
Official Standard of the Pomeranian
General Appearance: The Pomeranian is a compact, short-backed, active toy dog of Nordic descent. The double coat consists of a short dense undercoat with a profuse harsh-textured longer outer coat. The heavily plumed tail is one of the characteristics of the breed. It is set high and lies flat on the back. He is alert in character, exhibits intelligence in expression, is buoyant in deportment, and is inquisitive by nature. The Pomeranian is cocky, commanding, and animated as he gaits. He is sound in composition and action.
Size, Proportion, Substance: Weight – is from 3 to 7 pounds with the ideal weight for show specimens being 4 to 6 pounds. Any dog over or under the limits is objectionable; however, overall quality should be favored over size. Proportion – The Pomeranian is a square breed with a short back. The ratio of body length to height at the withers being 1 to 1. These proportions are measured from the prosternum to the point of buttocks, and from the highest point of the withers to the ground. Substance – Sturdy, medium-boned.
Head: Head – in balance with the body, when viewed from above, broad at the back tapering to the nose to form a wedge. Expression – may be referred to as fox-like, denoting his alert and intelligent nature. Eyes – dark, bright, medium sized, and almond shaped; set well into the skull with the width between the eyes balancing the other facial features. Eye rims are black, except self-colored in chocolate, beaver and blue. Ears – small, mounted high and carried erect. Proper ear set should be favored over size. Skull – closed, slightly round but not domed. Stop – well pronounced. Muzzle – rather short, straight, free of lippiness, neither coarse nor snipey. Ratio of length of muzzle to skull is ⅓ to ⅔. Nose – pigment is black except self-colored in chocolate, beaver and blue. Bite – scissors, one tooth out of alignment is acceptable. Major Faults – Round, domed skull. Undershot, overshot or wry bite. Disqualification – Eye(s) light blue, blue marbled, blue flecked.
Neck, Topline, Body: Neck – set well into the shoulders with sufficient length to allow the head to be carried proud and high. Topline – level from withers to croup. Body – compact and well- ribbed. Chest – oval tapered extending to the point of elbows with a pronounced prosternum. Back – short-coupled, straight and strong. Loin – short with slight tuck-up. Croup is flat. Tail – heavily plumed, set high and lies flat and straight on the back. Major Fault – Low tail set. Forequarters: Shoulders – well laid back. Shoulder blade and upper arm length are equal. Elbows – held close to the body and turn neither in nor out. Legs when viewed from the front are moderately spaced, straight and parallel to each other, set well behind the forechest. Height from withers to elbows approximately equals height from ground to elbow. Shoulders and legs are moderately muscled. Pasterns straight and strong. Feet- round, tight, appearing cat-like, well- arched, compact, and turn neither in nor out, standing well up on toes. Dewclaws may be removed. Major Fault – Down in pasterns.
Hindquarters: Hindquarters – angulation balances that of the forequarters. Buttocks are well behind the set of the tail. Thighs – moderately muscled. Upper thigh and lower leg length are equal. Stifles – strong, moderately bent and clearly defined. Legs – when viewed from the rear straight and parallel to each other. Hocks when viewed from the side are perpendicular to the ground and strong. Feet same as forequarters. Dewclaws may be removed. Major Fault – Cowhocks, knees turning in or out or lack of soundness in legs or stifles.
Coat: The Pomeranian is a double-coated breed. The body should be well covered with a short, dense undercoat with long harsh-textured guard hair growing through, forming the longer abundant outer coat which stands off from the body. The coat should form a ruff around the neck, framing the head, extending over the shoulders and chest. Head and leg coat is tightly packed and shorter in length than that of the body. Forelegs are well-feathered. Thighs and hind legs are heavily coated to the hock forming a skirt. Tail is profusely covered with long, harsh spreading straight hair forming a plume. Females may not carry as thick or long a coat as a male. Puppy coat may be dense and shorter overall and may or may not show guard hair. A cotton type coat is undesirable in an adult. Coat should be in good and healthy condition especially the skirt, tail, and undercarriage. Trimming for neatness and a clean outline is permissible. Major Fault – soft, flat or open coat.
Color: All colors, patterns, and variations there-of are allowed and must be judged on an equal basis.
Brindle – Dark cross stripes on any solid color or allowed pattern. Parti – White base with any solid color or allowed pattern. A white blaze is preferred on the head. Ticking is undesirable. Extreme Piebald – White with patches of color on head and base of tail. Piebald – White with patches of color on head, body, and base of tail. Irish – Color on the head and body with white legs, chest and collar. Tan Points – Any solid color or allowed pattern with markings sharply defined above each eye, inside the ears, muzzle, throat, forechest, all lower legs and feet, the underside of the tail and skirt. The richer the tan the more desirable. Tan markings should be readily visible. Major Fault – Distinct white on whole foot or on one or more whole feet (except white or parti) on any acceptable color or pattern.
Classifications – The Open Classes at specialty shows may be divided by color as follows: Open Red, Orange, Cream, and Sable; Open Black, Brown, and Blue; Open Any Other Color, Pattern, or Variation.
Gait: The Pomeranians movement has good reach in the forequarters and strong drive with the hindquarters, displaying efficient, ground covering movement that should never be viewed as ineffective or busy. Head carriage should remain high and proud with the overall outline maintained. Gait is smooth, free, balanced and brisk. When viewed from the front and rear while moving at a walk or slow trot the Pomeranian should double track, but as the speed increases the legs converge slightly towards a center line. The forelegs and hind legs are carried straight forward, with neither elbows nor stifles turned in nor out. The topline should remain firm and level with the overall balance maintained.
Temperament: The Pomeranian is an extrovert, exhibiting great intelligence and a vivacious spirit, making him a great companion dog as well as a competitive show dog.
