The Pomeranian is a feisty little dog and for their size, they boast a tremendous amount of energy. Keeping their coats looking brilliant does take a bit of time and effort, but the end result makes it all worthwhile. They have a double coat which consists of a straight, coarser outercoat with a much softer and thicker undercoat. If regularly groomed, a Pomeranian's coat really does resemble a puff ball which is the look the breed is so famous for together with their cute fox-like faces!
One of the things that many people like about the breed is their adorable "teddy bear" look. However, having such a fluffy coat means it tends to knot up quite easily. Setting up a grooming routine is a must if you want to keep a tangle-free, fluffy coat.
It's worth investing in top quality grooming tools if you own a Pomeranian because you'll be doing a lot of daily brushing and combing which means you want your kit to last as long as possible. One of the most important tools to have in a kit is a slicker brush which not only helps get rid of loose hair but it encourages nice healthy skin too.
You need to make sure you brush through both the outercoat and undercoat as this is the best way to remove any shedding hair as well as dander which would otherwise end up on your carpets and furniture!
Using the slicker brush, you need to start at your dog's head and work your way down their neck and body all the way down to their hindquarters and tail, not forgetting to carefully brush under the belly. You then need to repeat the process on the other side. However, you'll find it that much easier to brush your Pom's coat in smaller sections due to the thickness of their coat. Brushing in small sections also means getting right down to the skin is made that much easier.
It's important to keep certain areas of a Pomeranian's coat shorter, neater and tidier which includes around the feet, ears, face and backside for hygiene reasons. You could opt to trim your dog's coat yourself, but if you are worried about getting it wrong, taking them along to a professional dog groomer makes life a lot easier all round. Once trimmed, you'll find it that much easier to maintain your Pom's coat until the next time they're due for a professional grooming session.
Because a Pomeranian's hair is so fine and longish, it does tend to tangle quite easily which is why daily brushing is so important. The longer you leave it, the harder and more time it would take to brush out their coat. However, if you do find your pet's coat is quite tangled, it's best to remove any knots and snarls with your fingers after having sprayed some conditioner on them first.
It's important to use a conditioner/detangler that's been specifically formulated for use on dogs or you might end up triggering an allergic reaction which some Poms are prone to suffer from. Once the tangles are out, you can then use a slicker brush on their coat which will fluff it up nicely giving them that adorable teddy bear look.
These little dogs do benefit from being given regular baths, but you need to be careful not to overdo it because too much bathing removes all the valuable oils found in a dog's skin which are there to offer them protection. Giving your dog a bath once a month is fine but you need to use a dog specific shampoo which has the right PH balance. Any other product you use need to be specifically formulated for use on dogs too!
You have to make sure your dog is thoroughly dried off after their baths to avoid them catching a chill. If you use a blow dryer, it needs to be set on a lower setting and never held too close to your dog's skin otherwise you might end up burning them.
The Pomeranian is an adorable dog with their "teddy bear" look and little fox-like faces. For such small characters, they are pretty feisty by nature and have a ton of energy which makes them great fun to be around. It takes a bit of time and effort to keep their coats in good condition and looking nice and fluffy but the end result is always very rewarding. It's definitely worth taking a Pomeranian to a professional dog groomer at least four times a year to have their coats expertly groomed which makes life a lot easier for you to keep your Pom's coat looking good!