A little furry and cheerful friend - such is the Pomeranian. It is also called dwarf. Externally, the breed is similar to a German Spitz. But it differs in that the fur of the first is softer, and the muzzle is shorter.
It is interesting to know the history of the breed, the features of the content and what is the care for Pomeranian spitz at home. The article is devoted to these questions.
Origin of breed
Distant relatives of Spitz are Eskimo and Samoyed huskies. Representatives of the breed turned out to be miniature thanks to the work of breeders.
The homeland of Spitz is Germany, the province of Pomerania, hence the name of the breed. In the 18th century, these white dogs were bred there and called them "ummirle". In Württemberg, black Spitz was grown. Dogs of those times were larger than contemporaries and were involved in the protection of vineyards, boats and dwellings.
Later, representatives of the nobility became interested in the breed. English Queen Charlotte brought the Spitz to the palace, since then the breed has become officially recognized. The breeding of its best representatives began. Then the dogs weighed about 9 kg, their color was beige or white.
The changes took place in the 19th century, when Queen Victoria’s granddaughter brought a miniature Spitz to England, whose name was Marco. He weighed no more than 5 kg. Victoria fell in love with this breed and began to defend its miniature version. As a result, in 1871, breed standards were adopted. In Germany, from 1899, they began to breed Spitz of different sizes and shades.
After World War I, the breed was on the verge of extinction; dogs from other European countries began to be imported to Germany. But World War II also negatively affected the removal of Spitz. As a result, the breed standards had to be reviewed; a new one was adopted in 1998. Today it is sometimes called dwarf.
Germany became the officially recognized homeland of Pomeranian Spitz. Dogs gained a foothold in countries such as Germany, Britain, USA, France, Russia, Holland.
In our country, only German Spitz stands out as a separate breed, and Pomeranian - only its variety. It is worth acquiring a puppy in professional kennels, where experienced specialists will advise how to care for Pomeranian spitz at home, and there is also the opportunity to find out the pedigree of the dog.
Unofficial Varieties
If we talk about the types of Pomeranian Spitz, there are three of them. The first, corresponding to all parameters of the breed, we will describe further. But there are two more:
- “Baby dollars”;
- bearish type.
The “baby dollars” face is shorter and wider than the standard version. And in the bearish type, the head is round, shortened, flattened, eyes close set.
Breeders say that the growing popularity of puppy cubs only harms the breed of oranges. However, more and more buyers prefer them.
Let us dwell on the description of the standard type of breed Pomeranian, we will look after the dog later.
Characteristics
Outwardly, the Spitz resembles a fox, especially a muzzle. Description of the breed:
- The head is round, the ears are small, not far set. The body is short, the chest is round. The nose is small, round, black or brown.
- Spitz can be of different colors, of which there are only 12.
- Spitz parameters: height 19-30 cm, at the withers - 19-22 cm, weight - 1-4 kg.
- Life expectancy is 13-15 years.
The breed is ideal for keeping in an apartment environment, caring for a dog will not bring much trouble. More on this later.
Maintenance in the apartment and care
Pomeranian Spitz, as mentioned earlier, does not cause the owner much trouble. However, some rules still need to be followed.
Even before the puppy appears in the apartment, it is worth determining the place for the dog to rest. It is better if it is closer to the master bedroom, but away from the balcony, batteries and radiators. You can not have a couch in the hallway or passage rooms, where there are a lot of drafts. At first, baskets with low walls will be enough. At the bottom you can put a rug or mattress.
The puppy will quickly get used to the place if the owner periodically puts a little goodies and toys there for the dog. So the dog will understand that in the basket she can feel completely safe. It’s not worth taking the puppy to bed with you; the dog should get used to its place. If you let the puppy spend the night with him, then driving him out of the master's bed will be very difficult.
Also, before the appearance of the dog, it is worth securing the home space:
- hide all wires;
- eliminate the gaps between the furniture and the walls where the puppy can get stuck;
- check the security on the balcony;
- remove all heavy objects accessible to the puppy that may fall on it;
- hide all household chemicals;
- rearrange small objects from which the dog can choke.
Skins spread on the floor can also be a threat. There were times when Spitz swallowed pieces of fur and got a gut twist. Another source of danger for the dog is the bin. It must be tightly closed, otherwise the orange can be poisoned by waste from the household garbage.
Maintenance in a country house
The life of the Spitz in a private house is practically no different from life in an apartment. Well, unless a land plot is added to the accessible territory, which can serve as a source of danger for a miniature dog. The natural curiosity of an orange can create a lot of problems for a careless owner.
