FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS…

 

Q:  What in the world is the “uglies?”

The “Uglies” is a stage in the Pomeranian’s growth that produces a loss of hair at about 4 months of age.  We think the “ugly stage” is pretty funny, but if you’re not expecting it, you may think your Pom has some horrible disease (the picture to the left is Mojo in full-blown ugly stage).  Typically a Pom will loose their baby coat beginning at anywhere from 3 to 4 months and it takes until they are approximately 10 months to get their beautiful adult coat.  The good news is that if you have a male Pom, once they’ve gone through their uglies stage, they keep their adult coat with very little difference over the course of their life (incidental shedding only). The bad news is that if you own a female Pom she will blow her coat once or twice a year (it’s a girl thing).   

 

Q:  What is the difference between having a pet that is registered with the AKC, versus the CKC or another nationally recognized organization?

The AKC is a respected, much older dog registry than the CKC. The AKC supports competitions for conformation, obedience and agility. It maintains an extensive stud registry and offers closed registrations only. The CKC is a newer registry that focuses on the animal’s health and happiness in addition to their “show” quality.   The CKC also maintains an extensive stud registry, but their registration fees are generally much less than that of the AKC.  The CKC will also register cross-breeds (designer dogs) or dogs where the appropriate pedigree history is not available.  When purchasing a CKC registered dog, you need to be very attentive and ask to see the Pedigree’s before purchasing the puppy.  It also makes a good deal of sense to view both the parents of the puppy a head of time to make sure you’re getting what you pay for.  Unfortunately, there are problems within the AKC registration system as well and fraud is not out of the question.  Purchasing a registered dog can be tricky business, as there is currently no system in place with any registry that is fail-proof.  To learn more about the differences between AKC and CKC, follow the links listed on my links page to go to each organizations website.

 

Q:  Why won’t you ship a Pom puppy to me – I’m willing to pay all of the shipping costs?

It is our personal belief that it is cruel and inhumane to ship an animal in a freight compartment of an airplane.  You may be the best potential owner for one of our pups, but if you’re not able to come and pick up the puppy and transport it humanely (as you yourself would travel) you will not be going home with one of our puppies.  We make no exceptions, sorry.  Pom puppies are very sensitive and really aren’t the kind of dog that should ever be shipped alone.  They need to be carried on and made to felt secure when going to their new home.  If you purchase a Pom and have it shipped, be prepared, as there are health risks involved and behavioral problems may occur down the line.  The cost to purchase a plane ticket to come and pick up a puppy is about the same as the cost to ship a puppy to you.  We won’t sell our puppies to anyone we haven’t met personally or hasn’t been concerned enough to meet with us.  If you go the internet purchase route (where you pay for your puppy online and have it shipped) the chances are far greater that you’re going to have a puppy that is not as high a quality, healthy and bred by one of the better breeders.  The exception to this rule (not for us, we don’t make any) is that some breeders breed very high-quality show Poms that they sell internationally – in this case, I can almost understand why shipping would be necessary.

 

Q:  Why don’t you offer/sell teacup, pocket size Poms?

There is no such thing as a teacup or pocket size Pom – they’re Runts.  Pom’s are a toy breed and the breed standard states that the ideal size is between 3 and 7 pounds.  These itty bitty Poms that you see advertise for ridiculous amounts of money are not only a rip-off, but a scam.  A 2.5 pound Pom is just not as healthy as a normal size Pom.  The health problems that occur with these tiny babies are many.  Their life span tends to be shorter and they have a higher risk of heart disease, cardiovascular problems, joint problems, auto-immune disorders and much more.  Please, stay clear of purchasing a puppy from someone who advertising teacup Poms – you’ll be very sad and unhappy when you loose your puppy at 4 or 5 years because it was never a healthy size to begin with.  The average adult size of our Poms is between 4-1/2 and 5-1/2 pounds – we have had a few that are 4 pounds and a few that have turned out to be larger, but most fall within the 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 pound range.

 

Q:  How often should I groom my Pom?

There are so many different opinions regarding grooming.  Some say you must brush and comb their coat daily, other’s claim once per week is adequate, and others believe it should be done when necessary (whatever that means).  We personally have found that a trip to the groomer once a month, with regular brushings by us in between appointments, suffices for our dogs.  It really depends on your dogs coat and what they’re up to – it’s really a matter of common sense. 

 

What shouldn’t be left to discretion is the maintenance of your Pom’s teeth and gums.  Start brushing them at a very early age (ask your vet for help on showing you how) and don’t stop.  Bad breathe is only one condition associated with poor hygiene, there are several serious health complications that can occur if your Pom’s teeth are ignored – including liver problems, heart problems and even death.

 

Q:  What is a “backyard” breeder?

