Despite the Pomeranian’s small size and weighing only one to four kilograms, this lively little dog has a personality the size of Singapore! Pomeranians (or affectionately called Poms) are known for being cute, lively, intelligent, and loyal to their families. Despite their cuteness, this dog is independent, bold and have a mind of its own. They are much larger than they really are in their minds! Although most people are familiar of what a Pomeranian looks like, there are many other facts about this breed that you may not know and surprise you. Here are some fun facts that you probably didn’t know about Pomeranians.

Pomeranians were originally large working dogs

Pomeranians originate from large working dogs called the Wolfspitz, which name was then shortened to Spitz, and are closely related to breeds such as Huskies, Malamutes, Samoyeds, and Akitas, all of which originate from Arctic regions. The word Spitz means sharp point in German, and the Pomeranians are thus considered to be descendants of these dogs due to its sharp facial features. Before being bred into the smaller animals they are today, Pomeranians were used to pull sleds and herd reindeer!  

 Pomeranians come in A LOT of different colour combinations

While most dog breeds have at most five colours, Pomeranians have an incredible 23 different colour combinations that are accepted by the American Kennel Club. Some colours include Tan, Orange, Red, Blue, Beaver and Sable. 

 Many Pomeranians change colour as they age

Do not be fooled by your Pomeranian pup’s colour, as many Pomeranian puppies will eventually change colour as they mature. For example, a brown Pomeranian puppy may end up as a bright orange Pomeranian. It is not possible to know which puppies will change colour as they grow older and which ones will not.

 Members of the British royal family owned a Pomeranian

There have been many members of the royal family who have owned a Pomeranian, such as Queen Victoria and Queen Charlotte. Queen Victoria’s exceptionally small Pomeranian was said to have helped create the trend of opting for smaller dogs instead of larger breeds, successfully increasing the breed’s popularity in both UK and abroad. She has been credited for breeding the Pomeranian from the larger 20-pound dogs they were then to the smaller size they are today. Queen Charlotte’s dogs, Phoebe and Mercury, were depicted in paintings by the famous artist Sir Thomas Gainsborough and provides evidence as to how much the breed has changed over the years.

 Two Pomeranians survived the sinking of the Titanic

In 1912, the historic RMS Titanic hit an iceberg and sunk into the sea. In total, only three dogs survived the sinking, and two of these were Pomeranians. Both dogs had owners who were first class passengers – Elizabeth Barrett Rothschild, who refused to board her lifeboat without her canine companion, and Miss Margaret Bechstein Hays, who wrapped her dog in blankets before carrying her aboard her lifeboat. Their escape from this tragedy has made them one of the two most famous Pomeranians in history.

 Pomeranians produce very small litters

Pomeranians produce a much smaller litter than most other dog breeds. On average, the number of puppies products in a single litter is between one to three pups. This makes them the least profitable breed options for breed breeders. Pomeranian moms are also capable of giving birth to twins, which is a very rare phenomenon among dogs. As it is not unusual for each Pomeranian twin to be a different colour, it is not likely that the pups would be recognized as twins unless someone is physically present to witness the birth. Despite their small litter size, they make up for it with an exceptionally long life. They have one of the biggest life expectancies of all the dog breeds, living for around 16 years.

 A ‘Throwback Pomeranian” may suddenly appear

A Pomeranian that closely resembles to its ancestors may occasionally be born. These Pomeranians, known as “throwback Poms”, are pure white in colour at birth and do not change colour as they grow older. They can eventually weigh more than 20 pounds and will more closely resemble another Spitz breed. The birth of these throwback Pomeranians is completely unpredictable.

Conclusion

So that concludes our fun facts that you might know about Pomeranians! Were you shocked by some of the facts? Or maybe there are more interesting ones that you know that we didn’t mention? Let us know on our Instagram page!

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