Tips On Entering The World of Showing Pomeranians

Last Updated on 17/11/2025 by Denise Leo. Post first published on November 3, 2020.

Discover practical tips for showing Pomeranians—from attending shows and learning breed standards to joining clubs and finding mentorship.

Welcome to Tips on Entering the World of Showing Pomeranians! If you’re eager to dive into the exciting realm of showing Pomeranians, you’ve come to the right place. This guide, written by Denise Leo of Dochlaggie Pomeranians, offers practical advice for both aspiring exhibitors and breeders.

Discover how attending dog shows, joining your regional Pomeranian club, studying the official breed standard, and observing champion-quality Pomeranians can elevate your understanding of what makes a show-worthy Pom.

Research and learn all you can about these amazing dogs before you buy a Pomeranian. Go to Shows and observe everything you can. Become a member of your local Pomeranian Club and go to all the Specialty Shows.

These shows are ideal for meeting and making connections with Pomeranian show dog breeders, as well as seeing lots of Poms in action. Study every aspect of the Pomeranian dog. Learn about their anatomy. Buy books about the Pomeranian breed. Both eBay and Amazon have a variety of second-hand books about Pomeranians.

If you decide that showing Pomeranians is for you, here are a few tips to help you get started:

Go to dog shows. Pay special attention to the Pomeranians in the ring.
Become a member of your regional Pomeranian Breed Club.
Attend Pomeranian breed specialty shows to network with other breeders and exhibitors.
Observe which Pomeranian types seem to be more desirable than others and which types appeal to you the most.
Learn the Pomeranian Breed Standard. The more information you have, the smarter your breeding decisions will be.
Recognize that whelping and other problems have earned Pomeranians the nickname “the heartbreak breed” among Pomeranian breeders.

You can also learn a lot by using Google, joining Pomeranian forums, and picking up loads of free high-quality information. You should also subscribe to Pomeranian magazines and newsletters because they have a wealth of information that you may not find anywhere else.

Showing Pomeranians Tips for Novices

Suppose you don’t want to be a breeder, but you do want to be an exhibitor with a champion Pomeranian. In that case, it’s wise to buy a male Pomeranian from a highly reputable breeder. Females are always in high demand. The older the puppy is, the better the chance of obtaining a show-quality Pomeranian.

Exhibiting a Pomeranian dog — Pomeranians at a Dog Show

Lots of Pom babies look great when they’re 8 weeks old, but often don’t make the grade as a Pomeranian show dog when they have matured.

If you want to both breed and show Pomeranians, I would recommend buying the best possible female and, in time, mate her with the most suitable male candidate. Starting a successful breeding program with a male puppy is not the best way to move forward.

As a new breeder, it’s smart to focus on females until you have garnered a lot of experience. It’s unwise to buy a male within the first few years. Studs to the best males are usually available at a fee. Examine your female dog and identify the most suitable mate. Retaining the best puppies for yourself and going forward from there.

The Strength of a Kennel is the Quality of the Females

In an ideal world, you should have two females to begin with. However, they must get along, or that can be a major problem. Two puppies living together grow up better than one living alone. They’re good company for each other.

They exercise and play together, even if nobody else is home. It’s vital to choose breeding stock with well-bred parents on both sides. Females can often set the type in their puppies, so you need excellent females and a great male pedigree if the puppies produced are to be of the highest quality.
Balance, type, movement, correct conformation, and a good temperament are all crucial in making up a show-quality Pomeranian.

If these can all be identified in a couple of girl Pomeranians, grab them quickly! If you plan to find a bitch puppy that will breed you good stock in the future, select one that’s good enough to show, from a successful lineage that you can easily access.

It’s also best to choose type plus normality. Exaggerations may be impressive, but if you need a dog for breeding, correctness is a more valuable attribute, and that makes breeding top-quality dogs a lot easier to accomplish.

Try to find a good, average Pomeranian female with well-rounded points, no major faults, and, most importantly, a sound temperament. This type of female will be suitable for sires of many different lines. The more flamboyant a female is, the harder it will be to find a compatible stud.

Spend lots of time at shows learning everything that’s involved. If you can locate a breeder who consistently produces the type of dog you most admire, go and talk to that breeder and ask as many questions as possible. That’s the only way to learn. Novice breeders need to be cautious of pedigrees that have quite close breeding.

Only experienced breeders with a thorough understanding of their stock and breed history should attempt this. Mismanaged close breeding (inbreeding) can become catastrophic.

It’s very handy to have numerous champions behind breeding stock, but it’s even better if their pedigrees include some line breeding to quality champion Pomeranian dogs. When line breeding is done properly, it consolidates the best points of the forebears, and this often leads to even more improvement.

Champion Bloodline Pomeranian

Champion Pomeranian dogs who come from unknown lines may not always be ideal for breeding. It’s quite unlikely that good breeding material exists in a litter without first-rate forebears in its pedigree. It’s a rare situation when very good quality stock surfaces from ordinary ancestors, and if this rarity does occur, the puppies rarely breed on.

Final Thoughts on Showing Pomeranians

Become a full-time apprentice. There’s an enormous amount to learn when it comes to Pomeranians, and this includes: grooming, feeding, breeding, training, soundness, conformation, and breed type. Remember the old saying that …Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

If you can find a good mentor, your apprenticeship will be much shorter in duration. Many experienced Pomeranian show dog breeders are genuinely happy to mentor newcomers who are prepared to listen and learn.

Embarking on the journey of showing Pomeranians is both rewarding and challenging—but far from something to tackle alone. The more you invest in learning—whether through books, forums, newsletters, or mentorship—the better prepared you’ll be.

Remember: Rome wasn’t built in a day. With dedication, humility, and the support of experienced breeders and clubs, your path in the show ring can be both meaningful and fulfilling. Hone your skills, stay curious, and above all, enjoy every moment with your Pom.

References and Further Reading:
Official Standard of the Pomeranian (AKC). American Kennel Club, 2011.
Official English Kennel Club Pomeranian Breed Standard, 2017.
Denise Leo, The Pomeranian Handbook.