The dog, which is allowed to walk freely around the yard, will study the new territory and find all of its “weaknesses”, including trash, cracks in the fence and more. If the puppy walks around the yard unattended, the owner must be 100% sure that there are no abandoned food waste, hazardous liquids and powders, and the holes in the fence are securely closed.
As for the house itself, it is important to pay attention to the floor. If it is slippery, you need to cover the surface with a rug. This is important during puppy growth, as slippery coatings will prevent limbs from forming properly.
Comfortable conditions for keeping and caring for a dog
The dog in the room should feel safe. It is important for the owner to ensure the maintenance and care of the apartment that is optimal for the Pomeranian Spitz. It should be borne in mind that the animal easily tolerates cold, but does not tolerate drafts. While the pet is growing, it is worth making sure that it does not jump from high surfaces. This could result in serious injury.
Dog walking
In addition to leaving home, Pomeranian needs daily walks with active games and physical activity. After all, this is one of the most active breeds.
Also, walking in the fresh air is useful because:
- so the puppy is easier to get used to in the surrounding world;
- learns to relieve the need outside the apartment;
- improve your metabolism.
Before the first walk it is necessary to vaccinate the puppy from dangerous diseases and withstand 2-week quarantine.
The adult Spitz is taken out 2-3 times a day, the desired duration of the walk is 2 hours. The owner should tune in to an active pastime, as the dog will not let you get bored.
Diet and diet. What to feed?
We continue to consider the breed of dogs Pomeranian, maintenance, care, nutrition of the animal. While the pet is small, it is fed at regular intervals from the allocated dishes, gradually moving from a 5-time feeding regimen to a 2-time regimen after reaching 8 months of age.
An approximate diet of a 2-month-old puppy looks like this:
- The first meal is boiled fish with buckwheat, vegetables and vegetable oil.
- The second is cottage cheese or kefir.
- The third is boiled chicken without skin.
- Fourth - freshly grated vegetables with vegetable oil.
- Fifth - boiled vegetables with meat.
Compliance with the rules of feeding the animal is important if a Pomeranian appeared in the house. The peculiarities of caring for a dog of any age are that it cannot be fed with food from the table, as well as sweets, sausages, pastries, smoked meats and salted foods. Fatty types of meat - pork, lamb, and also tubular bones of birds are forbidden.
Starting from the 7-month-old age, oranges can be transferred to a full-fledged diet, including:
- fresh meat;
- boneless boiled fish;
- cereals (rice, hercules, buckwheat);
- turkey and skinless chicken;
- sour milk (cottage cheese and kefir low-fat);
- vegetables - in particular, carrots, and fruits;
- vegetable oil.
If the dog refuses any dish, you should wait until he gets hungry. You do not need to pamper it with goodies, otherwise the dog may get fat.
Spitz character
Oranges cannot stand loneliness and are happy to spend time with the owner. They are able to stand up for their owner and, not realizing their modest size, can attack a large dog.
The puppy gets along well with other pets. And an adult orange can dominate, so problems are possible.
By the temperament of the Spitz, playful and cheerful dogs, by nature devoted to their owners, in addition, possessing excellent hearing. Oranges are quick-witted and smart, well trained, listen to the owner’s commands.
Training and parenting moments
Pomeranian is rather obstinate in nature, therefore it is important to educate him from childhood.
The first thing a puppy is taught is to recognize his name and respond to it. By the age of six months, the dog should know and execute the simplest commands:
- "A place".
- "To me".
- "Beside".
- "Fu."
- "Sit".
- Aport.
Dogs are encouraged to treat any faithfully performed action with a treat and praise. Spitz is trying to please his master, so the owner’s attention is very important to him. You need to train your puppy systematically, otherwise there will be no benefit from training.
Hygiene and Care
While the puppy is small, he will cope in a tray with a filler or newspaper. To accustom a dog to a toilet, it is necessary to carry it to a tray after each feeding and a dream. If there is a puddle in the wrong place, do not scold the puppy, the owner should preferably be patient. If the puppy went to the tray on their own, they praise him. This attitude will definitely appreciate your Pomeranian.
Features of caring for a dog include maintaining a healthy and clean coat. To fully care for it, you will need:
- large pusherka;
- metal combs with rare frequent teeth;
- thinning shears;
- blunt scissors.
In order to facilitate combing of the dog, the coat is sprayed with liquid from mats or plain water.
Before washing the dog, they put cotton wool in the ears, use a special zoo shampoo. You can dry the hair with a hairdryer, as the hair of oranges is too thick and will dry for a long time. If you wait for drying in a natural way, the dog may catch a cold, and the wool will fall into tangles.
