Health Matters:
Toy breeds are generally very healthy, hardy, and long lived breeds. They often live to a ripe old age of 15 years some even longer. However, there are certain problems that may be encountered. Many issues are within your control at least to some degree.
The most commonly occurring problems involve the teeth which if not scrupulously cared for and maintained through frequent cleaning,( yearly by veterinary, and weekly brushing by owner) can fall out at a relatively early age, possibly causing heart problems.
Endocrine Dermatitis: Less common, and is sometimes referred to as black skin disease. This condition affects a number of different breeds, and while it involves some (usually temporary) coat loss, it is more of and aesthetic than a health related condition.
Luxating Patella: A common problem in many toy breeds involves the knees. Although common, it is generally not a problem that requires surgical intervention.
Juvenile Transient Hypoglycemia: Low blood sugar can occur in young Pomeranians. It is more common in very small or very active puppies. It is a problem that the puppy outgrows as they mature.
Collapsing Tracheas: A problem that may be found in Toy breeds including Pomeranians. If your pom makes a honking noise or sounds like he/she is coughing up a hair ball, the problem may be his trachea. It can be diagnosed with an X-ray and usually medication is prescribed to reduce coughing. It is sometimes caused by the type of collar, and the dog straining on the collar. I recommend a harness or head type collar lead.
Temperament & Characteristics
Pomeranians are wonderful pets & are intensely loyal and protective towards their owners. They are energetic and like going for short walks, their size makes them an ideal house dog & because they are small size they make a good apartment dog, since they don’t require a lot of exercise and they can be easily paper trained. Their intelligence and reasoning powers are almost uncanny and they can seem to understand your every word. They spend long periods asleep or dozing and don’t make many demands on their owners. They require relatively little feeding but food and water dish should be left out at all times as they only nibble hear and there. They will get along with cats and other pets that live in same house they love to have a friend to play with, and love toys. Although certainly not a guard dog size wise, they can be vary defensive when anything unusual occurs. They are fearless when it comes to strange dogs, and will become very protective against dogs many times their size they are little big dogs and are generally not frightened of even the largest dog. They make good watchdogs and will bark a warning when anyone approaches the home poms are very quick to learn and should be discouraged from senseless barking. They are highly intelligent and this makes them easy to train. Many have competed successfully in obedience trails while others have been trained as hearing assistance dogs. Still others have been trained in search and rescue for use on sites where a small-dog is necessary and/or advantageous (e.g.; earthquake sites). Pomeranians have also been used very successfully as therapy dogs and may often be seen consoling the sick and elderly in hospitals and nursing homes. I know the elderly at the nursing home I work in just love it when my dogs come to visit. They talk about it long after I have left.
