The rare and enchanting White Pomeranian has been soaring in popularity. Find out the reason behind the breed’s scarcity and know its colourful personality by reading our 9 White Pomeranian fun facts.
1. White Pomeranian color is one of the Pomeranian breed’s original colors.
Pomeranians of today come in a wide variety of colors. The common ones seen are orange, sable, chocolate or brown, and tan. They are frequently mistaken to be German Spitz dogs that closely share the same coloration as them.
However, white was a popular coloration in Pomeranians before. Moreover, it is classed as one of the original breed colors along with blue, chocolate or brown, and black.
Solid-White Pomeranians existed as far back as 1892. Unfortunately, they gradually fell out of favour during Queen Victoria’s reign, as she fancied colored ones.
In fact, she owned an Orange Pom named Marco. He was a talented pooch that won countless dog show competitions. This sparked the trend in developing a broad spectrum of colored Poms. Hence, producing White ones was not given importance.
Although the White Pom greatly lost his popularity in the past decades, he is recognised by all kennel clubs worldwide. Today, solid-colored ones, especially the snow-white variety, are high in demand again.
2. White Pomeranians are hard to find.
Is a White Pomeranian rare?
Yes, white is certainly a rare colour for Pomeranians. As lots of color varieties were introduced to the Pomeranian dog breed. As a result, it hugely affected the breed’s probability of having solid colors including pure white. The colored gene became more dominant, whilst white genes turned into a recessive trait.
Successfully breeding solid-White Poms often takes years to do. In some cases, it can take 5 generations to produce pure white Pomeranian puppies.
3. Breeding Ice-White Pomeranians is a meticulous and difficult process.
Since the White gene is recessive in Pomeranian dogs, breeders need to be extremely careful to produce White Poms. They slowly need to breed out the dominant colors to acquire the solid-white color.
Breeders should also ensure that their White Pomeranians sport good fur quality and texture. It must be complacent to the American Kennel Club’s breed standard.
To obtain good results, they painstakingly go through a long breeding process. Sometimes it takes at least a decade to get a significant breakthrough.
Mating White Pomeranian girls with White Pomeranian boys is not ideal. It lowers the coat quality and texture of the litter. Moreover, this creates large White Pomeranian puppies that do not adhere to the breed’s standard size.
Some breeders opt to breed a wolf sable-colored Pomeranian and a cream-colored Pomeranian. Doing so will gradually lighten the coat colors of the next generation. Moreover, it retains the softness and high quality of its fur.
4. Not All White Poms are White Poms.
Just because stunning Pomeranian puppies sport white coats doesn’t mean they are White Poms. This is commonly overlooked by dog lovers in search of White Pomeranians.
Particolor and light cream colors are often mistaken to be white. In most cases, these colors are so faint that they are easily overlooked. For this reason, many Particolored or Cream Pomeranians are registered as White Poms.
Keep in mind that purely White Pomeranians should never have patches of lemon or cream colors on their fur. Their undercoat, as well as their guard hairs, must be white.
Additionally, every White Pom has black points. This means their lips, nose, eye rims, and paw pads are black. However, White Pom puppies are born with pink points. The mentioned areas will gradually turn black when they are around 6 weeks old.
Generally, the true coat colors of Pom puppies start to show when they are around 3–4 weeks old.
You will have to wait for 8–12 weeks to gauge whether these beautiful Pomeranian puppies have authentic white coats. Around this time, their fur should stay white and free from markings or other shades of colors.
One way to find out if Pom puppies will grow up to be pure white dogs is by checking behind their ears. The area should be pure white. If not, this means they are not Ice-White Pomeranians.
5. Grooming White Pomeranians requires more thoroughness.
There is not much difference between grooming White Pomeranians and Colored Poms. As they are double-coated dogs, brushing them daily will keep their coats in good shape.
Both also need weekly ear cleaning and nail trimming, and daily tooth brushing. However, in some grooming areas, White Pomeranians require more attention to detail, such as:
Cleaning Tear Stains
Tear staining is common in the Pomeranian breed. For White Poms, it must be cleaned thoroughly every day. Or else the discharge will be very noticeable against the white coat.
Use a dog-safe tear-staining remover to get rid of the gunk. Make sure to use a clean cloth when applying it to the corner of his eyes.
You may also like: Tear Staining on Dogs: Common Causes and Home Remedies
Body Wipe-Downs
White Pomeranians easily get dirty, especially if they frequent the great outdoors. They need a full-body wipe-down every time they return from an outside excursion.
Trimming the Coat
Some owners get their Poms’ white coats trimmed into a teddy bear look by a professional groomer. It keeps them looking neat and lessens the time needed to be spent on brushing.
The fur on White Pomeranians’ feet should always be trimmed short. This prevents dust and dirt from accumulating on their pristine white paws.
You may also like: Dog Grooming: Should You Do It Yourself?
