​My Star Pomeranian's              Grooming tips

Trimming

​Nails

​Dewclaws​

Grooming Tips

​Grooming the Coat

Why Proper Grooming is So Important
In regard to grooming, the Pomeranian breed is on the higher level of maintenance; this is due to both the frequency that certain grooming elements should be done and the amount of tasks involved with that. However, when allowed to become used to this at a young age, the Pom is wonderful at learning to tolerate being touched and many grow to enjoy grooming sessions.
You will want to fall into a solid grooming routine and perfect your grooming skills for both aesthetic and health reasons.
 If grooming is not performed on a regular basis, things can spiral out of control rather quickly.

Does a Pomeranian need to be shaved down during hot weather? No! There is no reason to shave down your Pom's beautiful coat because the weather is hot. If the inner layer is shaved, the coat will may never grow back again to what it once was. The Pomeranian is famous for his long coat and shaving it down actually does very little to cool off a dog. During time of hot weather, exercise or go for daily walks early in the day and/or later the evening and offer plenty of water when you are outside for an extended time.
Trimming (not shaving down to look like Boo the Pomeranian) is perfectly fine and is usually done via a professional dog groomer...to keep the coat looking nice and trim off an excess fur (such as long fur on the paws, etc).
A minor trim to keep things neat and tidy can be done every 2 to 3 months as needed. The goal will NOT be to cut the coat down, but rather to straighten out pieces that may have grown a bit longer than others and to trim off 1/8 to 1/4 inches of tips if they look dried out. A" re-fresh" such as this every so often can help to maintain the rounded look and allow the longer guard hairs to stand up properly.
Many owners choose to trim (or shave down in this one exception) the hair around the anus for hygienic reasons and this is perfectly fine. In fact, it can help a great deal in keeping the overall coat clean since feces so easily can become stuck to long hairs in that area,

Dewclaws are generally always removed on some breeds, such as the Chihuahua before a person is even given the new puppy. However, with the Pomeranian, the decision to keep or remove dewclaws is usually left up to the owner and will depend on several elements. 

Nail trimming must be done every 2 to 3 months with no exceptions. If you have never trimmed a dog's nails before, you may want to opt for a professional dog groomer to do so.
This generally is not expensive and will ensure that the quick (a large vein) of the dog's nail is not cut. We suggest that anyone who does not have a lot of experience in trimming a dog's nails bring their Pomeranian to an experienced dog groomer for this procedure.
happy Pomeranian.
Leaving nails to grow is unhealthy for a dog, as they may quickly become ingrown. If you will be clipping your dog's nails at home, you will want to be sure to use a very high quality dog nail clipper or grinder. The Pomeranian has a "quick" in the middle of each nail. This is a vein, that when cut can bleed quite a bit. If it is cut, this the bleeding can be controlled by using a styptic pencil or solution containing silver nitrate.
You should begin by training your Pom to lay still while you trim the nails. This can be done by laying your Pom on his side and leaning over his body. Gently hold his paw and touch the nails. If he lays still, give him a lots of praise to let him know that he is being a good dog. As time goes by, and your Pomeranian seems comfortable with laying down and allowing you to touch his nails, you can then carefully trim them.

Suffice it to say, if you have a Pomeranian you will need to be able to set aside a reasonable time for grooming and hopefully will enjoy the tasks. Putting effort into grooming a Pom can be very rewarding. This breed is famous for his soft, fluffy fur and this is achieved by being groomed correctly. If you have a Pom that has a flat coat or does not have the "Pom look" that you expected, most likely it is just a matter of technique (and perhaps the need for a slight trim to 'round' things out).

Many people wonder if there is a difference in care for either male or female Pomeranians, however other than extra shedding after a heat cycle that requires more brushing, grooming care will be the same. 

1) Poms are famous for their fur and they do require some extra care. You'll want to make changes depending on the season. 
2) You'll want to prevent tangles and matts in a Pomeranian's coat. This happens when strands of hairs twist together and form a knot.  Brushing on a regular basis will help stop tangles from forming. If you do notice a tangle, lather up your hands with your Pom's bath conditioner and try to work out the knot. You'll need some patience and so will your Pom, so offer him an interesting toy while you do your best. If you are not able to remove it, you'll want to snip it off using sharp scissors (be careful). By snipping it off, it will stop that knot from otherwise pulling in even more hairs and growing out of control.   
3) Never brush a dry coat. Doing so will create static and strip off the protective layer of the hair shaft. This then weakens the hairs and results in split ends. While you can certainly brush and comb after a bath, for daily grooming it is best to mist the coat - section by section as you move along to each area - with a quality leave- in conditioner or a homemade leave-in that would be a mixture of 10% quality bathing conditioner to 90% filtered water (do not use tap water), shaken well and placed in a spray bottle.

The leave-in product will also work well to protect the coat from sun exposure and static issues that can occur when the dog rubs against carpeting, moves against his bedding, etc.
4) The type of shampoo you use is very important and human shampoo should not be used. Generic dog shampoos can dry out the fur and even cause moderate to severe itching. Please use a quality shampoo that will keep the coat healthy. The grooming products that you use will have a large impact on the health of your Pom's coat. Be choosy about which shampoos, conditioners and leave-in sprays you use.
5) The right grooming tools will stimulate the skin in a healthy way, distribute body oils down the hair shafts and fluff the coat. Cheap grooming tools will not accomplish this and additionally can cause breakage to the hairs.  A slicker brush is great for pulling out shedded hairs. A pin brush is best for grooming the coat to keep the fur healthy. You'll also want to use a double-sided metal comb to check for tangles.

Pomeranian Grooming ~ Puppies & Adults