Pomeranian care at home: features and advice from cynologists

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

A little fluffy and cheerful friend - such is the Pomeranian. It is also called dwarf. Outwardly, the breed is similar to the German Spitz. But it differs in that the coat of the first is softer, and the muzzle is shorter.

It is interesting to know the history of the breed, the features of the content and what is the care of the Pomeranian at home. The article is devoted to these issues.

Origin of the breed

Distant relatives of Spitz are Eskimo and Samoyed huskies. Representatives of the breed turned out to be miniature thanks to the work of breeders.

The homeland of the Spitz is Germany, the province of Pomerania, hence the name of the breed. In the 18th century, these white-coloured dogs were bred there and called them “pommirle”. Black Spitz were raised in Württemberg. The dogs of those times were larger than their contemporaries and were engaged in the protection of vineyards, boats and dwellings.

Later representatives of the nobility became interested in the breed. Queen Charlotte of England broughtspitz to the palace, since then the breed has become officially recognized. The breeding of its best representatives began. Then the dogs weighed about 9 kg, their color was beige or white.

Change came in the 19th century when Queen Victoria's granddaughter brought a miniature Spitz called Marco to England. He weighed no more than 5 kg. Victoria fell in love with this breed and began to protect its miniature version. As a result, in 1871, breed standards were adopted. In Germany, since 1899, they began to breed Spitz of different sizes and shades.

After the First World War, the breed was on the verge of extinction, dogs began to be imported to Germany from other European countries. But the Second World War also had a negative impact on the breeding of Spitz. As a result, the breed standards had to be revised, a new one was adopted in 1998. These days it is sometimes called a dwarf.

Germany has become the officially recognized homeland of the Pomeranian. Dogs have established themselves in countries such as Germany, Great Britain, USA, France, Russia, Holland.

In our country, only the German Spitz stands out as a separate breed, and the Pomeranian is only its variety. It is worth buying a puppy in professional kennels, where experienced specialists will advise on how to care for a Pomeranian at home, and there is also an opportunity to find out the dog's pedigree.

Unofficial varieties

If we talk about the types of Pomeranian, there are three of them. The first, corresponding to all the parameters of the breed, we will describe below. But there are two more:

• "baby dollar";
• bearishtype.

The "baby dollar" muzzle is shorter and wider than the standard version. And the bear type has a round, shortened, flattened head, close-set eyes.

Breeders say the growing popularity of cub puppies is only hurting the Pomeranian breed. However, more and more buyers prefer them.

Let's dwell on the description of the standard type of the Pomeranian breed, we will consider the care of the dog later.

Features

Outwardly, the Spitz resembles a fox, especially the muzzle. Breed Description:

1. The head is round, the ears are medium-sized, close set. The body is not long, the chest is rounded. The nose is small, round, black or brown.
2. Spitz can be of different colors, of which there are only 12.
3. Spitz parameters: height 19-30 cm, at the withers - 19-22 cm, weight - 1-4 kg.
4. Life expectancy is 13-15 years.

The breed is ideal for keeping in an apartment environment, caring for a dog will not bring much trouble. More on this later.

Apartment maintenance and care

Pomeranian, as mentioned earlier, will not cause much trouble to the owner. However, some rules still need to be followed.

Even before the puppy appears in the apartment, it is worth determining a place for the dog to rest. It is better if it is closer to the master bedroom, but away from the balcony, radiators and radiators. You can not place a stove bench in the hallway or walk-through rooms, where there are a lot of drafts. At first timebaskets with low walls will suffice. You can put a mat or mattress on the bottom.

The puppy will get used to the place faster if the owner periodically puts some treats and toys there for the dog. So the dog will understand that in the basket he can feel completely safe. It is not worth taking a puppy with you to bed, the dog must get used to its place. If you allow the puppy to spend the night with you, then it will be very difficult to drive him out of the master's bed.

Also, before the dog appears, it is worth securing the home space:

• hide all wires;
• fix gaps between furniture and walls where a puppy can get stuck;
• check security on the balcony;
• remove all heavy objects available to the puppy that can fall on him;
• hide all household chemicals;
• rearrange small objects that the dog can choke on out of reach.

The skins spread on the floor can also become a threat. There were cases when Spitz swallowed pieces of fur and got intestinal volvulus. Another source of danger for the dog is the trash can. It must be tightly closed, otherwise the orange may be poisoned by waste from the household garbage.

Maintenance in a country house

The life of a Spitz in a private house is practically no different from life in an apartment. Well, except that a land plot is added to the available territory, which can serve as a source of danger forminiature dog. The natural curiosity of an orange can create a lot of problems for a careless owner.

