between 3 and 7 lbs. although some can reach up to the 15 lb mark and be quite tall. They are great for apartment living as they do not require a lot of exercise. They have been known to bark ( ours don't bark much). They do get over heated fast, so try not to leave them out too long to potty or for a walk when it is real hot out. As for health problems all breeds have them, poms are prone to dislocated patellas and some heart problems. Ours have not had any problems.
As for male or female, it does not make any difference. It's what ever you prefer. They are great pets.

Answer 3

I have a 10 year old female Pom. She only needs daily brushing twice a year when she does her major shedding. Otherwise, her coat stays beautiful with only minimal care. She is very stubborn but she is well behaved because she knows what pleases me and she wants to please more than anything! She is a four-legged doorbell and alerts me to all sounds at the door. She is extremely gentle and sweet. I do not send her to a groomer. She's very easy to bathe and enjoys her showers. I like the natural look. My friend has one of her puppies and she has him groomed constantly and I hate the look! I rescued her from six lanes of traffic on the interstate when she was less than full grown. There was no collar, nothing to identify her, no owner came forth. She's been spending the last nine years thanking me. She's wonderful with children and absolutely loves the babies in the family. I highly recommend a Pom to anyone who is a dog lover, wants an indoor pet, and will take the time to train her/him to the house rules.

Answer 4

Poms are great. They are very smart and learn fast. If you are looking for a companion in your dog this is the one for you, they follow you anywhere and everywhere. They are very friendly and social but can have a short tolerance for small children who want to tote them around in their arms. They are very tough dogs and don't hold it against you if you accidentally trip over them. They do have a lot of energy and when bored, can be found zipping all over your house just to run if you don't play enough with them.
They can be a bit yappy, though if you want alarm system they will definitely let you know when someone is entering your house. I have seen first hand that you CAN train them to stop barking with a simple "no bark" but haven't been able to achieve this myself, though I haven't put much effort either.
As for getting a boy or girl, I prefer the females they are independent and stubborn but are still loving and loyal. females. I agree that males are more cuddly but they are too clingy for me, atleast all of the male dogs I've had were.
Favorite is their inteligence: my little girl has a very wide vocabulary of commands she knows.
Least favorite would be her barking, though as I have said the blame is my own.

Answer 5

Both male and females make great pets. It is easier to have them spayed and neutered. You will save yourself a lot of unwanted frustration.
Just know that they can be barky/yappy.
I love that they are very lovable, have a lot of energy. They all sit on our laps at night and watch tv with us. Their personalities differ from pom to pom. Some are hyper some are quiet.
They follow me around all the time and love to go outside for walks.
It takes patience and persistance when you are housebreaking them.

Visit american pomeranian club's website and you will find a breeder roster and there is a list of breeders.

What color are you interested in?

Some health issues with that are breed specific are: hypothyroidism, hypoglycemia, luxated patellas, coat loss, heart problems, premature tooth loss, hip dysplasia, collapsing trachea, reverse sneezing.

Be careful of the breeder you chose. There are tons and tons of bad breeders out there. Make sure the breeder you chose breeds to better the breed and does genetic testing.

Answer 6

I had constantly heard that Poms have form of a unfriendly character. yet I held one till now she even had her eyes open and that's all it took - I fell in love! we've had her now for 5 years and he or she is the sweetest dogs you could desire to ask for - friendly to anyone. Her call is Mckenzie, yet we call her Mickie for short. the only situation we've ever had is that she sheds - plenty! yet it quite is a small cost to pay for each and all the affection we get from her! We also have a 9 three hundred and sixty 5 days previous boxer. She's a great dogs too, yet definately no longer a lap dogs.

Answer 7

I wouldn't worry about gender as much. My advice to you is to be open-minded and let the breeder help you find a pup that matches your lifestyle best. They're very beautiful when groomed right, notoriously barky, but definitely trainable. I'll star this in hopes that some of the Pom lovers in my contacts will see it and contribute their information. I know Poms4Life and PomMom would both be good to talk to! Good luck to you!