If a dog goes to exhibitions, it is better to entrust her hair to a professional groomer, since it is impossible to take into account all the nuances on your own. If the Spitz’s claws do not grind naturally, they should be trimmed. There are special tools for this process that you can purchase at a pet store. After cutting, the claws are filed with a file for dogs. The ears are cleaned with a cotton pad dipped in chamomile broth, the eyes are washed with boiled water. Tartar removal is trusted by a professional in the clinic every three months. Spitz teeth should be brushed with dog paste.
Vaccinations
Providing care for Pomeranian spitz at home, it is worth taking care of disease prevention. If the puppy is purchased in a kennel, he will have a passport with vaccinations. As a rule, complex vaccination is performed at 2 months, revaccination at 3 months, also vaccinated at 6-7 months.
Adult dogs after one year of age are vaccinated annually. Routine vaccinations will protect the dog from:
- plague;
- hepatitis A;
- coronavirus;
- leptospirosis;
- adenovirus;
- gastroenteritis.
Before each vaccination, deworming is performed. But the last word about vaccination is always the veterinarian who examines the dog.
How does oranges relate to children?
Spitz looks like a funny toy that you want to cuddle. Therefore, many parents think that the dog will be the perfect companion to their child, but this is far from the case. An experienced breeder will never recommend Pomeranian to families with children. And here the matter is not so much in danger to the child as for the dog. If you pick up the puppy, he will want to jump out. The child will not be able to keep the dog, and therefore the Spitz can be injured. The orange man does not know how to group himself in high jumps, therefore contact with children is undesirable for them.
Often, dogs living in families with children feel uncomfortable and acquire neurosis. Spitz become irritable and even aggressive. If your parents have a strong desire to have just such a pet, it’s worth the wait until the child grows up and can control his communication with the dog.
Costs of Pomeranian owners
According to reviews, the maintenance of the house and the care of the dog includes one-time, periodic and regular expenses. Of course, calculating the final amount is quite difficult. It will depend on many factors. One-time spending is the acquisition of toys and ammunition for a dog.
Here they are:
- When buying a basket for sleeping and relaxing a dog, you should give preference to the one that is wider. Will cost 600-1000 rubles.
- Toys - 500 rubles.
- Plates, cups - 500-1500 rubles.
- Carrying - 150 rubles.
- Collar - 200 rubles.
- Leash - 300 rubles.
- Combs - 500 rubles.
- Nail clipper - 300 rubles.
- Antistatic - 250 rubles.
Regular expenses include:
- Toothpastes - 250 rubles, including a brush.
- Shampoo for hair care Pomeranian Spitz - 250 rubles.
- Haircut in the salon - 2000 rubles.
- Dog clothes - 1500 rubles.
What other costs will you have to incur if you have a Pomeranian? The care and maintenance of a dog’s home includes the cost of food. About 1,000 rubles will have to be spent on it every month. If the diet is ready, you won’t have to buy vitamins.
If the puppy needs to attend obedience courses, each lesson will cost 500 rubles.
Sterilization (castration) - is carried out once, but is expensive - 5000 rubles.
If the pet will participate in exhibitions, this is another expense item, which will include the services of the groomer, payment of registration fees, transportation and so on.
According to reviews, when caring for a Pomeranian spitz, the initial costs will be the largest, in the future you will only have to buy everything you need for the dog.
What to consider when choosing a four-legged friend?
Maintaining and caring for a dwarf Pomeranian Spitz will be easier if you take into account the recommendations of dog handlers:
- It is better to choose a puppy in 1.5-2 months, at this time the dog begins to consume solid food on its own. If you acquire a dog in adulthood, you can immediately see its nature, however, re-education will not work.
- When choosing a puppy, you should pay attention to its activity, dental health, clean hair without dandruff, skin without bald patches, sparkling eyes, even legs.
- If you purchased a Pomeranian spitz-dog of a bear type, the care features, according to the owners, consist in regular haircuts from professional groomers.
- The puppy must have a veterinary passport, which contains information about vaccinations.
- At home, the puppy should be safe. Spitz are susceptible to drafts, air conditioning, and may be sensitive to new food and water. They should be protected from falls.
- It is also worth bearing in mind that Spitz has a rather clear voice. The dog may bark loudly, which not everyone will like. Therefore, it is important to provide the puppy with the correct upbringing and adjust this feature.
So, we examined the features of caring for Pomeranian spitz at home. With this information, the breeder will be able to provide the dog with comfortable conditions.