Pomeranian Did You Know?

• The Pomeranian is a member of the family of dogs known unofficially as the "Spitz Group."

• The Pomeranian is a descendent of sled dogs of Iceland and Lapland.

• The name, naturally, traces to Pomerania, not as a point of origin, but possibly because the breed may have been in process of downsizing there.

• Not well known until 1870, when the Kennel Club (England) recognized the so-called spitzdog. In 1888, Queen Victoria fell in love with a Pomeranian in Florence, Italy, and brought the specimen back to England, influencing its popularity dramatically. In fact, a Pomeranian lay beside the Queen at her death.

• Specimens of the Pomeranian were shown in the US as far back as 1892, but they were not officially classified until 1900.

• In 1911, the American Pomeranian Club held its first specialty show.