Pomeranians (aka Poms) can be very loud and are famous for thinking their bark can take on bigger dogs. The small size of the Pomeranian makes for its long lifespan, but exactly how long do Pomeranians live for?
Summary:
The average lifespan of a Pomeranian is 12 to 16 years
The long lifespan is attributed to the small size of the Pomeranian but also puts it as the highest risk of trauma if mishandled.
To learn more about the lifespan of Pomeranians, in this article we will cover the following:
- Interesting facts about Pomeranians
- Average lifespan of a Pomeranian
- How long do teacup and micro teacup Pomeranians live?
- Tips on how to extend the lifespan of your Pomeranian?
Interesting Facts About Pomeranians
Pomeranians are generally smart, curious, energetic and feisty. They are playful, loyal and love attention.
This dog is a breed of the Spitz type and is named after the Pomerania region in the north-west Poland and north-east Germany in Central Europe.
The Pomeranians dog is classified as a toy breed because of its small size and is said to have descended from the larger Spitz breed dogs, precisely the German Spitz.
Poms are small and weighs about 3 to 7 pounds with a height of 6 to 7 inches at the withers.
Pomeranians have a wide range of colours with black, white, brown, cream, orange to red, chocolate merle and particolored being the most common colours of this breed.
While there are many colours and breeders aim to realize beautiful coats in this breed, some can be irresponsible and create dogs with coats that can have dangerous consequences on the dog’s health despite being beautiful. [1]
Average Lifespan of a Pomeranian
Pomeranian dogs can live for up to 12 to 16 years. This is substantially long compared to many dogs, particularly the larger dog breeds.
Whereas their small size makes them very fragile, it also makes for their long lifespan as they age slower and thus are not at risk of dying from age-related illnesses as in larger dog breeds. [2]
How Long do Teacup Pomeranians Live?
Teacup Pomeranians live for 12 to 16 years although their life expectancy is largely dependent on the care and affection provided by its owners.
These dogs are friendly, affectionate, charming, social and very loyal. Thus, it is the owner’s mission to provide a healthy and happy environment for this breed to prolong its life.
This breed does not do well alone and adequate human companionship is key to avoid stress in the dog.
How long do Micro Teacup Pomeranians Live?
The Micro teacup Pom is a smaller than usual Pomeranian and has a lifespan of 12 to 16 years. Their small size places them at a higher risk of trauma therefore, keen attention and special care is required when attending them.
Additionally, unhealthy breeding and insufficient growth must be avoided as it results in earlier death because of producing Poms filled with chronic health conditions.
The Micro Teacup Pomeranian is very fragile even a simple leap from the arm or ack of the sofa can cause serious injury and even death. If well taken care of, this dog can live a long, healthy life.
Related:
How to Extend the Lifespan of your Pomeranian?
1. Give your Pom attention
The Pomeranian is a dog that likes attention and require a considerable amount of activity and interaction. To extend their lifespan, the Pom parent should provide a stress-free environment with a lot of love, peace and comfort.
Also, companionship is paramount for this breed as neglect or isolation may cause stress and thus shorten the dog’s life.
2. Provide a healthy canine diet
A healthy canine diet is another important factor in increasing a Pom’s lifespan. Clean eating is encouraged and this includes providing clean filtered water free from toxins and contaminants which are known to cause cancer in this breed.
3. Good dental care
Dental care is also important when it comes to prolonging your Pom’s life. While many may ignore this, plaque in Pom’s can be quite threatening when it causes infection and affects the dog’s ability to eat enough food for good nutrition. [3]
4. Regular exercise
Pomeranians require a significant amount of exercise and balanced activity. Over-exercising or under-exercising this breed is discouraged.
The appropriate amount of activity suggested is one or two walks per day and around 40 minutes of play per week will keep the heart and body of a Pom healthy.
5. Neuter your Pom
Spaying and neutering dogs is generally a factor that is scientifically proven to prolong life. An unaltered dog is prone to cancer and diseases associated with reproductive organs and therefore, shortens the dog’s life considerably. [4]
6. Regular Vet visits
Regular vet visits and adherence to the vaccination schedules is paramount. Most Pomeranian and all breeds in general die from infections as a result of late or no vaccination. A healthy and properly vaccinated Pomerarian has a higher chance of living a longer and happy life.
7. Protect your Pomeranian from trauma
Lastly, the small size of Pomeranians makes them very susceptible to trauma caused by dropping, stepping or home-related accidents.
It is compulsory to provide a safe environment for your fur baby to avoid injury and possibly premature death.
Furthermore, remember to always monitor your Pom when playing outside, predatory birds are always waiting to hunt.
Watch this video to learn more about Pom care
Conclusion
Pomeranians, also referred to as Pom Poms, are indeed a beautiful toy breed and are famous today thanks to Queen Victoria who played a significant role in their transition from herd dogs to toy breeds.
They can keep you company for over 10 years if you give them proper care.
