Pomeranians are a popular toy breed in the United States and all around the world. Many will purchase a Pomeranian through a breeder, but many others will rescue a Pomeranian through a shelter. Not all Pomeranians will come with documents declaring whether or not the dog is a purebred.
How can you tell if a Pomeranian is purebred? There are physical traits you can check to ensure your Pomeranian is purebred, but the only sure way to tell is by getting your dog DNA tested.
Purposely mixed dogs, also known as hybrid breeds, are becoming more and more popular, but many people are still drawn to a purebred. Continue reading to learn how to determine if your Pomeranian is a purebred, and to learn why so having a purebred is so important to many people.
How You Can Tell If a Pomeranian Is Purebred
The easiest way to know if a Pomeranian is purebred is by obtaining the papers for the dog’s parents. If the dog came from a licensed, professional breeder, this is something that should be provided during the purchasing process.
With a breeder, you should be given papers to show the dog’s genetic line and pedigree. If you did not purchase the dog through a breeder, see if you can get the papers for the dog’s parents.
If you rescued your Pomeranian or don’t have access to the dog’s parents, there are other ways you can see if your dog is a purebred Pomeranian.
Even if your dog came from a breeder, although unlikely, papers can be forged. The only way to know for sure if your Pomeranian is a purebred is through DNA testing.
This is not as expensive or extensive as it sounds. There are more companies that are now offering this type of testing. The testing typically is simply done by getting a mouth saliva swab.
Most DNA testing takes 2 to 4 weeks for the results to come back. Many vets can also do DNA testing for you, but make sure to do your research before picking a testing company.
There are many purebred variations but there are common characteristics, or breed standards, that can help you determine if your Pomeranian is a purebred.
Characteristics of a purebred Pomeranian:
- Compact, short-backed.
- Between 3 to 7 pounds.
- Heavily plumed tail.
- Fox-like snout.
- Eyes are dark, bright, medium-sized, and almond-shaped.
- Coat is longer around the neck and chest area.
Your Pomeranian may fit all of the characteristics of a purebred Pomeranian but may still be mixed. It’s hard to know based purely on characteristics since there are variations within the breed.
Most Pomeranians will have a compact, short-backed body. But there are also some purebred Pomeranians who will have a thinner body. And some Pomeranians will be above the top end of the breed standard weight of 7 pounds.
Pomeranian breed standards describe the dog to have a fox-like snout. But there are also purebred Pomeranians who have a more teddy bear face.
A purebred Pomeranian will have a longer coat around the neck and chest area. The Pomeranian will have a double coat, meaning there is a short and dense undercoat, as well as the longer coat outer coat.
A purebred Pomeranian’s coat can be found in many colors and patterns. Some of the colors of Pomeranians include black and tan, orange sable, cream, and wolf sable, just to name a few. Some of the standard markings include brindle, tri-color, parti-color, sable, and more.
What Is the Difference Between Purebred and Mixed Pomeranians?
There are now many popular mixed Pomeranian hybrids. These puppies include what you love about Pomeranians, mixed 50/50 with another adorable purebred dog. Mixed dogs tend to favor characteristics from one of the breeds it was mixed with.
This may mean the appearance from the same hybrid may look different from litter to litter and sometimes puppy to puppy in the same litter. This also means that you may not know the temperament of the puppy right away.
Popular mixed Pomeranian puppies:
- Pom Terrier (Pomeranian plus Toy Fox Terrier)
- Pomsky (Pomeranian plus Siberian Husky)
- Bichonaranian (Pomeranian plus Bichon Frise)
- Pomchi (Pomeranian plus Chihuahua)
- And many, many others
The Pom Terrier tends to have a very fluffy coat. Because of its small stature, the Pom Terrier may look like a small stuffed animal.
This mixed breed tends to do very well with families and does not require a lot of space. The Pom Terrier tends to be intelligent, affectionate, and friendly.
Another favorite is the Pomsky, which looks like a Siberian Husky puppy – even as an adult dog. It’s not hard to see why so many people are drawn to this hybrid.
This mix tends to be fairly costly due to the artificial insemination that needs to be done. These two dogs are very different in temperament and size, meaning you’re not quite sure what kind of dog you’ll get with this mix.
The Bichonaranian is an adorable Pomeranian mix that is growing in popularity. This hybrid tends to be intelligent and affectionate.
But depending on what breed the Bichonaranian takes after will determine how well the dog will do with young children. This may be too big of a gamble for some families, making this mixed breed a deal-breaker. In some situations, a purebred dog will be a better fit.
While small in size, a Pomchi still makes an excellent watchdog. This hybrid breed will sweep you off your feet with its cuteness and affection and then snub you with their stubbornness. This stubbornness comes from the Chihuahua breed.
The Pomchi is very intelligent and can make a good pet. But its size and temperament need to be taken into consideration when looking at this mix.
The mixing of two or more kinds of dogs does not ensure that the result will be puppies with all the great characteristics of the breeds involved.
A breeder can’t control which genetics will come through stronger and how the temperament will come out. It’s hard to know what you will be getting. This is one of the key differences between a mixed dog and a purebred.
When you get a purebred, you are more likely to have a good understanding of the breed standards and how your dog will behave – as long as you purchased your dog through a good breeder.
Why Do People Prefer Purebred Dogs over the Alternative?
Many people prefer purebred dogs over mixed dogs for a variety of reasons, but it really comes down to personal preference.
The biggest reason why people prefer a purebred is predictability of what they are getting with a purebred dog over a mixed dog. There are some reasons why purebreds tend to be more popular.
Why people prefer purebreds:
- Physical appearance
- Temperament
- Pedigree
- Competitions
You know what you are getting in regards to physical appearance with a purebred. It’s easy to research the typical size and weight of a purebred dog.
And if you get a dog from a good breeder, you’ll also be able to see the dog’s parents, giving you additional evidence of what the adult size of the dog will be.
With a mixed puppy, especially one without much information on the parents, it’s hard to know the size and weight that they will be as an adult dog.
Many times, people pick a breed based on behavioral traits. These behavioral traits are less known in mixed dogs. It’s hard to know which breed temperament will be more apparent in the mixed dog you are getting.
It’s even harder to know the temperament of a mixed dog if you are unsure what the different breeds of the mixed dog are.
Many people pick a purebred because there are simply fewer surprises about the dog’s temperament, giving the owners peace of mind in knowing what they are getting into with the dog.
Purchasing a purebred dog means you will likely go through a breeder, meaning you’ll be able to meet the dog’s parents and get additional health documents about the dog you are getting.
There are fewer surprises on the dog’s history with purebreds purchased through a good breeder.
Some owners want their dogs to participate in dog shows and competitions. If this is something you think you might want to do, then a purebred dog is your best bet. Many organizers of these events even require dogs to be purebred in order to compete.
You can find dog shows and competitions for mixed dogs, but many of the bigger, more prestigious ones are for purebreds only.
Just because a dog is purebred does not ensure the dog will have good health or a great temperament.
Some of this does come down to making sure you are picking a good breeder and physically checking out the dog for health issues before you take them home. If you get a dog from a puppy mill, even if it is a purebred dog, due to the trauma of its first few weeks, there may be temperament or health issues.
