Teacup Pomeranian: Breed Facts, Temperament, and Much More
The Teacup Pomeranian is a cute, small dog breed that has been made popular by its teddy bear appearance and tiny size. Think they’re just as adorable as we do? Then follow us through our extensive guide exploring the world of Teacup Pomeranians. We’ll go over breed variations and puppies (aw!), plus an overview of temperament and health.
Breed Overview
As you can see from the information table, the Teacup Pomeranian is significantly smaller than both the Teddy Bear and Fox Face breeds. The interesting thing about Pomeranians is that the “Fox Face” variant is actually what a purebred Pomeranian should look like. However, there have been so many new breed variants of the Pomeranian that this type is often forgotten.
The Teddy Bear Pomeranian, despite being more popular than its Fox Face counterpart, is not an official variation of Pomeranian. At Kennel Clubs and the like, only a purebred Pomeranian is accepted and shown.
We have also added two mixed breed Pomeranians to the chart to show the range of height, weight, and life expectancy across each variant. There are so many variants, even a dog lover would have trouble finding all of the relevant information! Some Pomeranians lovers outright refuse to acknowledge some of the variants, citing them as just another standard breed.
Short History of the Teacup Pomeranian
The ancestors of Teacup Pomeranians were Spitz breed dogs, including the Wolfspitz. Yes, it’s true! These strong, sled-pulling pack dogs are indeed the Pomeranians’ ancestors. Let’s walk through it now.
Teacup Pomeranians were originally bred in the Arctic region, despite many thinking they were bred in northern Poland (due to their breed’s name). The most astonishing fact is that they were actually bred to be sled dogs. That’s right! These tiny, adorable, teacup pups were once sled dogs. At least, that was the plan. By the time the royal families of the United Kingdom got ahold of these little pups, they became famous simply for their adorable size and fluffy looks. The only thing they had to do then was sit cutely on a chair!
Linked with Royalty
Queen Victoria was famously a proud owner of the Pomeranian. She adored her tiny Pomeranian pet, and the pup was featured in many paintings with her. Several other members of the royal family have had Pomeranians as pets, including Queen Charlotte, who brought her two Pomeranians with her when she sailed to England. In fact, it was Queen Charlotte who gifted Pomeranians to other members of the royal family, just because she adored the breed that much. As Queen Charlotte was Queen Victoria’s grandmother, it’s clear that Pomeranian love doesn’t fall far from the family tree!
Marie Antoinette also owned Pomeranians, as did Josephine Beauharnais. Over the years, Teacup Pomeranian puppies have gained many name variants. These include Pocket Pomeranian, Teddy Bear Pomeranian, Mini or Toy Pomeranian, and Miniature Pomeranian. Some even shorten “Pomeranian” to “Pom” to make it extra adorable. Whatever you call them, these teacup puppies are well-loved across the world.
There is some argument over the actual size of the Teacup Pomeranian. Some informational sites and professionals agree that a Teacup Pomeranian should weigh between 3 and 7 lbs. Others argue that for the Teacup Pomeranian to be its own variant, it must weigh less than a regular Pomeranian. We know from the chart in the last section that purebred Pomeranians weight between 3 and 7 lbs., so a Teacup Pomeranian should really be less than 3 lbs. in weight. That seems far too small for any dog! Such smallness could lead to life-long health issues.
Other Famous Owners
As well as the various members of different royal families, there are also a number of celebrities seen with their fluffy counterparts, too. On this list are big names like Gwen Stefani, Lisa Vanderpump, Paris Hilton, Kelly Osbourne, and many more. Pomeranians are clearly a hit!
Breed Facts
Are Teacup Pomeranians Hypoallergenic?
Unfortunately, Teacup Pomeranian puppies are not hypoallergenic. In fact, no breed of Pomeranian is allergy-friendly.
In case you weren’t aware, dog allergies usually come from a couple different sources. It could be outside pollen sticking to your Teacup Pomeranian fur, or you could be allergic to the Pomeranian puppy’s dander, saliva, or other body fluids. There are, in truth, no completely hypoallergenic dogs. Yes, there are plenty that claim to be, but in reality, these dogs just have less of that protein in their bodies that usually cause such an allergy.
If you’re set on searching for Pomeranian puppies, consult your doctor for advice on living with pet allergies before buying. You wouldn’t want to adopt before you know you can!
