As for any other breed, there are some bad things and cons of Pomeranian dog ownership. I am sure you want one cute, little Pom, otherwise, you wouldn’t be reading this article.
When it comes to the downsides of having a Pomeranian it’s not uncommon for this breed to be stubborn and they are not always eager to please their owners. Pomeranian breed is known for its tendency to bark frequently and loud. Poms often have health issues with teeth and joints. It’s not always easy to potty train a Pomeranian. Believe it or not, these tiny dogs like being alpha dogs.
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Pomeranian Health Issues
Although Pomeranian dogs are fairly healthy dogs they are prone to a certain number of health issues. Many of these issues are pretty expensive to treat, especially if your Pom needs long-term medications or surgery.
Dental Issues
Pomeranian breed is prone to issues with teeth. Pom’s jaw is rather small and teeth are densely packed which can lead to plaque accumulation. This further leads to numerous dental problems such as periodontal disease or gingivitis. Daily teeth brushing is a must if you want your Pom to avoid this kind of trouble.
No matter how adorable your Pom is, never overdo it with treats. Too many treats have a negative effect on your pet’s teeth.
Poor breeding is another reason for teeth issues in Pomeranian dogs. The thing is that these dogs were much larger 100 years ago.
Then the breeders decided to breed them down to toy size and made lapdogs of them. They were classical working dogs that were pulling sled and herding.
Since they were larger in size, their jaws were also bigger than today. As a result of the poor breeding process, these dogs may end up with different teeth problems like bites that are off or teeth that need to be pulled because of the jaw size.
Joint Issues
Luxating patellas or slipping kneecaps are commonly seen in Pomeranian dogs. If you notice that your Pom has a bit of funny walk like he has almost straight legs when he walks or feels pain during walk rush to the vet.
If you catch the early symptoms, it would be much easier to correct this issue. Just bear in mind that signs are not easy to spot at first and may happen occasionally.
If you let the time pass and this condition progresses then your dog might be too old for corrective surgery.
Collapsed Trachea
This is a very common health issue in Pomeranian dogs. The trachea or windpipe in humans is a vital part of the body, through which air is inhaled and exhaled. This pipe is made of cartilage rings.
Some Poms have a genetic disposition ( due to poor or over-breeding) to have this pipe weakened or constant pulling on a collar may lead to the same thing.
The result is a pipe that starts to bend in the middle making difficulties in breathing. You may notice that a dog that suffers from this condition has a rasping cough.
Instead of a classical collar, consider using a harness. Also, note that overweight Poms have a higher chance of getting this condition.
Pomeranian dogs also have different eye problems ( Distichiasis, Cataracts ), skin/coat problems ( Alopecia), Hypothyroidism ( Pom’s metabolism is slowing down)
Pomeranian Personality Issues
Although Pomeranian dogs usually have great personalities, they are friendly, loyal, and playful dogs, on the other hand, they can be very stubborn.
These little dogs have a very strong-willed mind of their own. Pomeranian dogs are not always eager to please their owners although they are known as loyal dogs. That’s why the Respect training is a must for young Poms.
Poms are also very good at manipulating their owners. They usually see themselves as alpha dogs.
If you remember, they were much larger dogs in the past, working breed, that had its tasks and responsibilities. Then over time, the breeders bred them down to the toy size dogs.
Their body is small but their spirit is huge. In their minds, they are still the brave, hardworking big dogs they used to be.
That’s why Poms’ owners commonly face very unpleasant situations in which tiny and cute Pom is ready to fight with much larger Canine.
What Poms don’t understand is that they are very fragile animals, especially their necks and that large dog’s bite can kill them. Even a strong shake by the big dog can hurt them very seriously.
As they like being alpha, Poms usually attempt to dominate. This may be very annoying for large canines, that’s why you need to make sure your Pom hangs around more with other toy size breeds rather than large dogs.
Early socialization is the keyword. Like with any other breed, Poms need to be socialized as early as possible.
They need to learn how to behave with humans but also with animals as well. If not, they may become overly aggressive and protective.
Don’t be fooled by Pom’s size, these dogs have a lot of energy. They don’t need exercise or walks that last for hours but they do need at least two walks a day and some playtime inside.
Although they are promoted as lapdogs that like to cuddle ( it’s true, they do), don’t expect them to sit on your lap all day long. They are energetic, curious, and smart dogs that used to be working dogs, they simply cannot be lazy.
Pomeranian Grooming Issues
Any dog needs some help with grooming but the Pomeranian coat requires constant care and attention.
These dogs do shed, some owners will say that they are heavy shedders while some others have that luck to have light shedding Pom. One is certain – Poms are one of the heaviest sheddings of the toy breeds.
No matter how much your Pom is shedding, you still need to keep his coat very tidy and clean. Daily brushing is required to get rid of loose hair and prevent matting.
Since they are prone to dental issues, daily teeth brushing is a must in order to avoid plaque accumulation and disease that can come as a result of it.
Pomeranian Popularity Is A Bad Thing?
Poms are extremely popular, they are in the top 15 of registered AKC breeds. This means that many people want to have them but also many people are breeding them.
Unfortunately not only reputable breeders are out there. Puppy mills/ farms, pet shops, and other irresponsible breeders are producing a large number of puppies without thinking about their gens, health, or temperament. The only thing they think of is a profit.
Depends on how large the puppy farm is but these people keep one or several Pom females that are pregnant all the time. As you assume this is not good.
