Under that huge coat is a genuinely fragile three-to-seven-pound dog with a real risk of a collapsing windpipe, a slipping kneecap, and dental disease that starts young, not the low-maintenance lap ornament the coat photos suggest.
12.2years, median
0.3 years below the all-dog median of 12.5.
Measured, not estimated: the middle age at death across 584,734 UK dogs, 284,734 of them deceased. Based on 4,111 dogs of this breed. 95% confidence interval 12 to 12.5 years. Half lived longer than this, half did not. UK dogs, so treat it as the best available figure rather than a promise about yours.
In the same study, small breeds as a group had a median of 12.7 years and medium-muzzled breeds 12.8. This breed is small and medium-muzzled.
McMillan et al. 2024, Scientific Reports 14:531 — open access · CC BY 4.0Health tests to ask the breeder for
American Pomeranian Club sets the tests a Pomeranian needs for a CHIC number in the OFA's open database. A CHIC number means the tests were done and the results are public. It does not mean the dog passed them: ask for the results for both parents, or look them up yourself on ofa.org.
- Patellar Luxation (OFA Evaluation)
- Cardiac Evaluation (OFA)
- Eye Examination by a boarded ACVO Ophthalmologist
When to spay or neuter a Pomeranian: the UC Davis study of 35 breeds has a suggested guideline for the breed. For males it is any age. For females, any age. The spay and neuter page has the numbers behind it and what the guidelines say for a dog this size.
- Autoimmune Thyroiditis
- Legg-Calve-Perthes (radiographic evaluation)
- Hip Dysplasia (OFA Evaluation)
Test names as the club lists them; checked September 2026. OFA CHIC breed page. How to use this at the breeder: check a breeder.
Adopt a Pomeranian near you
Shelters and rescues list Pomeranians and Pomeranian mixes on Petfinder. Enter a ZIP code to see who is waiting within 100 miles.
Listings come from Petfinder and open there. Petipedia does not take part in adoptions and earns nothing from them.
Living with a Pomeranian
Pomeranians act like they do not know they are small, bold, vocal, and often bossy with much bigger dogs, and that coat needs real, regular brushing or it mats fast, especially through the twice-yearly heavy shed. Because they are so light and fine-boned, jumping off furniture or rough handling by kids is a genuine injury risk, which is part of why this is not the toy breed to hand to a toddler unsupervised.
Health you should know about
- Patellar luxation — a UK primary-care study found 6.5% of Pomeranians affected, versus about 1.3% of dogs overall, making it one of the breeds most likely to be diagnosed with a slipping kneecap.
- Tracheal collapse — the windpipe's cartilage rings weaken over time, causing a characteristic honking cough that worsens with excitement, heat, or collar pressure; a harness rather than a collar is usually recommended.
- Dental disease — small jaws and crowded teeth make periodontal disease start early and progress fast without regular home dental care.
- Alopecia X ('black skin disease') — a coat-cycling disorder causing symmetrical hair loss, documented often enough in Pomeranians to be associated with the breed.
Read the full Dog Care Guide first — costs, daily time, and everything a dog needs before you choose a breed.
Naming a Pomeranian? German dog and cat names, 88 of them, with what they mean.
Sources — 3 references
Last reviewed October 2026. 3 sources listed below. Written and maintained by Petdeals.io. General care information, not veterinary advice — for a sick animal, call a vet.