How Big Does a Teacup Pomeranian Grow?
- Size
A true Teacup Pomeranian should grow between 6 and 10 inches in height. Strangely enough, this is quite close to the size of a regular Pomeranian, which grows as tall as 11 inches. For a Teacup Pomeranian to stay within its guidelines, breeders try to keep them on the smaller side so that they don’t weigh too little for their height.
- Coat
Teacup Pomeranians are usually bred in the same colors as regular Pomeranian dogs. You’ll find that popular colors of these puppies include white, brown, gray, and black. They also come in a lovely rust color coat that is usually quite desired!
There are some rare coat colors, too, including the lavender colored Pomeranian. This domestic pet has the appearance of a gray color Pomeranian with a highlight of a light purple running through its fur. Sounds beautiful to us! They are certainly gorgeous companions for anyone looking for a unique pet. No matter which color Pom you choose, they’re all as gorgeous and cute as the next Pomeranian.
We are sure you’ve noticed, but the Pomeranian Teacup pup has some interesting fur. Poms have a double-coat, with an outer layer of guard hairs and an inner layer of soft fur. Be warned: no double-coated dog should ever be shaved!
Teacup Pomeranian Temperament
- Energy Levels
Teacup Pomeranians are incredibly active and playful. A Teacup Pomeranian puppy even more so! You’ll find that your Pocket Pomeranian is social, enjoys being around others, and is full of energy.
That said, a puppy Teacup Pomeranian will still get tired and worn out. They absolutely love relaxing on the couch with their human companions!
- IQ
Regular breed standard Poms are very intelligent. These small size dogs are easy to train and are listed fairly high in the dog intelligence ranks. They are considered to be excellent dogs to have, with a good level of obedience.
The same is true for the Teacup version of Poms. All Pomeranians do have a bit of an independent streak, but they calm down as they age. Your tiny whirlwind won’t always be so energetic, we assure you!
Sociability
- Humans
As a perky, social, small size pup, the Teacup Pomeranian is known to be a great companion to humans. They’re good with children, though they are very alert dogs. If you can’t stand high-pitched barking, you might want to consider another breed.
Younger children should be cautioned about rough play around Pomeranian puppies. The micro Pomeranian isn’t a sturdy breed, despite their high energy levels. They require a softer touch due to their smaller size.
- Other Dogs
Poms are notoriously friendly and peppy. They don’t consider the size of the other pup they want to interact with, which means it’s down to you, their owner, to ensure they stay safe.
- Other Animals
Similarly, the owner of a Toy Pomeranian or a micro Teacup Pomeranian should stay alert when their Pom is around other animals that are bigger than they are. Your Teacup puppy will be fearless! That’s not a bad thing, but it can lead to unfortunate situations if you don’t remain vigilant.
Temperament Questions:
Do Teacup Pomeranians Bark a Lot?
They can certainly bark a lot, particularly if your Pomeranian remains untrained. The toy Pom has a natural tendency to bark at everything. They are very alert, as some dogs are.
Training your toy Pomeranian from a young age ensures they turn out to be more intelligent than the rest. These dogs can make excellent guard dogs if given the chance to grow properly.
How Do You Keep a Teacup Pomeranian Entertained?
Like all dog breeds, your Pom doesn’t like being bored. Pomeranian puppies, in particular, require a lot of playtime with their owner or the person looking after them.
Because of their energy levels and speed, we recommend creating an indoor obstacle course for them. Toy and Teacup Pomeranians make great show dogs, as they enjoy running and hunting. You can easily use an indoor obstacle course as both a training opportunity and as part of playtime!
Alternatively, break out the bubble wand and watch your Teacup puppies go absolutely crazy over those rainbow-toned spheres. Every dog loves a good bubble chase! Hide and Seek is another great game to play with your Pom, whether they’re puppies or adult dogs. Because Poms are quite small, you are sure to have a lot of fun finding hiding places to surprise them.
Do Miniature Pomeranians Like Water?
As long as your Pom feels safe and hasn’t been left alone, these small dogs do enjoy going in the water. Not all Pomeranians are the same, though! Some Poms like swimming but hate baths, while others have the opposite preference.
Teacup size Pomeranians should certainly be watched when they are near any body of water. These dogs are tiny, and their health problems can be easily exacerbated with the slightest mistake.
Do Mini Pomeranians Like to Cuddle?
