may be removed. Major Faults: Down in pasterns.
Hindquarters: The angulation of the hindquarters balances that of the forequarters. The buttocks are well behind the set of the tail. The thighs are moderately muscled with stifles that are moderately bent and clearly defined. The hocks are perpendicular to the ground and the legs are straight and parallel to each other. The feet are well-arched, compact, and turn neither in nor out. He stands well up on his toes. Dewclaws, if any, on the hind legs may be removed. Major Faults: Cowhocks or lack of soundness in hind legs or stifles.
Gait: The Pomeranian’s gait is smooth, free, balanced and vigorous. He has good reach in his forequarters and strong drive with his hindquarters. Each rear leg moves in line with the foreleg on the same side. To achieve balance, his legs converge slightly inward toward a center line beneath his body. The rear and front legs are thrown neither in nor out. The topline remains level, and his overall balance and outline are maintained.
Coat: A Pomeranian is noted for his double coat. The undercoat is soft and dense. The outer coat is long, straight, glistening and harsh in texture. A thick undercoat will hold up and permit the guard hair to stand off from the Pomeranian’s body. The coat is abundant from the neck and fore part of shoulders and chest, forming a frill which extends over the shoulders and chest. The head and leg coat is tightly packed and shorter in length than that of the body. The forequarters are wellfeathered to the hock. The tail is profusely covered with long, harsh, spreading straight hair. Trimming for neatness and a clean outline is permissible. Major Faults: Soft, flat or open coat.
FAULTS AT A GLANCE
Long backed, low tail set, weak pinched front and matching weak narrow rear, upright shoulders, ears large and too wide set.
High on leg, weak pasterns, cowhocked, flat feet.
Long backed, low on leg, “dwarfism.”
This color is often called cream.
Color: All colors, patterns, and variations there-of are allowed and must be judged on an equal basis. Patterns: Black and Tan—tan or rust sharply defined, appearing above each eye and on muzzle, throat, and forechest, on all legs and feet and below the tail. The richer the tan the more desirable; Brindle—the base color is gold, red, or orange-brindled with strong black cross stripes; Parti-color—is white with any other color distributed in patches with a white blaze preferred on the head. 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.
One of the most alluring qualities of the breed is its rainbow of coat colors.
MEETING THE IDEAL
The American Kennel Club (AKC) defines a standard as: “A description of the ideal dog of each recognized breed, to serve as an ideal against which dogs are judged at shows.” This “blueprint” is drawn up by the breed’s recognized parent club, approved by a majority of its membership and then submitted to the AKC for approval. This is a complete departure from the way standards are handled in England, where all standards and changes are controlled by The Kennel Club.
The AKC states that “An understanding of any breed must begin with its standard. This applies to all dogs, not just those intended for showing.” The picture that the standard draws of the dog’s type, gait, temperament and structure is the guiding image used by breeders as they plan their programs.
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.
EXPENSE OF BREEDING
The decision to breed your dog is one that must be considered carefully and researched thoroughly before moving into action. Some people believe that breeding will make their bitch happier or that it is an easy way to make money. Unfortunately, indiscriminate breeding only worsens the rampant problem of pet overpopulation, as well as putting a considerable dent in your pocketbook. As for the bitch, the entire process from mating through whelping is not an easy one and puts your pet under considerable stress. Last, but not least, consider whether or not you have the means to care for an entire litter of pups. Without a reputation in the field, your attempts to sell the pups may be unsuccessful.
A NOTE ON THE STANDARD
Although a great deal can be learned from the breed standard, only by seeing good-quality, typical specimens can you really learn to appreciate the breed’s merits. Therefore, readers interested in showing their Pomeranians should watch other dogs being exhibited, and learn as much as possible from established breeders and exhibitors.
This color is called black even though it has a red sheen.
This color is called by different names in different countries, including, but not limited to, red and orange.
BREEDER’S BLUEPRINT
If you are considering breeding your bitch, it is very important that you are familiar with the breed standard. Reputable breeders breed with the intention of producing dogs that are as close as possible to the standard and that contribute to the advancement of the breed. Study the standard for both physical appearance and temperament, and make certain your bitch and your chosen stud dog measure up.
It is sensible to attend judges’ and breed seminars, often hosted by breed clubs. Here the finer points of the breed can be explained fully and discussed. There is usually a dog, or perhaps several, available for demonstration purposes, and there may even be an opportunity for participants to feel beneath the coat for the structure of the animal. Just a few elaborations on the breed standard are, however, worthy of brief comment here.
The late Harry Glover, a highly respected UK judge, described the breed as “a frontemphasis dog.” By this, he meant that this was a dog with small hindquarters and a large, luxurious ruff around the neck, making
