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Breed Guide

The Pomeranian: What They Were Bred to Do

The Pomeranian was shrunk into a companion dog, so the main job was keeping people company.

What drives your dog?

Breed is a starting guess. Take the free drive test to see which job your dog actually runs on, with three ways to give them that job this week. We email you the result.

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Where the Pomeranian came from

The Pomeranian is named for Pomerania, a region on the Baltic coast of Germany and Poland. Its ancestors were larger spitz-type dogs. Over time, breeders in Europe made them smaller.

Queen Charlotte is said to have brought two Pomeranians to England in 1767. They were much larger than today's dogs. Queen Victoria adopted a small red Pomeranian in 1888, and her interest helped make the smaller type popular.

The AKC lists the Pomeranian as recognized in 1888. Today they are fluffy companions with big personalities.

  • 1767 Queen Charlotte is said to bring two Pomeranians to England
  • 1888 Queen Victoria adopts a small red Pomeranian
  • 1888 The AKC lists the Pomeranian as recognized

The job a Pomeranian was bred for

The Pomeranian was shrunk into a companion dog, so the main job was keeping people company. The big dog's alertness stayed. At home you see a bold, noisy dog who thinks they are large, barks at sounds and loves attention.

Sports that fit a Pomeranian

  • Trick dog. Smart and loves attention.
  • Rally. Good for focus and teamwork.
  • Scent work. Low-impact and fun.
  • Obedience. They are eager and can be good at it.

Training tips for a Pomeranian

  • Teach quiet on cue and reward calm behavior.
  • Use a harness. Small windpipes can be hurt by collar pulling.
  • Use tiny treats and short games.
  • Teach calm handling for grooming and vet visits.

Body and health

Poms are tiny. They can have windpipe and kneecap problems, so avoid big jumps and hard collar pulls, and take care in heat because of the thick coat.

Fun fact. Two Pomeranians were among only three dogs that survived the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.

Breed is where we start

A study of more than 18,000 dogs found breed explains only about 9 percent of the differences in behavior between dogs (Morrill and others, Science, 2022). So your Pomeranian is a starting guess, not a label. We find the drive your dog actually runs on, give it a job, and teach you to read them.

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Looking for a different breed? See what 75 breeds were bred to do.