Dealing with tangles

Poms should ideally have a harsh outer coat and a softer undercoat. But not all coats are as harsh as they should be, especially if you've previously shaved or clipped a dog. Hormones, nutrition, environment, and genetics all play roles, too. So tangles happen, even to the most devoted Pom-mom. Clipping them out is a last resort- sometimes necessary, but usually avoidable as long as you've taught your dog to enjoy- or at least tolerate grooming.

The most common places for Poms to mat are behind their ears and under the front legs. Debris mats (where something has gotten tangled in the hair) are most common on the legs in the feathering, in the pants, and in the feathers on the tail. All of these can be dealt with in basically the same way. You'll need the following tools:

1. A good surface to work on. I strongly recommend getting a grooming table.
2. Detangling spray- human products like Johnson & Johnson are okay; I like Ice On Ice from Chris Christensen the best, though. You can also find horse products like Show Sheen and Cowboy Magic at many feed stores.
   
3. A mat breaker, like this Imaginetics Mat Breaker
   
4. A good comb - I like teflon-coated stainless steel, which you can frequently find at a beauty supply store, but the best are BUTTERCOMB by Chris Christensen. I like the ones that are half fine and half coarse (like the one I've linked to)
5. A pair of scissors as a last resort. Hopefully, you won't need them.
   

On any tangle, the trick is to use the detangling spray, and start at the bottom (farthest away from the skin) of the tangle. If a mat/tangle is solid - you can't separate ANYTHING, and it's so messed up that you can only see one solid felted piece, this method won't work, and it's more humane to just cut it out. If your dog has more than one or two places like this, that is one of the times that it is better to shave the dog and be much more careful to groom them carefully, every day or two, as their hair grows back.

Video coming tomorrow!

The Best Brush

All dog brushes are not created equal. The very best quality brushes on the market have tines which are perfectly smooth, with no imperfections to catch on each individual hair on even a microscopic level.

If I could only have one brush to use on my Poms, I would like a pin brush like this one:

This is a 27mm T brush from Chris Christensen (clicking the image will take you to Cherrybrook, which has great prices on these). These are the VERY best brushes on the market for not breaking off hairs or causing split ends.

But what if you aren't a grooming nut like me, and your Pom has tangles? Stay tuned for tomorrow's installment!

Litterbox Training & Poms

A frequently mentioned drawback of Pomeranians is how difficult they reportedly are to housebreak. Like most of the toys, they have small bladders, and tiny legs- getting all the way outdoors is a LONG walk for a toy-sized puppy! One solution to this for many owners is to use an indoor dog potty of some sort. Litterbox training is nothing new to cat owners, but is a relatively recent development for canine companions. Unlike cats, dogs don't bury their waste, so odor control is a real issue, and generally poop must be picked up immediately after deposit, and the box cleaned daily to prevent urine odors from becoming apparant.

There are two main types of indoor potties fordogs on the market today. The older type is a litter-box style container which contains pelleted or shredded material which soaks up urine and sticks to poop. Since dogs don't bury their waste as cats do, these do very little to eliminate odor unless the liter is itself very strongly scented. The other type is a tray with a mat of some sort- either fake grass, real sod (in one case), or 'potty pad' type material that the dog is trained to eliminate on. These need to be cleaned frequently, too, but may be more 'natural' for dogs if you can overcome the "Potty indoors ONLY on this surface but potty anywhere outdoors" issue.

The biggest issue with indoor potty training is that many dogs don't make the distinction between 'my potty indoors' and 'that spot I had an accident on the rug 4 years ago, which still smells like pee to my amazing nose." Just like with housebreaking the old way, though, you can solve this with sufficient training. But is it less work? Probably not, unless getting to and from sfe potty areas outdoors consumes as much or more time as the actually walk/excursion itself (ie, high-rise apartment buildings or NYC walkups on the fourth or fifth floor.)

Is a Pom for you?

Although we think Poms are the most perfect breed of dog in existance, they definitely aren't for everyone or every household!

10 things you should know before bringing a Pom into your life

• They can be hard to housebreak. With patience and diligence, it's not impossible, but setting them up to succeed every time (frequent outings and lots of rewards for doing the right thing, as well as supervising so they can't make mistakes) generally does the trick.
  
• Because they're so popular, it can be hard to find a good breeder, and there are a lot of health problems that substandard or indifferent breeders don't screen for. Cavet emptor!
• The beautiful double coat doesn't shed as much as some other breeds of dog like shepherds and labs, but Poms do require regular home grooming to look their best. Plan on brushing nightly for 10-15 minutes or three times a week for a little longer to keep tangles and mats from forming- more if your dog has a soft or cottony coat.
• Poms can be barkers. Most can be trained out of it, but even well-trained Poms will bark occasionally. If a dog that is absolutely silent is a priority for you, look at a different breed.
• Pomeranians adore people. If not properly socialized and over-spoiled, they can be at high risk to develop separation anxiety and other neurotic behaviors.
• Poms are small dogs, even as adults. As babies, they're ridiculously tiny and can be very delicate. As adults, most have no concept of their actual size, and responsible owners should be aware of the risks of having such a small dog, especially around larger dogs and small children. (This doesn't mean never. This means be careful and use your common sense.)
  
• All Pomeranians are cute, especially as puppies. It can be very difficult to resist the huge pleading eyes. Be strong! Pups need limits, just like kids.
  
