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In the US, the first Pomeranian to be recorded by the American Kennel Club (AKC) was Dick, who was registered in 1888. The breed was recognized in America in 1900. That same year, English judge, L. P. C. Astley awarded the first ever Best of Breed to a Pomeranian in this country. This was Mrs. Frank Smyth’s Nubian Rebel, later to become a champion in the breed.

By 1909, the American Pomeranian Club had been accepted as a member club of the AKC and was designated as the parent club for the breed. Not too long after, it hosted the country’s first Pomeranian specialty show at which another English judge, Mrs. L. C. Dyer, drew an entry of 138, finding her Best of Breed in the black Pomeranian, Ch. Canner Prince Charming.

The first regional Pomeranian specialty club was formed in the year 1912. This was the Western Pomeranian Club, formed in Chicago by Mrs. Hebden. Nine years later, in 1921, the American Pomeranian Club was incorporated.

During the 1930s, there was good attendance of Pomeranians at shows and a series of notable breeding lines were developed. By 1958 the first official breed magazine was launched. This was The Pomeranian Review, whose first editor was James Arima.

A spitz-like dog from an engraved bronze jar of Greek workman- ship from the second century B.C. It is on display at the British Museum in London.

From the 1920s, Sunfire of Dara, an orange Pom bred by Mrs. E. B. Goodall in 1928.

The year 1961 was also a landmark in the history of the breed, for this was when the first American-bred bitch took Best in Show at an all-breed show. Bred by Mr. and Mrs. K. Terrel of Fort Worth, Texas, this clever bitch was Ch. Ridglea’s Luscious Retta.

The years in which different colors within the breed have won high accolades are also interesting to note. It was in the early 1970s that Ch. Silva Lade’s Gentle Ben was the first black Pomeranian to receive a Best in Show award, this at Penobscot Valley Kennel Club, but not until June 1981 was the first blue to be awarded the title of champion. This was Ch. Silva Lade’s The Enforcer, bred, owned and handled by Dianne Johnson of Baltimore. Just four years later, her Ch. Silva Lade’s Almond Joy was the first chocolate and tan to take its championship title. However, the breed had to wait until 1996 for the very first brindle Pomeranian to be awarded the title of champion. This was Ch. Jan Le’s Rumm Tumm Tigger, sired by Ch. Jan Le’s Willie Makit and out of Jan Le’s Quartrcup of Troubl, bred and owned by Judy Mahciz and Jane Lehtinen.

Webbun Fun and Webbun Frolic made their debut at the Crufts Dog Show in 1934 in the Litter Class for Poms. Both were awarded first prizes.

In recent decades, Pomeranians have gained both conformation championship titles as well as top awards at obedience trials. The first to gain dual titles was Ch. Nino of Thelcolynn UD, owned by Mrs. P. E. Lambert of Arlington. The title UD indicates that the dog has qualified at the highest level of obedience, Utility Dog.

In February 1988, a Pomeranian was awarded Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Show in New York City’s Madison Square Garden—another first for another Prince Charming! This was Olga Baker and Skip Piazza’s Ch. Great Elms Prince Charming II ROMX, HOF, sired by Ch. Cedarwood’s Image of Diamond and out of Great Elms Sweet Candy, ROMX. The judge on this great occasion was Michele Billings.

Pomeranians have also displayed their prowess in the field of good citizenship. The first Pom to achieve the Canine Good Citizen award was Margaret McKee’s Ch Idlewyld Lavalier CDX, CGC, HOF, who was also the first dual-titled Pomeranian bred from dual-titled parents. In the agility world, 1995 was the year in which the first Pomeranian won a Novice Agility title, this being Kassel’s Dandelion Down UD, NA (later OA), HOF, ROM. The following year, Ollie Blue Buster CDX, TD, OA, CGC, TT, GC was the clever Pomeranian that was the first to earn three performance titles.

“MAD DOG SCARE”

During a “mad dog scare” in New York, it was officially believed that Pomeranian-type dogs were responsible for the disease. In consequence, any dog vaguely resembling the breed was slaughtered. It is believed that the sharp-pointed muzzle may have been the reason behind this official decision regarding responsibility.

As years have gone by, Pomeranian registrations with the AKC have increased remarkably but, in the last few years, numbers have dropped slightly, though the breed is still in the top 10 or 15 in this country, registering between 25,000 to 30,000 or more!

While it is true that the early Pomeranians imported to the US from England were of the larger variety, today an average weight for a Pomeranian in America ranges between 3 and 8 lb. In the show ring, they tend to be between 4 and 6 lb. Some are even smaller, and are referred to as “Tiny” or “Teacup” size, though most breeders will not purposely breed to achieve such a particularly small specimen of the breed. This is because extreme smallness brings with it severe veterinary problems, added to which the lifespan is usually shorter. Conversely, several poorly bred Pomeranians can far exceed the weight limit set down in the breed standard and can be as much as 10 or even 15 lb.

Surrounded by glory, Eng. Ch. Montacute Little Love, who miraculously became a champion while still a puppy, is shown among the trophies won in 1933.

The famous Eng. Ch. Montacute Little Love, the puppy champion, was bred and shown by Mrs. Holroyd. The dog was a great winner in 1931, 1932 and 1933.