A dog that is allowed to roam freely around the yard will explore the new territory and find all its "weak" places, including trash cans, gaps in the fence, and so on. If a puppy walks around the yard unattended, the owner must be 100% sure that there are no abandoned food waste, dangerous liquids and powders, and the holes in the fence are securely closed.

As for the house itself, it is important to pay attention to the floor. If it is slippery, you need to cover the surface with a rug. This is important during the puppy's growing up period, as the slippery surface will prevent the limbs from forming properly.

Comfortable conditions for keeping and caring for a dog

A dog should feel safe indoors. It is important for the owner to provide optimal maintenance and care for the Pomeranian in the apartment. It should be borne in mind that the animal easily tolerates cold, but does not tolerate drafts. While the pet is growing, it is worth making sure that he does not jump from high surfaces. Doing so could result in serious injury.

Walking the dog

In addition to home care, the Pomeranian needs daily walks with active games and physical activity. After all, this is one of the most active breeds.

Also, walking outdoors is good because:

• so the puppy is easier to get used to the outside world;
• learn to pee outside the apartment;
• improve your metabolism.

Before the first walk, the puppy must be vaccinated against dangerous diseases and endure a 2-week quarantine.

Adult Spitz is taken outside 2-3 times a day, the desired duration of the walk is 2 hours. The owner should tune in to an active pastime, as the dog will not let you get bored.

Diet and diet. What to feed?

Let's continue to consider the Pomeranian dog breed, maintenance, care, nutrition of the animal. While the pet is small, it is fed at regular intervals from the allocated dishes, gradually moving from 5 meals a day to 2 meals after reaching 8 months of age.

A sample diet for a 2-month-old puppy looks like this:

1. The first meal is boiled fish with buckwheat, vegetables and vegetable oil.
2. Second - cottage cheese or kefir.
3. Third - skinless boiled chicken.
4. Fourth - fresh grated vegetables with vegetable oil.
5. Fifth - boiled vegetables with meat.

Compliance with the rules of feeding an animal is important if a Pomeranian has appeared in the house. The peculiarities of caring for a dog of any age are that it cannot be fed with food from the table, as well as sweets, sausage, muffins, smoked meats and pickles. Prohibited fatty meats - pork, lamb, as well as tubular bones of birds.

Starting from the age of 7 months, the orange can be transferred to a complete diet, including:

• fresh meat;
• boiled fish without bones;
• porridge (rice, hercules,buckwheat);
• turkey and skinless chicken;
• sour milk (cottage cheese and low-fat kefir);
• vegetables - in particular, carrots, and fruits;
• vegetable oil.

If a dog refuses a dish, you should wait until he gets hungry. You don’t need to spoil him with goodies, otherwise the dog may get fat.

Spitz Character

Pomeranians can't stand being alone and are happy to spend time with their owner. They are able to stand up for their owner and, not realizing their modest size, can pounce on a large dog.

The puppy gets along easily with other pets. And an adult Pomeranian can show dominance, so problems are possible.

By temperament, Spitz are playful and cheerful dogs, by nature devoted to their owners, in addition, they have excellent hearing. Pomeranians are quick-witted and intelligent, well trained, listen to the commands of the owner.

Training and parenting moments

The Pomeranian is rather obstinate by nature, so it is important to educate him from childhood.

The first thing a puppy is taught is to recognize its name and respond to it. By the age of six months, the dog should know and follow the simplest commands:

1. "Place".
2. "Come to me".
3. "Next".
4. Fu.
5. "Sit".
6. "Aport".

Any correctly performed action of the dog is rewarded with treats and praise. Spitz tries to please his owner, so the attention of the owner is very important for him.important. You need to train a puppy systematically, otherwise there will be no benefit from training.

Hygiene and care

While the puppy is small, he will relieve himself in a tray with filler or newspaper. To potty train your dog, take him to the litter box after every feed and sleep. If a puddle appears in the wrong place, do not scold the puppy, it is advisable for the owner to be patient. If the puppy went to the tray on his own, he is praised. This attitude will definitely appreciate your Pomeranian.

Features of dog care involve maintaining the he alth and cleanliness of the coat. To fully care for her, you will need:

• large slicker;
• metal combs with sparse fine teeth;
• thinning scissors;
• blunt-ended scissors.

To make the dog easier to comb, the coat is sprayed with tangle liquid or plain water.

Before washing the dog's ears put cotton wool, use a special zooshampoo. You can dry the wool with a hair dryer, because the wool of the Pomeranians is too thick and it will take a long time to dry. If you wait for it to dry naturally, the dog may catch a cold, and the coat will fall into tangles.

