Frequently asked questions about grooming Pomeranians

Do Pomeranians require constant brushing?

While Pomeranians are known for their beautiful coats. They actually do not require extensive maintenance to stay looking great. With a few simple grooming tools and a little elbow grease a few times a week you can keep your Pomeranian looking beautiful. Pomeranian hair texture and undercoat causes the hair to stick outward which gives Pomeranians their classic puffy fluffy look but it also helps prevent matting. Pomeranian hair coats are much easier to maintain than breeds that are non-shedding like Poodles or drop coated like Yorkies. Those non-shedding breeds require constant daily brushing and/or regular complete shaving to keep their hair from matting. Pomeranian hair coats can stay beautiful with minimal brushing.

Do I need to send my Pomeranian to a groomer?

Pomeranians can be easily cared for at home with regular brushing and occasional baths. They do not require shaving. If you take your Pomeranian to a professional groomer and want to maintain the beautiful long hair be very, very specific in your instructions. We have heard so many sad stories of “professional” groomers shaving Pomeranians nearly to the skin like they would a Poodle. If you prefer the look of the “Boo cut” Pomeranian that is fine but if you have asked for just a trim be very specific as to what this means to you or you could end up with a scalped Pom. Pomeranian hair coats do not continuously grow like drop coat breeds. If you have your Pomeranian shaved it will take over a year or two for the hair to grow back. Some Pomeranians never get their coats back after shaving.

What products do I need to groom my Pomeranian at home?

Grooming Spray

Before brushing, lightly spray your Pom’s haircoat with  Crown Royale Magic Touch Grooming Spray Formula 3  This product helps prevent hair breakage and repels dirt. Brushes will easily glide through the hair without grabbing.

Slicker Brush

Your most important grooming tool to keep your Pomeranian’s hair beautiful is a slicker brush. We really love  self cleaning slicker brushes. With the push of a button all the hair is quickly cleaned off the brush. This makes regular grooming so much quicker and easier. Use this brush from head to tail. Just make sure to brush in the opposite direction the hair grows. Brushing from the ground up or forward from the tail. Brushing against the hair growth will lift the undercoat and pull out any dead hairs. Pay special attention to behind the legs and behind the ears. These areas tend to be the only ones that will mat on a Pomeranian.

Fine toothed comb

Usually called a flea comb, don’t let it’s name fool you, we don’t use a flea comb for fleas. It is most useful to use on the fine hair right behind the ears or used on legs to remove yard debris. It’s super fine teeth do a better job than anything we have found.

Comb

A stainless steel comb is useful as a finishing touch around the long mane hair and the tail. You can also use it to detangle at mat.

Do Pomeranians shed?

Yes Pomeranians shed. However, they don’t shed anywhere as much as a short coated breed like a Lab or a Corgi. Pomeranian’s long top coat hairs only occasionally are lost just like your own hair you might lose a few hairs now and again throughout the year but it is seldom so you hardly notice. It takes a long time, often several years for a Pom to grow it’s haircoat long and full. Once grown, those top coat hairs like to stay in place!
Pomeranians will shed their undercoat annually and sometimes bi-annually. Generally in the spring or fall they will “blow” their undercoat. Meaning the shorter fluff hair will release mostly all at once and within a day or so of brushing with proper equipment you can bush it all out at once. Some people, like my daughter, truly enjoy raking Poms blown undercoats. Its quite satisfying as the hair comes out easily. Your Pomeranian’s long top coat will stay in place and only the shorter undercoat will be shed.
Use an undercoat rake to make this process easy and quick.

What do I need for Pomeranian toenails?

Fingernail clippers

We regularly trim our puppies nails with a human fingernail trimmers starting when they are babies so they will be accustomed to this necessary treatment. If you regularly handle their feet and trim their nails they will continue to be receptive. If you are unsure about trimming your dog’s toenails on your own talk to your groomer or vet for some instruction on this easy but necessary procedure.

Nail Trimmer

For older puppies and adults a dog nail trimmer is necessary. We prefer the smaller versions usually marketed for cats. The jaws are smaller and easier to use on small Pomeranian toenails.

Nail grinder

You may also want to have a dog nail grinder. These specially designed power tools are designed for pets have a spinning head which grinds the toenail smooth like a nail file. They make your dog nails smooth and rounded. Most Pomeranians can be quickly conditioned to having their nails cared for with a grinder. They often prefer a grinder to a nail cutter. You can also use the grinder to just take the tips off if you are leery to start cutting your Pom’s nails.

Styptic Powder

Always make sure and have some styptic powder on hand just in case you cut the nail a little too close. If you get a drop of blood on the nail quickly dip it in the styptic powder and the bleeding will stop almost immediately.

Can I give my Pomeranian a bath?

Pomeranians only require occasional baths. It is recommended to bathe your pet Pomeranian no more than once or twice a month. Bathing can dry out sensitive skin by removing the naturally occurring oils from the skin. However, if your puppy loves to play in the mud or enjoys everything dirty and smelly outdoors then, by all means, bath them clean!
Never use human shampoos on dogs. The PH is different so will dry out a dogs skin. Use only products specifically made for dogs. We use Crown Royale products exclusively for all our bathing and grooming needs.
Pomeranians are small so it is easy to bath them right in the kitchen sink. Have your supplies ready so you don’t have to set down a “wet mop” of live Pom hair while you go look for a towel. Never leave your puppy unattended during bathing.

What products should I use when bathing my Pomeranian?

Shampoo

We only use Crown Royale products for grooming. They are professional products that originated in the dog show world specifically designed for different coat textures. Pomeranians always use formula #3 which is for textured hair. They are very concentrated so you only need a small amount. We have only found them for purchase at large dog shows or on Amazon.
For shampoo we use Crown Royale Biovite Formula 3 Dog Shampoo Concentrate

Conditioner

If your dog’s hair is particularly tangled or they are blowing their undercoat you may want to use a conditioner after the shampoo. We use Crown Royale Condition Plus Dog Conditioner Concentrate

If your Pomeranian tends to get tangled hair or spends a lot of time rolling in the grass and leaves another option is to spray detangling spray on a wet or dry coat. It helps remove tangles and repels dirt. Nice to use in-between baths or it can be used in place of conditioner. We use Crown Royale Ultimate Detangling Spray.

Drying

After a bath using a blow dryer is a necessity. You can use your own blow dryer just make sure to set it to the lowest heat setting and the highest air setting. Keep the dryer moving to prevent overheating one spot on your dog. The higher quality professional models do the best. Use your slicker brush while blow drying to straighten the hair.

For faster drying you can get a pet specific blower. They are designed to have higher air flow for faster drying and a hose to direct the airflow while you are holding a pet. The downside is they are loud and bulky to store.

Grooming tables

Pomeranian grooming can be done in your lap, a countertop or a specific grooming table. If you are planning to show using a grooming table will be essential. They fold flat and can be set up anywhere.

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