Pomeranian History

By Carol E. Keen

The breed we know and love as the Pomeranian didn't come from one dog. Long ago the Pomeraian ancestors were sled dogs. You read that right, sled dogs like the Huskies. In the creation of the Pomeranian several breeds of Nortic dogs are said to have been used. The Spitz was definatly a foundation for today's Pomeranians, and close genetic markers are found with the Keeshounds, as well as the Samoyed. The Poms of "old" were not the same size as today's Pomeranians. They were often 30 or 35 pounds, and many were working as herding dogs. The size of their ancestors is why the size of our current Pomeranians can vary so much from time to time.

It is said that the Poms had their start in Pomerania, which was North of Russia. Around 1761 the Pomeranians were brought to England when Queen Charlotte brought home two big white ones. Later on, Queen Victoria feel in love with Volpinos, and brought them home as well. She brought home several of these dogs in 1888, and by 1915 they were called Pomeranians. In 1870 the Pomeranian was recognized by the Great Britain's The Kennel Club, and AKC (American Kennel Club) recognized them in 1900.

Most Pomeranians have a thick undercoat, and longer course guard hairs. This is sometimes called a double coat. They have tails that curl up over their backs, and they often seem to show off endless energy. While they shouldn't be kept too cold of course, they still flourish when playing outdoors in cooler weather where they tend to show off the ancestry that formed them into the Pomeranian breed.

I sure hope this page has helped! As ALWAYS with me, Please feel free to ask questions!

Sincerely, Carol E. Keen