If the dog goes to exhibitions, it is better to entrust its haircut to a professional groomer, since it is impossible to take into account all the nuances on your own. If the Spitz's nails do not wear down naturally, they should be trimmed. For this process, there are special tools that can be purchased at the pet store. After trimming, the claws are filed with a dog file. Ears are cleaned with a cotton pad soaked in chamomile decoction, eyes are washed with boiled water. Removal of tartar is entrusted to a professional in the clinic once every three months. Spitz teeth should be brushed with dog toothpaste.

Vaccinations

When caring for a Pomeranian at home, you should also take care of disease prevention. If the puppy is purchased in a kennel, he will have a passport with affixed vaccinations. As a rule, complex vaccination is performed at 2 months, revaccination - at 3 months, also vaccinated at 6-7 months.

Adult dogs after one year of age are vaccinated annually. Routine vaccinations will protect your dog from:

• distemper;
• hepatitis;
• coronavirus;
• leptospirosis;
• adenovirus;
• gastroenteritis.

Before each vaccination, deworming is carried out. But the last word on vaccinations always rests with the veterinarian who examines the dog.

How does the Pomeranian feel about children?

Spitz looks like a fun toy that you want to cuddle. Therefore, many parents think that a dog will be the perfect companion for their child, but this is far from the case. An experienced breeder will never recommend a Pomeranian to families with children. And here it is not so much a danger to the child, but to the dog. If you pick up a puppy, he will want to jump out. The child will not be able to hold the dog, and therefore the Spitz may be injured. The Pomeranian does not know how to group in jumps from a height, so for them contacts with childrenunwanted.

Often, dogs living in families with children feel uncomfortable and become neurotic. Spitz become irritable and even aggressive. If parents have a strong desire to have just such a pet, it is worth waiting until the child grows up and can control his communication with the dog.

Costs for Pomeranian owners

According to reviews, keeping a house and caring for a dog includes one-time, periodic and regular expenses. Of course, it is quite difficult to calculate the final amount. It will depend on many factors. One-time expenses are the purchase of toys and ammunition for the dog.

Here they are:

1. When buying a basket for sleeping and resting a dog, you should give preference to the one that is wider. It will cost 600-1000 rubles.
2. Toys - 500 rubles.
3. Plates, cups - 500-1500 rubles.
4. Carrying - 150 rubles.
5. Collar - 200 rubles.
6. Leash - 300 rubles.
7. Combs - 500 rubles.
8. Claw cutter - 300 rubles.
9. Antistatic - 250 rubles.

Recurring expenses include:

1. Toothpaste - 250 rubles, including a brush.
2. Pomeranian hair care shampoo - 250 rubles.
3. Haircut in the salon - 2000 rubles.
4. Dog clothes - 1500 rubles.

What other expenses will you have to incur if you have a Pomeranian? Care and maintenance of a dog's home includes the cost of food. You will have to spend about 1000 per month on it.rubles. If the diet is ready, you do not have to purchase vitamins.

If the puppy needs to attend obedience courses, each lesson will cost 500 rubles.

Sterilization (castration) - carried out one-time, but expensive - 5000 rubles.

If the pet will participate in shows, this is another expense item, which will include groomer services, payment of registration fees, transportation, etc.

According to reviews, when caring for a Pomeranian, the initial costs will be the largest, in the future you will only have to buy everything you need for a dog.

What to consider when choosing a four-legged friend?

Maintaining and caring for a Miniature Pomeranian at home will be easier if you take into account the recommendations of dog handlers:

1. It is better to choose a puppy at 1, 5-2 months, at this time the dog begins to eat solid food on its own. If you buy a dog at an adult age, you can immediately see its character, but you will not be able to re-educate it.
2. When choosing a puppy, you should pay attention to his activity, he althy teeth, clean coat without dandruff, skin without baldness, sparkling eyes, even paws.
3. If a bear-type Pomeranian is purchased, the features of care, according to the owners, consist in regular haircuts from professional groomers.
4. The puppy must have a veterinary passport, which contains information about vaccinations.
5. A puppy should be safe at home. Spitz are susceptible to drafts, air conditioners, and can be sensitive to new food and water. Shouldkeep them from falling.
6. It is also worth bearing in mind that the Spitz has a rather sonorous voice. The dog may bark loudly, which may not be to everyone's liking. Therefore, it is important to provide the puppy with proper education and correct this feature.

So, we have considered the features of caring for a Pomeranian at home. With this information, the breeder will be able to provide the dog with a comfortable environment.