With their personalities considered, your Pomeranian puppy should have no issues cuddling up to you. They are very affectionate and will grow to be lap dogs as they age.
Are Teacup Pomeranians Easy to Potty Train?
Toy dog breeds, such as the Pomeranian or Teacup Pomeranian, are more difficult to potty train. This is because Toy dog breeds have smaller bladders and, therefore, need to use the bathroom more frequently.
To potty train a toy dog, you should start by taking your Pomeranian puppy outside to use the bathroom every 30 minutes or so. Take them back inside, praise them, and repeat the process.
Do Teacup Poms have separation anxiety?
Separation anxiety is when your pet is afraid of being away from you and gets scared, anxious, and/or stressed when you aren’t at home for a length of time. For some pets, just an hour is enough to upset them. That’s a severe case, but it shows that this type of anxiety is very serious. Pomeranians are among the many breeds of dogs out there that suffer from separation anxiety, yes.
Don’t think of this as your dog being too clingy. Think instead that they are frightened of you leaving them. Your dog doesn’t need to have come from a bad place for this to happen, either. Like humans, some dogs are just more anxious than others.
Mini Pomeranian Care
Training
Are teacup Pomeranians easy to train?
With a lot of patience and consideration, you’ll find that your Teacup Pomeranian is quite easy to train. Pomeranians are considered an intelligent breed of dog. Though they’re energetic, your Teacup Pomeranian dog will listen to you if you stay in control of the training session.
Leash training
It’s best to use a harness with Teacup Pomeranians. This is because the Pomeranian Teacup dog is very fragile. They’re a much smaller dog, so remember that you could easily hurt them without realizing.
Use a dog harness, not a neck collar and leash. Additionally, choose a front clip harness so that your Teacup pup will stay at your heels and you can remain aware of them at all times.
Socializing your Teacup
You should begin socializing your Pomeranian Teacup dog as soon as possible. This will ensure they don’t pick up any bad habits – like excessive barking. Teacup Pomeranians are very friendly, so once they have been socialized, you’ll have a great dog on your hands.
Exercise
How much exercise does a teacup Pomeranian need?
Despite their flashes of high energy, (such as barking and running around acting a bit crazy), your Teacup Pomeranian puppy only needs approximately 30 minutes of daily activity.
That might not sound like a lot, when you consider what you know about the amount of exercise regular dogs require. Remember, the size of Teacup Pomeranians does truly affect how much activity they can handle. Be kind to your Teacup Pomeranian and recognize that they’re tiny and will tire themselves out in minutes.
Ways to exercise your Teacup Pomeranian
Going on a walk is an obvious, easy way to exercise your Teacup Pomeranian. It’s not entirely necessary when you own a Teacup puppy. If you have a yard, that’s the perfect place for your Teacup puppy to get some simple zoomies.
Short walks out in public are fine, too, but remember to try and keep it to around 15 minutes. A Teacup only needs half an hour of exercise each day, after all, so it’s best to keep walks short. Because of this and their small size, Teacup dogs are actually ideal for owners who live in apartments!
Food
What do Mini Pomeranians eat?
Like any well-cared-for pup, your Mini Pom should be eating high quality food with little to no fillers.
How much should you feed a Teacup Pomeranian?
Consult your vet for the best serving size for your dog. This is based on the weight of your pup. Even regular Pomeranians only eat up to one cup of food per day, so your Teacup variant will eat even less than that. Because of this, it’s vital that they consume nutritious foods and drink plenty of water.
For more options, check out our detailed review of Dog Food For Pomeranians.
Health
Do Teacup Pomeranians shed a lot?
Teacup Pomeranians do not shed much, but the small amount they do shed will be enough to set off someone’s allergies. As such, this is one reason they are not hypoallergenic dogs.
How do you groom a Miniature Pomeranian?
A Mini Pomeranian that has their adult coat should be brushed three times a week, at most, and when they are shedding as normal. In the event that they are shedding more heavily, they may be brushed once a day.
To groom your Mini Pom, use either a two-level steel comb or a slicker brush that has a bubble or polished tip.
Are Teacup Pomeranians healthy?
Yes, of course, but also no. If you consider the unnatural size and weight of a true Teacup Pomeranian, we don’t believe the breed is completely healthy. You can, however, raise your Pom to be as healthy as possible for their size!
How are Teacup Poms bred?
