shoulders with some of history’s greatest creative minds. Mozart dedicated one of his finished arias to his pet Pomeranian, Pimperl. Frédéric Chopin, inspired by his friend’s pet Pomeranian chasing his tail, wrote the song “Waltz of the Little Dogs.” When Michelangelo was painting the Sistine Chapel, his Pom was sitting below on a satin pillow watching the action. While this Nordic breed has sled dogs, watch dogs and herding dogs behind them, they have been bred for many years for simple companionship. You will find that many Pomeranians today still carry many of the same traits as the breeds behind them. This little compact toy dog does not realize that it is such a small dog. Pomeranians are truly large dogs in a small dog body. They have a vivacious spirit with a foxlike expression. They are playful throughout the majority of their lives, but are also happy to simply hang out on the couch or in your lap. Their territorial nature will alert you to any unusual disturbance or intruders to your household. Pomeranians are very loyal to their people. They have a strong desire to please, but can remain stubborn should they see fit. They have been successful in obedience, rally, agility and many other events. Their social nature among themselves makes it easy and interesting to own more than just one.
back as 1892. Regular classification was not provided until 1900 at New York. In 1900, the American Kennel Club recognized the Pomeranian and the American Pomeranian Club (APC) was formed. In 1909, APC was accepted as a Member Club of the AKC and became the designated Parent Club for the breed. The APC held their first specialty show in 1911 with an entry of 262 Pomeranians. The first Best of Breed winner was Ch. Banner Prince Charming Early American winners were finer in bone, larger in ear and usually weighed under six pounds. They had type and good coat texture, although they lacked the profuseness of coat in evidence today. When the Titanic sailed on its maiden voyage, there were three breeds of dog that survived the sinking of the Titanic on April 14, 1912. Two were Pomeranians. As Margaret stood waiting and holding her Pomeranian, James Clinch Smith passed by and jokingly commented, “Oh, I suppose we ought to put a life preserve on the little doggie, too.” Margaret Hayes survived with her Pom on lifeboat #7. A Pomeranian belonging to the Rothschild’s survived, possibly because it was bundled into Mrs. Rothschild’s bag, although Mr. Rothschild went down with the ship. It is interesting to note that Pomeranian type has stayed fairly consistent from the early 1900s to the Pomeranians you see in the ring today. As companion dogs, Poms make excellent friends and have rubbed
In 1873, the Kennel Club (England) was formed and the so-called Spitz dog was among the first breeds recognized. The first Poms shown at the time weighed nearly 18 pounds. In 1888, a Pomeranian named “Marco” was sent from Florence, Italy to become the beloved companion of Queen Victoria of England. Marco weighed 12 pounds. The Queen also imported a 7.5 pound, white female named Gena. The Queen’s love of the breed was clear to everyone who saw her with her dogs. Because the Queen was a popular monarch, the breed’s popularity grew as well. In fact, the Queen is credited for encouraging the trend toward the smaller Poms. At one time, Queen Victoria had 35 Pomeranians in her kennel and on her death bed, asked for her Pomeranian, Turi, to be at her side. EARLY AMERICAN HISTORY Pomeranians were shown in the United States in the Miscellaneous Class as far
1920-1930
1916-1920
1960
2010
Photos Courtesy of Derial Jas
264 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , A UGUST 2017
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