The conditions in which these dogs live are pretty poor. It happens that these breeders breed already pregnant females and as a result, they get puppies that are born prematurely.
The point is that when you want to buy a Pom puppy, do find a reputable breeder. You can consult the AKC website, where you can find a list of reputable breeders. Another option is to visit a local shelter and adopt one Pomeranian.
If you buy a dog from a puppy mill, you risk getting an unhealthy puppy with personality issues. Always require to see the parents of the puppy you want to buy as well as their full medical history. If this is not available, leave that place without purchasing the puppy.
Pomeranian Barking Issues
Pomeranian is known to be a very noisy breed. This breed is closely related to wolves as well as other dog breeds such as Samoyed or Alaskan Malamute. What all these breeds have in common is that they are all very talkative.
Poms like to vocalize every thought. They like to ”say” what they mean. Barking is the most common way of communication in the dogs’ world.
Pomeranian dogs are usually very suspicious of strangers and prefer to inform you about any stranger or even a strange noise in your vicinity.
The problem is their bark is rather strong and loud, which may bring you trouble with neighbors.
You surely cannot make your Pom keep his mouth shut all the time but there are some things /training you can do to reduce excessive barking this breed is prone to. If you want to know more about it, check our article Is A Pomeranian A Right Choice For First Time Owner.
Pomeranian Dogs Size – Is it Bad For Dog To Be Small?
It depends. In some cases, the small size of a dog can be an advantage. You can easily carry your dog around, it can fit in any living space, doesn’t require a big yard, he can live perfectly in an apartment, you can drive him easily in any car, many restaurants or other places are willing to welcome small dogs…
On the other hand, Pom’s small size can be a problem. Small dogs are more fragile, they can end up hurt easily.
This becomes visible especially if you have young kids who naturally don’t know how to handle Poms safely. They can accidentally sit on your dog which, as you may assume, won’t end well.
Note that owning a toy breed like Pomeranian requires constant surveillance of everything that’s going on around your pet.
Pomeranian Potty Training
Since they are stubborn and not always happy to please you, training a Pom can be quite a challenge. On the other hand, they are super clever and like to learn new things so commands and tricks training can even go well. On the other hand, potty training might be a challenging task.
It seems that toy breeds are more difficult to housebreak than larger dogs. There are different theories why.
According to one theory – small dogs such as Pomeranian don’t have a problem pooping and peeing inside the house as usual, that house is too big for them.
You know that dogs don’t like to eliminate in their living space. But toy breeds are simply too small, so they can easily pee in one corner and then go to another room and be far from the pee spot.
Another theory brings up the fact that people treat small dogs like Pomeranian as babies and tolerate some things that would never allow a big dog.
This is a huge mistake. Small dogs are equally capable to learn anything big dogs can. Don’t underestimate them.
If you add the natural stubbornness of Pomeranian to all these theories, you understand why many owners find it difficult to housebreak breeds like this one.
One thing is certain – Pom can be potty trained and consistency and determination are the keys. You ( and all members of your household) just need to be consistent. Positive reinforcement is the right way. Never punish your dog for having accidents.
First make a schedule, when you take your dog out for a toilet break.
Make sure the place you are taking him to do it is safe enough, as dogs are vulnerable in the moment when they pee or poop so they need to feel secure there.
Praise him/her and give treats every time when they do potty outside.
If you notice that your dog had an accident in the house, don’t yell at him, don’t punish him. You won’t achieve anything with a harsh word, plus your dog won’t understand why you are mad.
Only if you catch him peeing or pooping inside you can try to correct him at that very moment. Take him outside immediately so you show him where those things should be done.
Some owners use indoor pee pads for small dogs like Pomeranian. If you don’t have some very strong reason for this, you shouldn’t be doing this.
By allowing a dog to go to the toilet inside, you teach him that this is completely acceptable and it’s not. Dogs should always do potty outside.
Pomeranian dogs Cannot Live Outside
Pomeranian dogs like all other toy breeds should be always supervised, especially when they are outside.
There are many predators that could harm them, even predator birds like owls, hawks pose a threat.
That is why you should never ever think about keeping your Pom outside permanently.
These small dogs are very fragile, there is a number of other animals ( foxes, coyotes, bobcats, even some larger dogs) that can see them as prey due to their size.
Dognappers are another danger since Poms are quite popular.
Pomeranian dogs cannot tolerate heat and humidity well. Although they handle lower temperatures better than higher ones, you should never keep the outside for more than one hour at below-freezing temperatures.
Even though, Poms are great watchdogs you shouldn’t keep them outside. Strong and persistent bark may disturb your neighbors.
Final Thought
Detailed search about the respective breed is the right step towards becoming a responsible dog owner. Getting to know all the negative sides and problems that may occur with Pomeranian dogs will help you to cope with all challenges along the way.
One of the bad things is, due to great popularity, many irresponsible persons breed Pomeranian dogs producing a lot of them with genetically unstable temperaments.
According to AKC, Poms are alert and intelligent dogs that are very active. Luxurious coats and smiling faces helped them become very popular. But like any other breed, there are some bad things about them every future owner should know.
Poms are hard to potty train, they can be very stubborn. If not socialize on time, they become aggressive. Their small size can be a con since they are very fragile. Poms cannot live outside. This breed is prone to several health issues especially those related to teeth and joints.