When a dog is bred to achieve certain looks, things can go wrong, putting their health at high risk. Pomeranians, though, are bred for their size, color, head shape, and adorable aesthetic. It was Paris Hilton that brought the wider world’s attention to Teacup dogs, giving them more modern popularity. She did this by introducing her tiny Chihuahua to television.
There are many issues with Teacup dogs, though, and it starts with their health. For a Teacup Pomeranian to come into existence, a breeder will take the runt from a litter of regular Pomeranian dogs and breed that dog with another runt. This is the only way for a Teacup Pomeranian to exist, and it doesn’t always work. It’s very possible for the entire litter of pups from that breeding to be regular-sized Poms.
This is also one of the many reasons that Teacup Pomeranians aren’t recognized in dog pedigrees. They’re just over-bred and undersized Pomeranians with a fancy name to market them to the public – and a big price tag that goes alongside that.
Health Risks
The breeding practices that create Teacup Pomeranians are practically ensuring their puppies have health risks! Vets have said that any Teacup dog is at risk of health issues, such as heart defects, seizures, breathing problems, digestive issues, blindness, collapsed tracheas, and even hypoglycemia.
That’s just the start, too. The way that Teacups are bred puts them at risk for liver shunts, sliding kneecaps, arthritis, and a condition called “water on the brain”. Poms are also prone to skin disease and hair loss.
Dental Disease
As if all of these extremely serious conditions weren’t enough, Teacups are also at risk of dental and gum disease. Teacup dogs have trouble with their baby teeth. They don’t always fall out on their own, and a vet is often needed to remove them. This can later cause more serious conditions, such as dental disease.
Obesity
Finally, many small Teacup or Toy breeds are at risk of becoming obese. Small dogs aren’t (and can’t be) as active as larger dogs. If their food intake isn’t monitored properly, especially as they’re being carried around and babied, they will easily gain weight.
For a dog that will likely have underlying problems on their health certificate, adding obesity certainly won’t help!
How long do Teacup Pomeranians live?
As mentioned in our informational chart, Teacup Pomeranians can live up to 15 years, as long as they don’t experience any health issues!
How to Find a Good Breeder
If you are looking for a good breeder of Pomeranians and Teacup Pomeranians, you’ll need to do some research. There are a lot of sketchy breeders out there with puppies for sale, and Pomeranian breeding isn’t a great practice by any stretch of the imagination! It isn’t enough to search for puppies for sale, there are certain signs to look out for.
Start by searching for a breeder that has dogs for sale. But remember: never pay any money up-front. You want to ask questions about the sale. A lot of questions. Also, get photos of the litter for sale with their mother, as well as solo photos of that particular puppy. Stay in contact with the breeder throughout the weeks leading up to the date you’re due to fetch the puppy.
Breeders who won’t supply photos of the for-sale pup, or refuse to give updates on the sale, shouldn’t be trusted. If this happens, move on to other breeders. It’s the same for breeders that ask for large deposits or look for unprotected money transfers upfront. Stay clear of those! Take care of yourself and your finances first. There will always be other puppies for sale elsewhere.
Adopt a Dog From a Rescue Center or Shelter!
Adoption is such a wonderful thing and there are so many dogs out there that need a home. We’re not just talking about Poms, either!
Thousands of dogs end up in shelters every year, to the point where many of them are put down or spend years waiting for a home. Consider whether Teacup Pomeranian puppies are right for you and head to a shelter today!
FAQs:
Q: What is the average price for a Teacup Pomeranian Puppy?
A: If you are looking for Pomeranian puppies for sale, the average price for one is between $500 to $1500.
Q: Where do I find Teacup Pomeranians to adopt?
A: It’s difficult to adopt a Teacup Pom because they aren’t usually left at shelters. They’re expensive dogs to buy. Still, try your local shelters or look online. You can also look for a Teacup Pomeranian rescue center.
Q: Do Micro Teacup Pomeranians exist?
A: There are no variations of Pomeranian that are smaller than a Teacup Pom. Teacup Poms are already so tiny, you don’t really need them to be even smaller!
Q: Are Teacup Pomeranians good for first-time dog owners?
A: We wouldn’t recommend a Teacup Pomeranian for a first-time dog owner. With all of their potential health issues, their small bladders, and the training needed, they aren’t beginner-friendly. They are good dogs for families, though!
