“POMERALIA EXPRESS” OR HOW TO KNOW WHETHER YOUR DOG IS A “POMERANIAN IMITATION” OR NOT
In the pedigree dog world, and very especially in the case of Pomeranians, because it is a very desirable and expensive breed, there is a lot of trickery by people selling dogs that are not Pomeranian, or crossbreedings in which only one of the two parents is Pomeranian, thus taking advantage of the naïveté and money of their buyers.
Since the beginning of Pompomdog’s blog, one of the questions you have ask us the most through our Facebook and our Instagram has been, without a doubt, is if the dog you want to buy or that has just arrived at your home is a purebred Pomeranian or a “Pomeranian toy”, sending us photos of them so that we can confirm it.
Therefore, and in order to help you in the search for your purebred Pomeranian, we will give you some brief but practical advice in this post to avoid being swindled by selling you an imitation of Pomeranian. This debate does not include topics such as the adoption of dogs versus their purchase, or the fact that a “mongrel” dog is as beautiful as a pedigree dog. We know all this and it is not the subject of this publication 😉
- Study Pomeranian morphology: Read a lot about the breed and look at photos of Pomeranian puppies to learn and recognize their appearance. In general, a Pomeranian:
- doesn’t have a very long nose;
- doesn’t have too big ears or droopy ears. Pomeranian ears have a very characteristic triangular shape and are erect;
- doesn’t have short fur. Pomeranians have a double coat of fur: one shorter and woolly on the inside and one long and smooth on the outside. It is true that, especially when they are puppies, they suffer very important periods of shedding, but this should not confuse you, their appearance should be similar to a teddy bear;
- isn’t a medium or small German Spitz, but a miniature, nor it is a long-haired Chihuahua, however beautiful these breeds may also be.
Medium-sized German spitz puppy. Source: wikipets.es
Chihuahua puppy picture. Source: es.wikipedia.org
On official websites, such as that of the American Kennel Club – AKC, you can find a small file summarizing the main physical characteristics of Pomeranians. Click here to see it, but don’t forget to come back to finish reading this post 😉
- Previous field work: To carry out this research, go to dog beauty fairs and exhibitions, so you can see and know first-hand which ones you like the most. If you have the opportunity, talk to the breeders or handlers, who are the people presenting the dogs at the show, and if they cannot help you at that moment because they are preparing to compete, ask them for the contact or take note of the name of their pedigree, to contact them later. In the participants book of the dog shows you will also find the name of the dogs registered with their pedigree. The World Dog Show that will be held this year in Spain, specifically in Madrid from 17 to 20 December 2020, is a good opportunity to get information, but if you are not near, do not worry, check the exhibition calendar of the Canine Society of your country.
- Interact with the breeder: Since you are not buying a toy, but a living being that will become a very important member of your family, it would be advisable that you establish a relationship of trust with the breeder of your future puppy beforehand, which will lead you to ask him frankly all the questions you may have. A good breeder will be patient in answering your questions, interested in your experience with dogs or pets in general, may even give you the opportunity to visit the puppies if the geographical distance permits and will not give you your puppy before two and a half/three months so that your Pomeranian can properly socialize with his/her parents and siblings. So be wary of suspicious or evasive behavior from the breeder.
- Suspect of cheap prices: There are no offers in Pomeranian world. A Pomeranian female can give bith on average about three puppies, and unfortunately, because of their small birth weight, some of them do not manage to survive. This is one of the reasons that justify its price when buying it. Therefore, nothing to do with other dog breeds much more “prolific” that can have numerous puppies and are perhaps genetically stronger. From here we do not want to discredit any specific website, but if you want to save money, look for another breed.
- Be wary of photos: Keep in mind that not all photos of Pomeranian for sale that appear on ad sites are “real”, as sometimes sellers take them from famous Pomeranian profiles on Instagram or Facebook.
- Join groups that love Pomeranians: there are many groups on Facebook, from different countries and languages, and even we are part of several of them. Ask in them too and form your own opinion.
In short, don’t be in a hurry to choose your Pomeranian, we don’t want any disappointments, and above all, we don’t want abandons if when your puppy grows up it’s not what you expected. That’s why this post is just our small contribution, with which we will be satisfied, if we can at least keep one person from being cheated.
