The Perky Pomeranian

Article Title: The Perky Pomeranian
Author: Rosie A Allan

Dogs come in all shapes and sizes, with different
personalities, colors and coats. In mixed breed dogs, it can be
hard to predict how a puppy will turn out. Sometimes it doesn't
matter, but if you're living in a studio apartment and you get a
Pomeranian puppy that grows up to be three feet tall and weigh
forty pounds, it matters!

The American Kennel Club knows that it matters and that is the
reason for the establishment specific standards for each of the
breeds it recognizes. The American Kennel Club requires that
certain characteristics of a breed be stable for many
generations of dogs before it recognizes a breed. Thus, a puppy
buyer can predict how big or small a grown dog will be and what
kind of temperament it will have. According to the American
Kennel Club, a Pomeranian puppy, for instance, will weigh no
more than seven pounds and have a perky, energetic personality.

Well-known, established standards for breeds encourage good
breeding practices. Toy dogs have fragile skeletal systems, and
preventing the breed from getting too heavy helps reduce the
likelihood of injury to bones and joints. Nearly everything
about the Pomeranian is covered by the standards of the breed,
from the dark nose to the high, plumed tail, which, according to
breed standards, must lie flat and straight against the dogs'
back. Pomeranians should have small, pointed ears, short muzzles
and dark, almond-shaped eyes.

Pomeranian standards rely on proportions for definition of the
Pomeranian's body. The breed's height from its elbows to its
withers is about the same as the height from the ground to the
elbows. The shoulder blade and the upper arm should be of
approximately equal length. The Pomeranian has a double-coat
consisting of a soft undercoat and a long, textured outer coat.
The outer coat forms feathers on the legs and a frill around the
shoulders and chest. A soft, flat or open coat is a major fault
that leads to disqualification.

All colors, patterns and color combinations are to be judged
the same, and any color of coat is permissible under the
standards of the Pomeranian breed. The most frequently shown
Pomeranians have coloration patterns that include black and tan,
brindle and parti-color. The black and tan Pomeranian dog has
light patches above the eyes, on the muzzle, throat, chest,
legs, feet and under the tail. The brindle-coated dog has a gold
or red base with black cross stripes. A parti-color dog is white
with patches of other color and a white blaze on the forehead.

Pomeranians are sometimes divided into three different groups
for judging, depending on the color patterns of their coats.
Red, orange and sable dogs to in one group whereas black and
brown dogs go in another, and other combinations are judged in a
third group.

Standards of the breed also cover the dog's temperament.
Pomeranians should be confident, inquisitive and intelligent. In
full trot, a Pomeranian should command attention. Pomeranian
breed standard information is available to any breeders or fans
of the breed. The American Kennel Club makes Pomeranian
information easy to get so breeders can familiarize themselves
with the standards of the breed.

About The Author: Rosie Allan has loved Pomeranians since
childhood and has just finished a book about Pomeranian
breeding. Proportion is important to the
http://www.officialpomeranianguide.com/ Pomeranian standards,
with upper and lower leg length being approximately equal.
Breeders can easily obtain more detailed
http://www.officialpomeranianguide.com/Pomeranian.php Pomeranian
information that specifies the precise standards of the breed
from the AKC.

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