Oh, don’t get us started!  Backyard breeders are, in some ways, worse than puppy mills.  It is a term used for an individual who breeds animals and sells them out of their home when they lack the ability and/or knowledge to do so safely.  The backyard breeder doesn’t know what they’re doing, does not provide the proper health care for their puppies and often treats their puppies as merchandise (showing them no affection or regard).  A typical backyard breeder will also sell to anyone who has the cash – regardless of what’s best for the puppy.  The term is reserved for a certain type of evil person that has no conscience or respect for living creatures – as far as we’re concerned, these people should be charged with criminal neglect and put behind bars for a very long time.  The entire goal of a backyard breeder is to take your money and make as much money as quickly as they can.

 

Q:  What is a “puppy mill?”

It is important to know that the chances your new pet came from a puppy mill is greatest if you purchase it from a pet store.  Puppy Mills are prevalent mainly in the mid-west and southern states.  I urge you to follow my link to puppy mills to find out more about these horrible places.  Warning – the information is graphic and very disturbing.

http://www.turner.com/planet/promotions/puppies/prisoners.html

 

Q:  What is a “puppy broker?”

Puppy Brokers are a middle man between a mill and a pet store or individual party. Puppy brokers are no better than the millers or backyard breeders.  They take the “stock” of breeders or millers and sell the puppies for a very large profit.  Many of the puppies that these brokers have are rejects from the breeders and/or pet stores.  If you come across a site that shows a large amount of puppies available, with no information on their parents, pictures of the parents, pedigree information, a no-show policy, and they charge thousands of dollars for the puppies, chances are they’re a broker.  There was recently a large bust in Southern California of a puppy broker who was keeping over 30 puppies in the attic of their home.  Unfortunately, they were back in business within a month and currently have puppies listed for sale on their site as well as various puppy-for-sale sites. 

 

Q:  Are Pomeranians prone more or less to any specific illnesses or genetic defects?

Every breed seems to have one or more physical problems that are associated with that particular kind of dog – here’s those most commonly associated with Pomeranians:

 

Although you probably won’t hear this from a breeder, it is extremely common for toy and miniature breeds to have a "predisposition" for luxating patellas (bad knees), which can cause the affected knee to temporarily slip out of the joint.  According to the Orthopedic Foundation of America, most toy breeds (85%) have some grade of luxating patellas.  The manner of treatment is dependant on the degree of luxation, but most experts recommend surgery as a “last resort” treatment.  Luxating patellas are generally noticed when the dog has reached the age of 18 to 24 months.  Most often it is not painful and can be treated with supplements and/or therapy.  Because some studies have suggested that luxating patella can be caused by excessive exercise, we recommend that you limit the amount of stair use your new puppy has.  Also please avoid allowing the puppy to jump off of the couch, bed or other places, as this can cause damage to their knees.  There are some indications that luxating patella has genetic links – we have been lucky that none of our placed puppies have shown signs of patellar luxation, however, we do not offer a guarantee against this, as there are too many factors that can cause this which are out of our control.  Mojo, Homie, Bubbles and Bugaboo have no signs of patellar luxation either, but again, we will not offer any guarantees for this condition.

 

Collapsing trachea is also known to occur in certain toy breeds.  The trachea, also known as the windpipe, is an important structure, which connects the throat to the lungs. It serves the purpose of directing air into the respiratory tract.  When the cartilage rings are flattened from the top to the bottom, the trachea is said to be collapsed. Rapid inhalation of air can cause the trachea to flatten and make it difficult for air to enter the lungs.  Reverse sneezing is sometimes mistaken for collapsed trachea.  If you suspect that your Pom has collapsing trachea, it’s best to have it checked out by a vet.  They will do an x-ray, which will show this condition if it exists.

 

Cataracts – If this happens it normally happens as the Pom gets along in age.  

 

Abnormal growth of the eye lashes – This can either be in the way of eyelashes being too long or eyelashes growing inside the lid and causing excessive watering.  Unfortunately, overproduction of tears is also something that can affect Poms so unless you have a vet check it out – you won’t know which is the cause.  Both are very treatable however.

 

Hypothyroidism – Meaning your Pom doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone.  It can also be treated with medication.

 

Heart-Murmur – Again, not extremely common, but common enough to mention. 

 

Q:  Why do females cost more to buy than males?

For many reasons, people are of the opinion that female dogs are better, easier to take care of, and have a higher value.  In reality, there is very little difference – A male or female can be a wonderful pet.  Females cost more, because they are in demand more, based on preconceived notions and misinformation.  We own both males and females and it has been our personal experience that the differences are few.  We have never based a pet purchase decision on their gender – personality is of far more importance when selecting a pet.  One thing to keep in mind is that male Poms are “generally” more affectionate and easier to train and do make better pets.  Also, as long as your male puppy is neutered before the age of 1 year, marking is not generally a concern.  

 

Q:  What do I feed my Pom?

