ANIMAL TALK NOVEMBER 2012 ARTICLE
I was asked to answer breed related questions for an article in the November issue of Animal Talk in 2012.
Feel free to read the questions and answers below:
Which five characteristics of the Pomeranian do you treasure most?
Pomeranians are extremely loyal to their owners! They are loving, lively, friendly and brave little dogs, even though they are such a small breed!
What personality traits can our readers expect from a Pomeranian?
They are highly intelligent, therefore always ready for an adventure or taking part in a game. They are vocal little dogs - always alert of everything going on around them. They are sensitive – sharing your every emotion with you. Pomeranians may be small, but they are independent dogs with strong personalities and a will of their own – the lion hearts of the Toy breed!
What type of person should NOT own a Pomeranian?
Any person who hasn’t got the time or patience to properly take care of a Pomeranian’s every need:
Would you recommend Pomeranians for families with small children?
I would definitely not recommend Pomeranians in such a case. Small children can seriously (sometimes fatally) injure a Pomeranian, because of the breed’s small build. A dog can jump from a child’s arms and can easily break its little legs. I always ask that parents supervise their small children when they are wanting to buy a puppy from my kennel. Safety of the puppy is one of the major concerns before selling it to a potential buyer, no matter what the circumstances may be.
What do you do to eliminate genetic disorders in your kennel?
Here at Darilene, we take pride in the fact that we do our utmost to ensure that the dogs that we breed with, are free of genetic disorders, such as lactating patellas (dislocated kneecaps), to name the most common. Dogs, just like humans, inherit health problems and diseases. Therefore, together with the help of Veterinarians, we eliminate dogs from our breeding program through genetic testing and other tests available to breeders. We do not breed with dogs with genetic disorders, because it is a huge responsibility as breeder to maintain and improve the breed. It is all about responsible breeding according to the standard of the Kennel Union of Southern Africa.
Any suggestions for new Pomeranian owners on keeping their dogs stimulated (physically and mentally)?
Always provide your Pomeranian with enough soft toys from puppy stage to play with. I would most definitely recommend buying a training leash and collar to start teaching your dog (if not yet taught as a puppy) basic obedience training. You can teach your Pomeranian simple commands like: “sit”, “down”, “stay”, “heel” and “come”. Later on you may even pursue further training in the Obedience Ring. Pomeranians tend to do extremely well in Obedience training, thus showing their great intelligence and mental capacities! Our kennel is situated on a farm and we take our dogs for regular walks – they absolutely live for it!
Do Pomeranians get on with other pets such as cats?
In my opinion, Pomeranians get along fine in multi dog households, but I would not recommend households with cats or birds. That is looking for trouble, because Pomeranians have very strong personalities and an extremely strong sense of ownership – they take pride in the ownership of their personal items and space in your home.
Is there anything else you think is important about the breed ( care / grooming) that our readers should know about?
COAT: Pomeranians need regular grooming to keep their coats healthy and in excellent condition. They should be brushed at least twice a week to keep the thick undercoat from matting. Give your Pomeranian good quality dog food and a vitamin supplement to further ensure a healthy, shiny coat throughout the year. Use good quality shampoo (available from your Vet) to wash your Pomeranian in and towel dry the coat thoroughly before blow drying the coat.
EARS, EYES, TEETH: Always keep the hairs around the ears, anal area and under the feet trimmed and clean. Clean your Pomeranian’s ears regularly to keep it clear from mites. Pomeranians have a tendency to have some mucous like matter collecting in the corners of their eyes, so simply clean it by wiping the eyes with some cotton wool. Brush your Pomeranian’s teeth regularly to help reduce tartar build up for healthier teeth and fresher breath. This will avoid serious dental and other health problems later on.
Feel free to read the questions and answers below:
Which five characteristics of the Pomeranian do you treasure most?
Pomeranians are extremely loyal to their owners! They are loving, lively, friendly and brave little dogs, even though they are such a small breed!
What personality traits can our readers expect from a Pomeranian?
They are highly intelligent, therefore always ready for an adventure or taking part in a game. They are vocal little dogs - always alert of everything going on around them. They are sensitive – sharing your every emotion with you. Pomeranians may be small, but they are independent dogs with strong personalities and a will of their own – the lion hearts of the Toy breed!
What type of person should NOT own a Pomeranian?
Any person who hasn’t got the time or patience to properly take care of a Pomeranian’s every need:
- physical needs, such as their own little space in your home with adequate food and water, giving them their regular limited exercise;
- taking care of their health needs, such as taking them to the vet for annual vaccinations and health check-ups and giving them proper dog food to keep their coats in an excellent condition, along with regular grooming of their crowning glory - their beautiful coats;
- and last but not least, their need for lots of love and attention!
Would you recommend Pomeranians for families with small children?
I would definitely not recommend Pomeranians in such a case. Small children can seriously (sometimes fatally) injure a Pomeranian, because of the breed’s small build. A dog can jump from a child’s arms and can easily break its little legs. I always ask that parents supervise their small children when they are wanting to buy a puppy from my kennel. Safety of the puppy is one of the major concerns before selling it to a potential buyer, no matter what the circumstances may be.
What do you do to eliminate genetic disorders in your kennel?
Here at Darilene, we take pride in the fact that we do our utmost to ensure that the dogs that we breed with, are free of genetic disorders, such as lactating patellas (dislocated kneecaps), to name the most common. Dogs, just like humans, inherit health problems and diseases. Therefore, together with the help of Veterinarians, we eliminate dogs from our breeding program through genetic testing and other tests available to breeders. We do not breed with dogs with genetic disorders, because it is a huge responsibility as breeder to maintain and improve the breed. It is all about responsible breeding according to the standard of the Kennel Union of Southern Africa.
Any suggestions for new Pomeranian owners on keeping their dogs stimulated (physically and mentally)?
Always provide your Pomeranian with enough soft toys from puppy stage to play with. I would most definitely recommend buying a training leash and collar to start teaching your dog (if not yet taught as a puppy) basic obedience training. You can teach your Pomeranian simple commands like: “sit”, “down”, “stay”, “heel” and “come”. Later on you may even pursue further training in the Obedience Ring. Pomeranians tend to do extremely well in Obedience training, thus showing their great intelligence and mental capacities! Our kennel is situated on a farm and we take our dogs for regular walks – they absolutely live for it!
Do Pomeranians get on with other pets such as cats?
In my opinion, Pomeranians get along fine in multi dog households, but I would not recommend households with cats or birds. That is looking for trouble, because Pomeranians have very strong personalities and an extremely strong sense of ownership – they take pride in the ownership of their personal items and space in your home.
Is there anything else you think is important about the breed ( care / grooming) that our readers should know about?
COAT: Pomeranians need regular grooming to keep their coats healthy and in excellent condition. They should be brushed at least twice a week to keep the thick undercoat from matting. Give your Pomeranian good quality dog food and a vitamin supplement to further ensure a healthy, shiny coat throughout the year. Use good quality shampoo (available from your Vet) to wash your Pomeranian in and towel dry the coat thoroughly before blow drying the coat.
EARS, EYES, TEETH: Always keep the hairs around the ears, anal area and under the feet trimmed and clean. Clean your Pomeranian’s ears regularly to keep it clear from mites. Pomeranians have a tendency to have some mucous like matter collecting in the corners of their eyes, so simply clean it by wiping the eyes with some cotton wool. Brush your Pomeranian’s teeth regularly to help reduce tartar build up for healthier teeth and fresher breath. This will avoid serious dental and other health problems later on.