Answer 8

How much time do you have? I could go on for hours about my Poms; I love them dearly, and they are so much fun. They all have different personalities, so there is no telling what they are "like". Generally, Poms have great memories, which is good for training and learning tricks, but they also remember and hold a grudge. My oldest Pom, a red sable female, will get her feelings hurt and literally turn her back on me for days afterward until I have been "taught a lesson" (or give her a piece of chicken, whichever comes first). My youngest Pom is a tiny little black male and he makes every step I do, even to the bathroom and back, lies by my chair when I watch tv or work on the computer, and stands guard (head up, chest out) whenever we go outside. My middle Pom is a wolf male who is nothing but a marshmallow. If you lie down, he lies down. If you sit down, he climbs in your lap. He gives tiny little kisses, only one at a time, on your cheek. He grooms the other Poms. He plays with only one toy, his elephant. Nick, the little black male, fetches sticks. Belle, the female, simply will not play...didn't even as a puppy. But she hunts, and has caught and eaten (then thrown up on my kitchen floor) birds, frogs, bugs, and snakes. (We live at a lake) They all love to ride in my car, and when I pick up my car keys there ensues this cacophony of barking and shoving among themselves to get to the door first. Poms actually smile. When Belle is happy, she bounces on her front feet.

What do I dislike about them? Well, I wouldn't say dislike, but they do have one trait that seems to be breed specific and it very annoying at times. They can be very, very arrogant. They will stand sideways to you, cut their eyes reproachfully at you, and turn their back and walk away. If you call them when they are mad at you, they will sit down and stare at you like you just grew a new head. That can be very aggravating sometimes. Most of the time, though, even when they are being their most standoffish, they look so cute you just go pick them up and hug them (which doesn't really improve their disposition at the moment...lol. Remember, they are showing you how dissatisfied with you they are!).

When you talk to them, they turn their heads like it was on a swivel.and look at you like they are listening to every word. I swear Nick tries to talk! Just remember, I said they LOOK like they are listening to you. I believe in my soul, they are saying "yeah, right...fat chance".

A boy or a girl? Having both, I would be hard pressed to choose. I do believe the males are more affectionate than the females, but then again, the female I have is a little drama queen, so I don't really know. All I know is, they will totally steal your heart away. Beautiful and super intelligent, sweet, loyal and fun cuddlepuppies. You can't ask for much more in a dog.

Answer 9

Major grooming committment- daily brushing, professional grooming at least every 2 months.

In general, males of any breed are more loving and cuddly than females, who are more spirited and independent. Neither is better or worse, it depends on what you want in a dog.

Answer 10

my fave thing is how cute and cuddly they are. they are playful and full of energy. and if trained right they make great dogs.

they cons are worse than the pros.
they have to pee a LOT and are hard to housebreak.
they bark unless trained not to.
they are very skittish and afraid of their own shadows.
they have sensitive stomaches and throw up easily.
their teeth rot out quickly and require costly dental visits. i mean more than just routine.
because their eyes poke out they get scratches and infections easily.
they can be territorial and VERY aggressive and the male peed all over to prove he was boss.
oh and did i mention as they get older they have to pee MORE and females are horrible about going on the carpet, males anywhere they want.
and the males try to hump everything.

my mom owned two poms and she lived with me for approximately 7 yrs. they were male and female both fixed. we had all the above problems with these two dogs. even though i loved them dearly i also couldn't stand them.
they have loving personalities and would be great if not for all the cons. i would never own one again. they also both passed away from degenerative heart failure because my mom always fed them ppl food. the female died at 9 yrs and the male at 13 had to be euthanized because he couldn't breath anymore. never feed your dogs ppl food. if they never have it they won't know what their missing.
wish you the best.

ADDED: the female was more cuddly and yes you have to brush their teeth at least once a week and their hair everyday sometimes twice or more if its rainy or wet. i loved brushing their hair and loved it too. i do miss them but not their problems.