Origin
The Pomeranian may be tiny, but they are real extroverts and they boast very kind and affectionate natures. They are the tiniest of the Spitz-type dog and have very fox-like looks all wrapped in a bundle of fluff. They boast an interesting ancestry with the German Spitz being one of the dogs used to create the breed with Queen Victoria popularising these little dogs during her reign in the 1900’s. Today the Pomeranian is as popular in the UK and elsewhere in the world all thanks to their sweet temperaments paired to the fact these little dogs are super intelligent and love nothing more than to please.
The Pomeranian was named after the region between Poland and Germany called Pomerania where they were developed. However, their ancestors are larger Spitz-type dogs that hail from as far afield as Russia, Siberia and other Arctic regions. Spitz dogs were at the time usually much bigger than the modern Pomeranian we know today with paintings from the 1700 and 1800's depicting their forerunners as being that much larger.
The exact origin of the various breeds that played a part in creating the modern Pom remains unknown. However, by the time Queen Victoria came to the throne, they were gaining in popularity in England as well as the rest of Europe. Queen Victoria established a kennel to breed from her favourite breeds, amongst which were her beloved Pomeranians which as a result promoted these little dogs throughout the country even more.
She had one particular favourite, a red sable Pom called 'Windsor's Marco'. This dog was small, even by Pomeranian standards back in the day and such was her preference that breeders immediately started to produce smaller and smaller Poms. It is reputed that in Queen Victoria's lifetime, the Pomeranian decreased in size by almost half, giving rise to the Pom we know as a popular companion today.
In 1891, the first Pomeranian club was established and a breed standard was set shortly afterwards. These tiny dogs continued to grow in popularity and were a particular favourite of well to do ladies of the era. Indeed, two Poms were among the 3 dogs to survived the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, having both been saved by their lady owners. Today, Pomeranians are still one of the most popular choices as companion dogs thanks to their small stature, their adorable looks and their loyal, affectionate natures.
