Pomeranian

HISTORY

The Pomeranian was developed in Germany several hundred years ago from the sled dogs of Iceland and Lapland.

The dog was named after the German state of Pomerania because it was there that the diminutive size of the breed as it is known today was perfected.

When Michelangelo was painting the Sistine Chapel, his Pomeranian was sitting below on a satin pillow watching his master at work.

An early modern recorded reference to the Pomeranian breed is from a November 2, 1764 diary entry in James Boswell's Boswell on the Grand Tour: Germany and Switzerland. "The Frenchman had a Pomeranian dog named Pomer whom he was mighty fond of."

Queen Charlotte, Queen-consort of King George III of England, brought two Pomeranians to England. Named Phoebe and Mercury, the dogs were depicted in paintings by Sir Thomas Gainsborough. The pictures feature a larger type of Pomeranian than is now common

Portrait of Mr and Mrs William Hallett by Thomas Gainsborough, 1785.

Mozart dedicated one of his finished arias to his pet Pomeranian, Pimperl.

Polish composer Frédéric Chopin wrote his “Waltz of the Little Dogs” after watching his friend’s Pomeranian gleefully chasing its tail.

Queen Victoria of England loved Pomeranians so much that she owned 35 of the little dogs over the last 13 years of her life. She first imported four Poms from Italy in 1888: Marco, a sable colored male; Gina, a white female; and two others. The queen’s love of the breed was infectious and soon Pomeranians became the era's hottest pet

On her deathbed, Queen Victoria asked for her Pomeranian Turi to be at her side.

Originally, Pomeranians weighed an average of 30 pounds and were all white, until the 19th century, when they were bred down to become companion animals. During Queen Victoria's lifetime, the breed's size is said to have decreased by 50%.

Teddy Roosevelt owned a Pomeranian that he affectionately referred to as Gem. He talked extensively about his mother’s relationship with Gem in a letter to his son Kermit, describing how described having to give the pet to a family member. "Mother is going to present Gem to Uncle Will," Roosevelt wrote. "Gem is really a very nice small bow-wow, but Mother found that in this case possession was less attractive than pursuit. When she takes him out walking he carries her along as if she was a Roman chariot. She thinks that Uncle Will or Eda can anchor him."

Only three dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic in 1912: Two of them were Pomeranians. One was named Lady and belonged to Margaret Bechstein Hays, who was returning from a trip to Europe with her friends. She wrapped her dog in blankets before carrying her aboard lifeboat number seven. The other was an unnamed pet of Elizabeth Jane Anne Rothschild, the wife of clothing magnate Martin Rothschild who refused to board her lifeboat without her canine companion.

FUN POMERANIAN FACTS

Jiff a Pomeranian from Los Angeles, California has held two Guinness World Records. One was for the fastest 10-meter run on hind legs at 6.56 seconds, and the other for the fastest five-meter run on front paws at 7.76 seconds. Both of Jiff’s records were set in 2014, but his record for fastest front paw run has since been smashed by a mixed breed named Konjo who clocked in at 2.39 seconds. Jiff can be seen in Katy Perry’s music video for "Dark Horse."

Pomeranians are closely related to wolves.

Pomeranians have a thick, double coat. This luxurious fur needs a lot of attention to keep it from getting knotty or matted. Breeders recommend that it is groomed daily to maintain the quality of the coat, with trimming every 1–2 months.

Pomeranians have 23 color combinations that are accepted by the American Kennel Club. The most common colors are orange, black or cream/white.

Sources Comptons Encyclopedia, Wagwalking, Mental Floss