Again, there are so many different opinions regarding the best food for your Pom.  Ask your vet to recommend several different brands of food and let your dog decide from there.  Some say that table scraps are an absolute no-no, while others have fed their Pom’s table scraps for years with no ill effects.  We do recommend that you free feed your Pom (leave dry food out at all times) and supplement their dry food with canned meals at breakfast and dinner time.  We were recently introduced to the PetGuard brand of dog food and I would highly recommend it.  It’s not only tasty (my dogs love the peanut butter treats), it’s all natural without the preservatives, excess sugars, etc. that are found in most dog foods.  Their website is http://www.petguard.com/ - it’s really worth checking out!   I also recommend that new owners supplement their Poms diet with occasional yogurt and oatmeal, both of which are very good for them (and they love it).  We actually put a few drops of Liquid Colloidal Silver, Liquid Vitamin C and Echinacea/Golden Seal Extract in our dogs food each day. It tends to keep their coat very nice and our dogs don’t seem to come down with the normal colds and coughs that dogs get during the year.  

 

Q:  Is there anything I should know about dental hygiene and my Pom?

Yes!  A few things, actually.  Sometimes Poms baby teeth will not fall out on their own, which will require a trip to the vet to have them pulled.  Also, make sure you provide plenty of chew toys and dry food to cut down on the amount of tarter build up.  Lastly, start brushing your Poms teeth immediately – this will prevent trips to the vet for professional teeth cleanings.  Raw bones are a great way to also help with tartar build up – just make sure they’re raw, as they can choke on cooked bones.

 

Q:  Do Pom’s have any bad habits or characteristics that I should be aware of?

“Bad Habits.”  I guess it’s all in the way you look at it.  Pomeranians are thieves by nature.  They are smart enough to know that when mommy or daddy picks up their car keys, they leave the house.  Therefore, the first chance they get, they’ll steal your keys and hide them in some special place that you may or may not ever discover.  One of our pups actually got into his mommy’s purse and took out a one-hundred dollar bill – go figure!   It is not advisable to ever leave anything out that you don’t want your Pom to give the once over.  They are loyal like no other breed and will do just about anything to stay by the side of their mommy or daddy.  They are also known to bond with one individual in the household.  This isn’t really a problem unless you approach the person they’ve bonded with unexpectedly.  The Pom may try to bite you  -  they will definitely bark and snap.

 

Young Poms will chew anything!  I always warn new owners that you will want to baby-proof your electrical cords before bringing your new puppy home – because of their baby teeth they like to chew and will.  Teething rings, chew bones and toys help, but if they can get to your cords, they will.  They generally grow out of this by a year old, but it can be a real problem if someone isn’t prepared to take the necessary steps to avoid it.

 

Poms are also NOT a good breed to have around small children.  Small children tend to run around quite a bit and make a lot of noise – some Poms have been known to bite when they get nervous so we don’t recommend this breed for a family with toddlers or small children.  Small children can also accidentally fall on your Pom and cause injury.

 

It is always better to get the opposite sex of a dog if you already have one dog in your household.  Males tend to do better together (as long as they’ve been neutered), females can fight like crazy, whether they’ve been fixed or not.  We don’t recommend bringing in a new female puppy where you already have a female dog, as it’s asking for trouble.

 

Poms are curious by nature and, as such, want to investigate.  To this end, it is VERY IMPORTANT that your Pom is not let out of your yard without being on a leash.  They will not hesitate to run into the street to chase a bird or cat or visit with a person or another dog.  Because of their small size, cars can’t always see them and therefore, there are hundreds of needless car/Pom accidents every year.

 

Poms are very brave and don’t realize they’re not big dogs.  It is also very important that you recognize this when out and about with your Pom, especially if there are large dogs around.  One good bite from a large dog will kill a full-size Pom.

 

Poms are In-Door dogs!  Although they love going out to play (even in cold, snowy conditions) they should never be left outside in a yard for any extended period of time.  They are not hearty like some large-size breeds and they can become too cold or over-heated if left outside or even in an outside dog house.  We will not sell our puppies to anyone that has intentions of leaving their Pom outside in the backyard or kennel during the day while they’re at work or school. These are very much house dogs and should never be anywhere else for any period of time. 

 

Q:  Why don't you keep your dogs crated or in a kennel like other breeders?

Because dogs aren't poultry or livestock. They have brains and feelings, and need and enjoy human companionship. We have dogs because we love them. Because we love them, we want to give them the best start in life possible.  All of our pets live in our home.  They sleep in our beds, sleep on our couches, and have full run of our house, which is just as it should be.  They ARE our family and are not restricted, because it’s their home too.  Yes, we have dog hair on our couches and chairs.  We have to vacuum more, we have to mop more, mud gets on our furniture, our stairs look like they’re growing their own set of fur if we don’t vacuum them every other day, but so what!  It’s their house too!  If I wanted a perfect house, with no dog hair, no doggy footprints, then I wouldn’t have animals!