The miniature Pomeranian, a toy dog from Nordic family, is a compact, short-backed and active dog. Originally used as a sleigh dog in Iceland and Lapland, the Pomeranian now has become a great companion to humans. Contrary to the available size in today’s market, Pomeranians were bred to be much larger weighing about thirty pounds. But great efforts were made later by breeders to make the breed smaller in size. As the standard specified by American Kennel Club (AKC), a Pomeranian may weigh between three and seven pounds, however, the Pomeranians participating in dog shows must weigh between four and six pounds.

Photo: petpom.com

The dog has unlimited intelligence. Having a great lively character, the dog extrovertly show its intelligence in almost all aspects. Although it is very small in size, it is tremendously alert and attentive about strangers. Because of these qualities, the miniature Pomeranian is a great watchdog. Its intelligence is a great asset in dog training which can be applied in various fields including different therapies. The miniature Pomeranian is a symbol of beauty and brains. So it is a valued show dog on one hand, a great friend for life on the other.

The miniature Pomeranian has an exquisite double coat consisting of a soft and dense undercoat and a long, straight, glistering and harsh textured overcoat. The coat is significantly dense in the neck, forepart of the shoulders and chest portion. This makes the coat in these areas to appear like a frill. The body hair is longer compared to the hair in the head and leg area. The tail is really beautiful with the long and straight hair, which overflows extensively. The life span of a typical Pomeranian is around twelve to fifteen years, however they may even live up to twenty to thirty-five years in some cases.

Although health complications are not so common in the miniature Pomeranian, they may still suffer from few complications such as luxating patella. This is somewhat common among miniature breeds. In addition, Legg-Calvé-Perthes syndrome, hip dysplasia, patent ductus arteriosus and collapsing trachea may occur in the Pomeranian. They are also susceptible to skin diseases like acute moist dermatitis, hot spots, follicular dysplasia and few others.

Regular grooming is essential for the miniature Pomeranian. Regular brushing your little Pomeranian will keep it free from matting and keep its hair thick and plush. Although the coat needs little trimming, shaving is almost unnecessary. Regular ear and nail care is also highly recommended. It is not a good idea to bath the Pomeranian too frequently, because it may harm the skin texture and glow of the coat by eliminating essential oils. Like many other breeds, the miniature Pomeranian is highly susceptible towards teeth problems, so a regular dental care is also necessary. A minimum of one teeth brushing per week is required.

Many great personalities own Pomeranians including Sir Isaac Newton, Queen Victoria, Michelangelo, Paris Hilton, Sharon Osborne, Maria Sharapova, and many others. Many interesting stories exist about these pet dogs and some famous personalities. The Pomeranian belonging to Michelangelo, the great Italian Renaissance painter, witnessed the great work of the Sistine Chapel. Another interesting event is of course with Diamond, the Pomeranian of Sir Isaac Newton, who had overturned a candle and set fire to some valuable research papers and created a painful history in the era of scientific invention.

Rosie Allan is an expert on British royal dogs and lives in the countryside of London with two Pomeranians. The Pomeranian, a favorite of royalty, is a descendant of the Spitz sled dogs. Queen Victoria of England, who once had 35 Pomeranians, made the dog popular in England in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Helpful Pomeranian information such as that found here is also available at libraries and through the American Kennel Club.
 

Our furry friends are considered to be members of the family. Responsible pet owner would ensure that the pet is given nutritious food to ensure their health. This will prevent diseases and prolong the life of the pet. But are we sure we are giving our dogs food that meet their nutritional needs? Sad to say, a lot of commercial foods are deficient in fundamental nutrients.

Photo: Jakes

Experts theorize that this is one of the reasons why dogs eat dirt. Isn’t it frustrating to see your pet eating dirt when you are sure that you are providing him with enough food? This behavior of our canine friends is perplexing. It is necessary to understand the reasons behind this peculiar attitude as this could have harmful consequences to the health of our furry friends. Anti freeze in the dirt could lead to poisoning. Dirt eating would result to parasite infestation as the dog would surely get intestinal worms. Canine parvovirus infection is also a possibility.

Dogs are highly intelligent and they have an uncanny ability that is far superior to humans. The dog may have a well balanced diet. The owner is giving the pet high quality wet and dry food but the dogs digestive system can not absorb the nutrients from the food. Similar to the first case where the food is nutrient deficit, the dog will again scavenge the nutrient deficiency from dirt.

Pica is the eating of nonfood materials. Commonly, this is a sign of anemia. As mentioned the food lacks nutrients and the dog are driven to eat dirt to supplement the deficiency. Eating substances with no nutritional value can be a sign that the dog is hungry. The food given to the dog is not enough and they are forced to eat dirt to fill up their empty stomach. Dogs love to dig. Remember, they have excellent sense of smell and they may find something they like that is why they eat the dirt.

Experts have noted that eating dirt is a behavioral problem. The dog may be bored, have nothing else to do and would eat dirt to pass the time. Or it can be because the dog wants to gain the attention of the owner. Certainly, when they eat dirt, the concerned owner would fuss.

Eating dirt may be a wake up call for the owner to get higher quality food for the pet, to give the pet more food and to give more attention to the furry friend. But then if you are sure that you are providing all these to your dog, squirting the dog with cold water every time it eats dirt may curb this loathsome habit.

Learn more about why dogs eat dirt at http://www.sarahsdogs.com/qa/why_do_dogs_eat_dirt.htmlYou can also find out more about dogs and all the other curious things they do at http://www.sarahsdogs.com