I fell in love with Pomeranian dogs a few months ago. A good friend of mine got one, tiny, fluffy bundle of joy. She has never had a dog before and someone told her that Poms are a great choice for a first-time owner. I wasn’t so sure so I decided to do a research on this topic. I am happy to share my findings with you.
Pomeranian breed could be the right choice for a first-time owner. It depends on what do you expect from a dog and what kind of lifestyle do you have.
Poms are great alarm dogs which mean they tend to bark a lot. They are also very playful and like being around people. These dogs don’t require a large living space and they are rather independent dogs but loyal to their owners. If not socialized at an early age, can become very aggressive. Small-sized dogs with attitude and personality of much larger canine.
The more you know about them, it will be easier for you to determine if Poms are the right choice for you, as a first-time owner.
Table of Contents
Can Pomeranian Dogs Live in Apartment?
If you live in the apartment building and would like to get a Pom, I would say, go for it! Poms are small-sized dogs ( they usually weigh between 3 and 7 pounds) and don’t require too much space.
Like any other dog breed, Poms do need exercise. Don’t be fooled by their size, those cute canines have a lot of energy. Although they are lap dogs they won’t be happy sitting in your lap all day long.
They need two daily walks, at least 20 min each. If you add some playtime inside the apartment, that would be just enough for your pet.
Do Pomeranian Dogs Bark A lot?
This can be a problem if you live in an apartment complex and not in a house with a yard. Poms are great watchdogs and they will eagerly inform you every time that someone is close to your door.
Although Pomeranian dogs are rather small, their bark is pretty loud and strong so this can bring trouble with the neighbors.
Of course, if trained on time, Pom can learn not to bark that much. Note that you cannot make your dog keep his mouth shut all the time.
Barking for dogs is the same thing as talking for humans. But what you can do is cut the excessive barking.
How to Reduce Excessive Barking in Pomeranians?
First, you need to detect the trigger, which makes your dog bark a lot. If you know the barking stimulus you are halfway to solve the excessive barking issue.
Your Pom is trying to tell you something that’s why he barks. When that happens you should calmly say ” Good Work/ Job ” and then ask ” What’s the problem”.
If you look calm and peaceful your Pom will understand that you are not worried about whatever made him bark.
You should always have some treats ready. If your dog still barks, say something like ” Be quiet” and show him treats. The dog will stop barking as he will try to sniff or lick the treat. It’s a good sign, but don’t give him a treat right away.
He must learn that he is praised for being quiet and not for being noisy. Wait for a couple of seconds to pass and then give the treat to your dog.
If you have enough patience you can gradually increase quiet time, each time you can add a couple of seconds more before you let your dog grab to treat.
Another method is to ignore your dog’s bark. Experienced owners suggest that this method you may find hard at first but they claim that is effective.
It’s important not to have eye contact nor to talk or touch your dog while he is barking. If you ignore him, he will eventually stop as he gets no attention.
Can Pomeranian Dogs Live Outside?
Poms should never live outside. Although these small yet energetic dogs are very curious and like to explore the outside world, outdoor habitat is not a good option for them.
As being so small, Pom can be seen as prey for predator birds such as eagles, hawks, and owls. Predator birds are not the only danger for your little pet. Other predators like coyotes, foxes, bobcats can see your Pom as a perfect bite.
Poms are a very popular breed so your pet might become a target for dognapper. If your Pom lives outside, that makes it much easier for dognapper to take him.
Pomeranian dogs don’t handle the heat and humidity well. They can easily become overheated and get a heat stroke.
Although Poms handle cold weather better than hot, they shouldn’t be left outside.
They do have double coats and they are from the same family as Alaskan Malamute and Siberian Samoyed but still, they cannot survive more than 60 minutes at the temperature below the freezing level.
Can Pomeranian Dog Be Left Alone?
If you have a full-time job and you need to go out to work, your Pom will be just fine. These dogs handle being left alone quite well. Pomeranians are pretty independent dogs.
However, no dog should be left alone for more than 8 hours in a row. If you have an adult Pom ( over 1-year-old) you can leave him alone for 6-8 hours.
Note that Poms also can develop separation anxiety and if this is the case with your dog, you shouldn’t leave him alone for more than 5 hours.
Don’t forget to leave a sufficient amount of fresh water, some dog food/ treats as well as some interesting dog toys for entertainment while you are not there.
A variety of chew toys will keep them occupied and prevent unnecessary damage to your belongings and furniture.
