Pomeranians

1.- Pomeranians can come in a variety of sizes. They can range from 2 to 30 pounds. The tiny sized dogs are the most popular, but since they are descendants of the German Spitz, sometimes  they jump back to their ancestry even when coming from small sized parents.
2.- They respond great to training, since they are super intelligent dogs that love to please their owners.
3.- They tend to bark a lot in response to any outside noise, so it’s important to let them know that barking once or twice when the doorbell rings is okay, but then they should stop.
4.- It’s very easy to spoil them since they are so cute and wonderful, but you should teach them to be independent so they don’t start suffering from separation anxiety or become clingy.
5.- They are surprisingly low maintenance despite their beautiful coats. They do need brushing, but their fur doesn’t normally tangle or get matted.
6.- You have probably seen Pomeranians with funky haircuts, like Mohawks or the famous “Bear Cut”, however, keep in mind that once you cut or shave your Pom’s fur, it will never grow back as soft and beautiful. So make sure that’ s the look before you want for your dog before you take it to the groomer.
7.- Some Poms don’t have as much undercoat as others, that’s why not all of them are as fluffy.
8.- You can find them with the little round face called “the bear face” or with a more elongates snout called “the fox face”. The fox face is the original, the bear face was developed for show as the breed shrunk.
9.- They come in so many different colors! White, black, brown, red, orange, cream, blue, sable, tan, merle, spotted, brindle, and every combination of these colors.
10.- They bond with their owners very quickly,  however, as is the case with other small dogs, they are not the best for very small children.

Important to know

One good thing to know about Poms, is that they always go through their “puppy uglies” phase. All of a sudden the gorgeous coat disappears and they look like ugly ducklings. Relax, this passes at about 9 months, and they the fur grows out in it’s full splendour.

Photo of tiny Pomeranian courtesy of: Bluelight444

Chihuahuas

1.- There are two kinds of Chihuahuas: Apple head, with a short nose and round head, and Deer head, with a more elongated face.

2.- They come long haired or short haired. The short haired has a smooth coat and sheds minimally. The long haired Chihuahua’s coat is silky, curly or flat.

3.- They come in many colors: sand, black, fawn, white, black and white… and more.

4.- They are the tiniest dog breed.

5.-  They do better with solid, dry food. Soft and canned food can promote dental problems.

6.- They are highly intelligent and can be hard to train. They require firm and gentle leadership.

7.- They gain weight easily, which can be very harmful to their health.

8.- They look very active at home, but that should not take the place of a good walk. When they are not walked often, they can present behavior problems.

9.- They can live from 14 to 19 years.

10.- They like to form ‘”clans” and will get along better with other Chihuahuas than other breeds.

Important to know

They need to be very well socialized. If you allow them to be the pack leader, they’ll become possessive and even aggressive towards strangers. They can also be aggressive towards other dogs.

Though they are cute and tiny, they are not recommended for children.

Their temperament depends totally on how the owners treat them. If the owners are overly protective and baby them too much (which is the tendency) they will not be trustworthy pets. They can even become obnoxious.

Shelters tend to have large amounts of Chihuahuas. People tend to abandon them when they realize they are not the “toys” they hoped they would be. They represent a big responsibility.

Yes, their name comes from the Mexican State of Chihuahua, where they were discovered, but they date as far back as the 9th century AD and were found in the Aztec capital.

Rescue a Chihuahua

Long Haired Chihuahua Photo Courtesy of: Phoenix wolf-ray

Apple Head Chihuahua courtesy of: blackdood