A Pomeranian measures around 21 centimetres according to the FCI standard, yet belongs to a family the standard calls Central Europe’s oldest dog breed. German Spitz are said to descend from Stone Age peat dogs. Little of that is evident when you meet a Pomeranian: a cloud of coat, quick eyes and small, sharply upright ears.
| FCI | Group 5 (Spitz and primitive types), Section 4 European Spitz, Standard No. 97 (German Spitz, Zwergspitz/Pomeranian size), without working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Germany |
| Height at the withers | 21 cm, plus or minus 3 cm |
| Weight | Not specified in the FCI standard (should correspond to size) |
| Life expectancy | Median 12,2 years for the Pomeranian in a British analysis of 584.734 dogs (McMillan et al. 2024) |
| Coat | Double coat: long, straight outer coat standing away from the body and short, thick, cottony undercoat, mane-like ruff |
| Colours according to the standard | White, black, brown, orange, grey-shaded and other colours (orange sable, cream, cream sable, black and tan, black and silver, brown and tan, particolour on a white background) |
Origins
The Pomeranian is not a separate breed but the smallest German Spitz size. FCI Standard No. 97 covers Wolfsspitz, Giant Spitz, Medium Spitz, Miniature Spitz and Pomeranian. Outside German-speaking countries, the Zwergspitz is also known as the Pomeranian. Its country of origin is Germany; the standard gives watchdog and companion as its use.
Temperament
The standard describes it as always attentive, lively and exceptionally affectionate, very quick to learn and easy to train, neither fearful nor aggressive. Its cheerful nature makes it both companion and guardian for house or flat. Whether alerting becomes constant barking depends strongly on learning early that every sound is not its responsibility.
Exercise and activities
Small does not mean sluggish. It enjoys joining walks, plays with stamina and learns tricks enthusiastically. Weather hardly deters it; the standard counts resistance to weather and robustness among its most outstanding qualities.
Grooming
The stand-off coat depends on dense undercoat. Thorough brushing down to the skin once or twice weekly, more often during shedding, keeps it in shape. The standard says the hair is not visibly sculpted. Our breed portrait explains what can go wrong with clipping.
Health
Kneecaps are a central concern in small breeds. A Royal Veterinary College analysis of 210.824 dogs from English veterinary practices found 6,5 times the odds of patellar luxation, a slipping kneecap, in Pomeranians compared with crossbreeds (O'Neill et al. 2016). Alopecia X, hair loss caused by a halt in the hair cycle, is also known in Pomeranians. A study additionally found strikingly brittle hair in affected dogs (Brennan et al. 2025). Have the parents’ kneecaps checked and take bald patches to your vet.
Who does the Pomeranian suit?
People seeking a small, affectionate companion keen to learn, including in a city flat, who plan time for grooming and training from the start.
Who should consider another breed?
Households with very young children not yet able to handle a delicate dog carefully, and poorly soundproofed homes if nobody guides its alerting calmly.
Read why you should not clip it in our in-depth Pomeranian breed portrait. The breed quiz can show whether it suits you; our book explores more thoroughly: “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German). For those first weeks with a puppy, try our free Puppy Starter Pack. Your Pomeranian as a picture: explore all our dog portraits or choose a downloadable digital artwork.
Further reading
- Pomeranian: why you must not clip its coat
- Autumn shedding in dogs and cats: what is normal and what is not
- Chihuahua: why the barking starts at home
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI-Standard Nr. 97 Deutsche Spitze (fci.be, version dated 20.09.2024); O'Neill DG et al., The epidemiology of patellar luxation in dogs attending primary-care veterinary practices in England, Canine Genetics and Epidemiology 2016; Brennan E et al., Hair fragility (trichorrhexis nodosa) in alopecic Pomeranian dogs, Veterinary Dermatology 2025; McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024.
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