Are Pomeranian Dogs Easy To Train?
Poms are considered as fairly easy to train but potty training is something that you can have a hard time with.
Usually, toy breeds are not easy to potty train. The main reason is their size and the bladder. But also Poms can be very stubborn.
If you get your Pom from a shelter or a pet store, he comes to your home with a bad habit of pee and poop all over the place, you will need a lot of patience to teach him not to do that anymore.
As with any other training, you should start from the minute he comes to your home.
No matter what do you want to teach your Pom, positive reinforcement is the correct way. Poms don’t respond well to harsh training.
They are smart but stubborn at the same time. The training sessions should be short and fun as Poms become bored very easily if they have to repeat the same thing, over and over again for a longer period of time
Are Pomeranian Dogs Aggressive?
Maybe you cannot pair aggressiveness with these cute, fluffy pups but they can be very aggressive.
If Poms are not socialized at their age, they become aggressive. Early socialization has an important role. It teaches them how to behave with humans.
If Pom is aggressive to people, he might be scared, especially of strangers. But if your Pom show aggressive behavior to you or any member of your household that means that his status in your family is not defined.
Either he sees himself as ”alpha” or he doesn’t realize who the ”alpha” is. Dogs are social creatures that respected hierarchy, they used to live in the packs and every pack had its own leader, an alpha.
Bear in mind that even a well-behaved dog may start showing aggressive behavior. In that case, you should see the vet, as the reason might be some medical condition.
You also need to train your Pom how to behave with other animals, including dogs. You need great patience but your life will be much easier once your dog is fully socialized.
Are Pomeranian Dogs Good With Kids?
Poms can get along with kids ( age of 10 or older) but definitely not recommend pets for families with very young children.
First of all, Poms are tiny pets and your toddler may accidentally and totally unintentionally hurt your pet. Your kid can step on the dog or even sit on the dog which won’t end well.
Second of all, Poms don’t react well to high-pitched noises and sudden movements. The dog might feel threatened at one moment and may act defensively and hurt a young child.
Simply young kids and Poms are not a good combination.
If you have both young kids and Pom, never ever leave them unsupervised.
Are Pomeranian Dogs Friendly?
Yes, generally this breed is quite friendly. They are playful, they like being around humans. They are great entertainment for their owners.
Of course, being friendly also depends on how a dog is socialized and trained. How the dog had been treated in the past may influence how that dog will behave, is he going to have that perky and friendly attitude or not.
Do Pomeranian Dogs Need To Be Groomed?
Oh yes! They definitely require grooming. Their luxurious double coat needs to be brushed on daily basis. This breed doesn’t shed like some other breeds but still, these dogs shed so brushing the coat is even more important to prevent losing hair to matting.
Bear in mind that Poms shed more in the summer, this is a seasonal shedding and females shed heavily after they weaned the litter, due to some hormonal changes.
Besides coat brushing, you need to keep your Pom’s bottom clean, his nails trimmed ( since this breed is very active).
Pom’s teeth require special attention. Like other toy breeds, Poms have very tiny teeth packed densely in a small jaw.
This may lead to plaque accumulation which further can lead to various dental problems such as gingivitis or periodontal disease.
Bathe your Pom every 3 weeks or so. Make sure he is totally dry before start grooming. If you bathe your pet more often, you risk damaging his sensitive skin as frequent baths will remove precious oils that protect his skin.
Take your pet to the professional groomer once in 4-6 weeks for the full groom that should include bathing, brushing, haircut, anal glands, ears cleaning, and nails trimming.
Final Thought
Pomeranians are small dogs with big personalities. They usually are not aware of their own size and they think they are much larger than they really are.
Poms are great lap dogs, that like to cuddle but won’t be happy to sit in your lap for the whole day. They are active and energetic dogs.
Although they shouldn’t live outside, they like to explore the outer world and should let them but always supervise them. They need at least two walks on a daily basis
These dogs are suitable for persons or families living in apartments, don’t mind living in smaller space. They don’t get along well with very young children, but kids 10 years or older can be great company for them.
Although they are very loyal to their owners, they are also independent so will have no issues if you leave them alone for a couple of hours. Bear in mind that they are pretty smart and need to be occupied with something, so chew toys are great entertainment while you are not there.
They do require daily grooming but they less expensive to keep than larger breeds. They simply require less food and the vet’s bills are smaller.
Poms are a great choice for one person or a family. They will be great companions for elderly, retired people. They are easy to carry around, easy to fit in any car.
