Pomeranian
History
The Pomeranian is related to the Spitz family, furry dogs
which came out of the blustery Arctic circle and were renowned
for their skills in carrying loads, hunting, and guard
dog duties.
The Pom got its name from a small province called Pomerania
in what is now eastern Germany. Back in the Renaissance
era these early German Poms weighed in at a hefty 35 pounds.
They were highly desirable pets for the people who lived
in continental Europe.
There
were many famous Pom owners in Europe. One was the great
church leader Martin Luther, who had a Pomeranian named
Belferlein. He mentioned his pet on numerous occasions
in his written works. Another famous owner was Michelangelo.
His Pomeranian sat on a satin pillow, patiently watched
him paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Still another famous
Pom owner was the physicist Isaac Newton who had
a Pom named Diamond. Diamond was said to have had the bad
habit of chewing up his master's manuscripts.
And in the musical world Mozart had a female Pom named
Pimperl (to whom he dedicated an aria) and Chopin was so
amused by his girlfriend's Pom that he composed the "Valse
des Petits Chiens" for the pet.
Pomeranians arrived in England in 1761 when a 17-year-old
girl from a neighboring province of Pomerania traveled
to England
and
married Prince
George III. Her name was Charlotte and she would bear 15
children for the monarchy (Prince George soon became King
George early in their marriage). The first Poms she brought
to England were mainly white dogs and most weighed over
20 pounds. But although her
dogs were popular among royal circles, the breed failed
to strike the fancy of the general dog breeders.
The breed finally gained popularity under the reign of
Charlotte's grandaughter, Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria
was a devoted dog fancier, and when her husband (Prince
Albert) suddenly sickened and died
in 1861
at the age of 42 the saddened Queen grew even fonder of
her gentle pets. The Queen made a trip to Italy in 1888
and while there she purchased a sable red Pom named Marco
and brought
him back to England. Marco weighed only 12 pounds and many
dog historians point to him as being the instigator of
the desire to breed smaller Pomeranians.
Marco went on to compete under the Queen's name in many
dog shows and he won many honors. Victoria also bought
three other Poms on the same trip to Florence in 1888 and
the most famous next to Marco was a cute little female
named Gina who also became a champion at London dog shows.
Victoria loved her Poms so much that as she lay dying she
asked for her favorite Pom Turi to be brought to her bedside.
Spurred by the Queen'skennel of Poms, English dog fanciers
began breeding even smaller Poms, and when the adult
dogs began to hit below eight pounds they were called Toy
Pomeranians.
In 1888 the first American Pom was entered into the American
Kennel Club's stud book, and in 1892 the first Pom to
be shown in America was entered in a dog show in New York.
One
problem in breeding for smallness is that runts were
typically used in this effort. The use of such dogs did
achieve the desired effect, but at the expense of passing
on genetic problems. Small toy breeds like Poms have a
high incidence of teeth problems and a Poms teeth must
be meticulously cared for through frequent cleaning to
prevent the teeth from falling out at a rather early age.
Although Poms are generally hardy and long lived (12 to
16 years) problems with the teeth can cause heart problems
which may lead to an early death.
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