Even though a Toy dog, the Pomeranian must be subject to the same requirements of soundness and structure prescribed for all breeds, and any deviation from the ideal described in the standard should be penalized to the extent of the deviation.
Disqualifications: Eye(s) light blue, blue marbled, blue flecked.
A list of all the dog breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club:
A
- Affenpinscher
- Afghan hound
- Airedale terrier
- Akita
- Alaskan malamute
- American English coonhound
- American eskimo dog
- American foxhound
- American hairless terrier
- American leopard hound
- American Staffordshire terrier
- American water spaniel
- Anatolian shepherd dog
- Appenzeller sennenhunde
- Australian cattle dog
- Australian shepherd
- Australian terrier
- Azawakh
B
- Barbet
- Basenji
- Basset fauve de Bretagne
- Basset hound
- Beagle
- Bearded collie
- Beauceron
- Bedlington terrier
- Belgian malinois
- Belgian shepherd
- Belgian tervuren
- Bergamasco
- Berger picard
- Bernese mountain dog
- Bichon frise
- Biewer terrier
- Black and tan coonhound
- Black Russian terrier
- Bloodhound
- Bluetick coonhound
- Boerboel
- Bolognese
- Border collie
- Border terrier
- Borzoi
- Boston terrier
- Bouvier des Flandres
- Boxer
- Boykin spaniel
- Bracco italiano
- Braque du Bourbonnais
- Braque Francais Pyrenean
- Briard
- Brittany
- Broholmer
- Brussels griffon
- Bull terrier
- Bulldog
- Bullmastiff
C
- Cairn Terrier
- Canaan dog
- Cane Corso
- Cardigan welsh corgi
- Catahoula leopard dog
- Caucasian ovcharka
- Cavalier king Charles spaniel
- Central Asian shepherd dog
- Cesky terrier
- Chesapeake bay retriever
- Chihuahua
- Chinese crested
- Chinese shar-pei
- Chinook
- Chow chow
- Cirneco dell’etna
- Clumber spaniel
- Cocker spaniel
- Collie
- Coton de Tulear
- Curly-coated retriever
- Czechoslovakian vlcak
D
- Dachshund
- Dalmatian
- Dandie dinmont terrier
- Danish-swedish farmdog
- Deutscher wachtelhund
- Doberman pinscher
- Dogo argentino
- Dogue de bordeaux
- Drentsche patrijshond
- Drever
- Dutch shepherd
E
- English cocker spaniel
- English foxhound
- English setter
- English springer spaniel
- English toy spaniel
- Entlebucher mountain dog
- Estrela mountain dog
- Eurasier
F
G
- German longhaired pointer
- German pinscher
- German shepherd
- German shorthaired pointer
- German spitz
- German wirehaired pointer
- Giant schnauzer
- Glen of imaal terrier
- Golden retriever
- Gordon setter
- Grand bassett griffon vendeen
- Great dane
- Great pyrenees
- Greater swiss mountain dog
- Greyhound
H
I
- Ibizan hound
- Icelandic sheepdog
- Irish red and white setter
- Irish setter
- Irish water spaniel
- Irish wolfhound
- Italian greyhound
J
K
L
- Labrador retriever
- Lagotto Romagnolo
- Lakeland terrier
- Lancashire heeler
- Leonberger
- Lhasa apso
- Lowchen
M
- Maltese
- Manchester terrier
- Mastiff
- Miniature American shepherd
- Miniature bull terrier
- Miniature pinscher
- Miniature schanuzer
- Mudi
N
- Neapolitan mastiff
- Nederlandse kooikerhondje
- Newfoundland
- Norfolk terrier
- Norrbottenspets
- Norwegian buhund
- Norwegian elkhound
- Norwegian lundehund
- Norwich terrier
- Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever
O
P
- Papillon
- Parson russell terrier
- Pekingese
- Pembroke Welsh corgi
- Perro de presa canario
- Peruvian inch orchid
- Petit bassett griffon vendeen
- Pharoah hound
- Plott
- Pointer
- Polish lowland sheepdog
- Pomeranian
- Poodle
- Portuguese podengo
- Portuguese pointer
- Portuguese sheepdog
- Portuguese water dog
- Pudelpointer
- Pug
- Puli
- Pumi
- Pyrenean mastiff
- Pyrenean shepherd
R
- Rafeiro do alentejo
- Rat terrier
- Redbone coonhound
- Rhodesian ridgeback
- Rottweiler
- (Jack) Russell terrier
- Russian toy
- Russian tsvetnaya bolonka
S
- Saluki
- Samoyed
- Schapendoes
- Schipperke
- Scottish deerhound
- Scottish terrier
- Sealyham terrier
- Shetland sheepdog
- Shiba inu
- Shih tzu
- Shikoku
- Siberian husky
- Silky terrier
- Skye terrier
- Sloughi
- Slovensky cuvac
- Slovensky kopov
- Small munsterlander pointer
- Smooth fox terrier
- Soft-coated wheaten terrier
- Spanish mastiff
- Spanish water dog
- Spinone Italiano
- St. Bernard
- Stabyhoun
- Staffordshire bull terrier
- Standard schnauzer
- Sussex spaniel
- Swedish lapphund
- Swedish vallhund
T
- Teddy Roosevelt terrier
- Tibetan mastiff
- Tibetan spaniel
- Tibetan terrier
- Tornjak
- Tosa
- Toy fox terrier
- Transylvanian hound
- Treeing Tennessee brindle
- Treeing walker coonhound
V
W
- Weimaraner
- Welsh springer spaniel
- Welsh terrier
- West highland white terrier
- Whippet
- Wire fox terrier
- Wirehaired pointing griffon
- Wirehaired vizsla
- Working kelpie
X
Y
-4L
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