• Poms are known for being outgoing, but socialization is key to really have them be nice pets and members of the community. This means socialization on the ground- not just in people's arms!
  
• Poms are opinionated little guys. Proper training, proper boundaries, and good socialization are all important in preventing them from becoming snappy little tyrants.
  
• Poms are addictive- it's hard to have just one!
  

Pomeranian Health

Pomeranians are ranked #13 in popularity for 2008 with AKC, and popularity has come with a price. There are a lot more Pomeranians bred by people who don't know or care as much about the health problems in the breed as they should, than those bred carefully and responsibly.

In order of occurance, the most common health problems in the breed are:

1. Luxating patellas (slipping kneecaps)
2. Hypothyroidism
3. Coat loss problems such as Black Skin Disease and Alopecia
4. Collapsing trachea
5. Heart problems such as murmers
6. Hypoglycemia (occurs most commonly in puppies, adults with this have a serious metabolic disorder and it's very unusual)
7. Epilepsy
8. Eye disorders, including PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy)
9. Hip Dysplasia

If you're looking for a Pomeranian puppy, ask your breeder about these problems in the parents of your new family member, as well as their relatives. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) maintains a database for Patellas, thyroid, cardiac, and hip screenings. CERF is the exam body for eye disorders, and dogs free of problems are frequently registered with these bodies. (Conversely, a dog that is NOT registered is not necessarily effected. Breeders of toy breeds are somewhat behind the curve of health testing as it is used in GSDs, Labs and Goldens to breed healthier dogs.)

The good thing, of course, is that most dogs- even ones with these conditions- can still have good quality of life for many years. Luxating patellas outnumber all other problems by a pretty significant amount, and the most common type of problems seen there are simple grade 1 patellas, where the knee occasionally slips under stress. Those dogs shouldn't be bred, or do a highly active career like agility, but anything less is generally going to be fine, and they won't be in any pain unless they somehow injure themselves- which can happen to a dog with good patellas, too!

More severe grades of luxating patella can be treated surgically. It's not a cheap surgery, but it's typically very successful, with most dogs who undergo it making a 110% recovery.

What to feed your Pom

If you want a one sentence answer as to what to feed your Pom, this post is not going to be helpful, but I can sum it up by stealing liberally from The Omnivore's Dilemma.

Eat real food. Not a lot. Mostly meats.

Poms, like all dogs, are carnivores. They need lots of protein and a fair amount of fat, with relatively little fiber compared to human diets. They lack the enzymes to really get most of the nutrients out of vegetables and grains effciently, so they get some nutrients and amino acids that humans get from veggies mostly from the organ meats of their prey and to a small extent, 'pre-digested' matter from the guts of prey animals or (cover your eyes if you've a sensitive stomach) poop. (Yes, there is a reason dogs love horse poop!). An adult dog needs about 2% of their body weight daily.

I am a big believer in "there is no one true way." Commercial diets won't kill your pet, and homemade diets may or may not make your pet live to 20. The price per pound of kibble has less of a relationship to the quality of the food than it ought to, and the list of ingredients on the back of a bag may or may not reflect in how well your individual dog thrives on that food- and your dog's outward appearance can sometimes be deceptive when you don't realize how spectacular your dog's skin and coat will be on the right diet. What I *am* a believer in is information- gathering the tools to make a good decision for yourself.

When looking at a pet food- raw, cooked, kibbled, recipe for homemade- the first ingredient should be a meat of some sort, not a grain. It should be specific as to what KIND of meat (Chicken, lamb, beef) and while labels like "Organic Free ranged" make us feel better, they may not necessarily reflect much as far as the actual nutritional content or potential contaminants that are or are not in the food.

The ingredients listed on the label are listed in order from greatest to least by weight, so be aware of the tricks that some companies pull by separating ingredients to make each section smaller individually (for example, separating sweet potatoes and white potatoes, rather than listing them together- it's all potato starch or flakes!) If those are ingredients #7 and 10, that's probalby not a big deal- but if they're ingredients 2 and 3, you can bet that the two added together probably constitute more of the food than ingredient 1.

The food should not contain corn in the first 5 ingredients. (Not at all is good, because a lot of dogs are allergic to corn, but some of the foods that my dogs have done well on in the past do contain some corn way down in the ingredient lists.) There really shouldn't be any grain at all in the top 3 ingredients.

The company should be one you're comfortable with. Do they make their own food in their own factory (a lot don't, especially smaller boutique brands), or outsource it? In 2007 during the pet food recalls, a lot of us discovered to our horror that our $3/can dog food was rolling off the same assembly line as $0.29/can supermarket brands, with about the same level of care given to the manufacturing and ingredient purchasing process.

Don't get caught up in the internet hysteria. There are a lot of crazy claims out there on all sides. Do your own research, read as much as you can, and don't get overwhelmed. Your dog is not going to die if you've fed her a slightly substandard kibble instead of free-range rabbit simmered gently with organic leeks picked by wholesome Norweigan bachelor farmers. :D Look at your dog's skin and coat and energy level and poop. She'll tell you when you find the right food.

Hello world!

Why does this blog exist?

Well, frankly, I thought there ought to be a blog dedicated to Pomeranians! There's the Land Of Pure Gold Foundation for Goldens and Sheltie Nation for Shetland Sheepdog fans. There's even Who's Your Dachshund? for fans of little long doggies!

I am a dog writer, a science geek, and owned by several dogs (not all of whom are Pomeranians.)