6. White Pomeranian Dogs are no different from other Poms in terms of personality.
Ice-White Pomeranians undoubtedly differ from other Poms because of their unique and beautiful coat color. However, when it comes to temperament, they are no different from the rest.
White Pomeranians are spunky toy dogs who love to be in the limelight. They enjoy receiving attention from their loved ones. These small lap dogs cannot be without their family.
White Poms would want to go wherever their humans are. For this reason, they cannot be left alone on their own.
You may also like: Why Does My Dog Follow Me Everywhere?
When around strangers, White Pomeranians tend to be wary and aloof. Although they are small in size, they won’t back down from anyone who threatens the safety of their family. Thus, they are fit to be family pets as well as watchdogs.
White Pomeranians and children can get along well. However, these toy dogs have very delicate bodies and easily sustain injuries. Thus, they should hang out with older children. Young ones are usually not aware of how to handle small pooches gently.
Bred as companion dogs, White Pomeranians have a low prey drive. So long as they are well socialised, they won’t bother smaller pets and animals.
It might be a different story when White Poms are around other dogs, especially if they are larger than them.
White Poms won’t hesitate to confront them. This behavioural problem is called small dog syndrome, and it is common in toy dog breeds.
Consistently training your White Pom will keep him from becoming insecure of other dogs. It is one of the best ways to beat small dog syndrome and to improve his confidence.
7. White Pomeranians are great apartment pets.
Tiny Poms are descendants of large sled dogs. Unlike their massive ancestors, they are miniature and compact-bodied canines. Thus, White Pomeranians fit well in apartment living as their small size makes it easy for them to thrive in less spacious homes.
One thing that White Pom owners should mind is these dogs’ propensity to bark. As mentioned earlier, these white dogs are protective of their family. And so they may bark at anyone who passes by the flat.
Don’t worry, though. Excessive yapping won’t be an issue, provided that you consistently train your White Pom.
As apartment pets, these small white dogs will still require daily exercise. 30–60 minutes of playtime and walks around the neighbourhood is enough to keep them happy and fit.
Always keep a close eye on your White Pomeranian whenever he is outdoors. It would be best to keep him on the lead too. Because of his small size, he is easy prey to predatory animals such as hawks and foxes.
8. White Pomeranians are not exempted from health problems.
White Pomeranians are vulnerable to breed-specific health issues, including:
Black Skin Disease
Clinically known as alopecia X, this skin disorder turns the skin of affected White Poms into black. It also causes severe hair loss. Although it does not inflict serious health deterioration, there is no cure for this disease.
Hypoglycaemia
Also called low blood sugar, it is a very common and deadly condition in breeds belonging to the Toy Group. This suddenly occurs if small dogs skip their meals or are fed excessively small portions.
When raising a White Pomeranian puppy, set up a feeding schedule and follow it diligently. This is the easiest way to avoid hypoglycaemia.
Luxating Patella
This is a bone and joint problem brought on by the misalignment of the kneecaps. It is a prevalent health condition in toy breeds like White Pomeranians.
Dogs afflicted with this disorder will experience lameness in either or both of their hind legs. Surgical repair is often necessary to correct severe forms of a luxating patella.
Tracheal Collapse
Some White Pomeranians are born with weak tracheal rings. If these give out, it results in tracheal collapse. It obstructs the airways, leading to breathing difficulties. The vet may prescribe medications to combat this respiratory illness.
Being small dogs, White Pomeranians have long lifespans and can live up to 12–16 years. However, hereditary diseases can shorten their lives or lower their quality of life.
Find your ideal White Pomeranian puppy from reputable breeders. Ensure that puppies for sale and their mum and dad are vet-checked and health-tested to ensure that they have lower chances of developing breed-specific illnesses.
9. White Pomeranians are steeply priced dogs.
Are White Pomeranians more expensive than other Colored Poms? Yes, they are. Their popularity and rarity greatly increase their price.
Moreover, birthing Ice-White Poms is costly. That’s because most of the time, the dam needs to undergo C-section to safely deliver the litter.
So, how much does a White Pomeranian puppy cost? Generally, the price range of a KC-registered puppy is around £2,000–£3,500.
Just beware of unscrupulous breeders out there. It is a common shady tactic for them to sell light cream-coloured or pari-coloured Pms a White Poms.
Some may also advertise Teacup Pomeranians which is not recommended to purchase as these extremely small dogs are very vulnerable to health problems.
Look for a reputable breeder as they are more focused on sending their White Poms in a lovely family and loving homes than earning quick cash.
It is advisable to ask the breeder if you can see the parent breed of your chosen White Pomeranian puppy. Make sure that both are white dogs without any marks or other shades of color.
You might need to wait for the puppy to reach 9 weeks of age before you can take home your lovely Pomeranian puppy. During this time, he is likely fully weaned and ready to leave for his new forever home already.