How long do teacup Pomeranians live?

The Teacup Pomeranian is the choice of Royals and as a special little dog demands care and attention.

The average Teacup Pomeranian life span is between 12 and 16 years. The more you take care of your cute little canine friend, the more the Teacup Pomeranian life expectancy is going to increase.

A Teacup Pomeranian is a cute little dog. It has a double coat that is fluffy and soft to touch. Pomeranians become excellent human friends as they are fond of living in a family. That is why parents of this cute dog often enquire how long does a Teacup Pomeranian live?

Well, now you have the answer. In fact, there are other interesting facts about Teacup Pomeranian lifespan that this article is going to cover. So, stay tuned and read the complete article to know everything about the Teacup Pomeranian lifespan.

History of Teacup Pomeranian

The Pomeranian is known by many names. Some of which are Zwergspitz, Dwarf Spitz, Loulou, and the most common Pom which is actually a much-loved nickname. Teacup Pomeranians are the smallest member of the Spitz family. Its closest relatives are Samoyed, Alaskan Malamute,and Norwegian Elkhound.

Teacup Pomeranian dogs derive their name from the province of Pomerania that is located in Germany. Being native to Pomerania, they are known as Pomeranian and the unofficial term teacup refers to their small size.

Pomeranians are characteristically known for their wedge-shaped head, prick ears, almond-shaped dark eyes, and thick furry double coats. Early Pomeranians used to weigh as much as 30 pounds. These were the Pomeranians that were bred in the northern regions of Germany.

Pomeranians had the privilege to enjoy the limelight. They were the favorite pets of the famous theologian Martin Luther, artist Michelangelo, physicist Issac Newton and Princess Sophie Charlotte who became the Queen consort of King George III.

But the prestige and love that Queen Victoria bestowed upon this cute little dog is unmatched and uncanny. The Queen bred Poms during her lifetime. It was Queen Victoria’s love that the dog soon became famous among the British nobility.

It was in the early 1900s that the breed standard for Teacup Pomeranian was stabilized. The breeders reduced the weight and a wider range of colors was made available during this period.

Pomeranians reached the United States in 1888 when it was recognized as a breed by the American Kennel Club (AKC).

Teacup Pomeranian Life Span Facts

How long do Teacup Pomeranians live? It is a question that is repeatedly asked by the lovers of Teacup Poms. There is no simple answer to this question but according to the American Kennel Club (AKC), the Teacup Pomeranian life span is between 12 and 16 years.

Teacup Pomeranian life expectancy depends on many factors. A Teacup Pomeranian who is lovingly raised by a human family since birth has a greater chance of living a longer life. A Teacup Pomeranian, who is well taken care of, lives a complete and healthy life.

Taking appropriate care of your dog does wonders in terms of the longevity of its life. If all the requirements of the Teacup Pomeranian are adequately met then it would stay healthy at all the stages of his life. Staying healthy increases thedog's life expectancy. 

Hence, the Teacup Pomeranian life span is dependent on the quality of its life. A cared-for dog lives longer than the one who spends its life in a shelter home. If you want to increase the life expectancy of a Teacup Pomeranian,take good care of your dog.

Teacup Pomeranian Health

If you want your little Pom to live a long life,focus on health. This little dog is vulnerable to some of the dog diseases.

You can ensure that your cute little canine friend should not get infected or get ill by making a comprehensive health plan. This plan should include regular visits to the vet. Get your dog a thorough checkup. If there is any problem, arrange for the proper medical care.

In this way, you can increase the Teacup Pomeranian's life span. However, there are some diseases which you need to be aware of. Following diseases are likely to cause trouble to your Teacup Pomeranian.

●      Allergies

Allergies cause much trouble to dogs. Teacup Poms are vulnerable to a variety of allergies. They are prone to food allergies that corrupt their stomach to contact allergies that cause irritation to their skin.

Dog allergies may range in intensity from mild to really severe. Mostly, if a dog catches an allergy, the symptoms are visible instantly. However, in some cases, the symptoms might take time.

Do take a note if your Pom dog is licking his feet excessively or scratching his face. Swelling, itching, and redness of the skin, redness of the eyes and the membrane of the nose, coughing, shortness of breath, and face, neck, or skin rash are the common symptoms of an allergy.

●      Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a disease that is fortunately not very common in Teacup Poms. Epilepsy is a chronic condition that leads to repeated seizures. Commonly, the seizures are known as fits or funny turns. It is really tragic to witness a dog in an epilepsy fit.

A seizure occurs because of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. It causes short-term behavior changes in the dog's mood. Epilepsy seizures lead to loss of voluntary control coupled with jerks, seizures, and shaking of the body, and abnormal movements.

Consult a doctor if your dog shows any signs of such a disease.

●      Eye Problems

The eyes of Teacup Poms can get infected with a number of eye infections. The first symptom that develops in these dogs is watery discharge from the eyes. Either a watery discharge or mucus buildup can be observed at the first stage.

Most of the time, it is because of the entry of a foreign particle into the eye. However, it is advised that consult your vet at this early stage and get to the root cause of the infection.

Conjunctivitis, corneal ulcer, and epiphora are the three most common dog eye infections that should be treated with care as they can lead to partial or total blindness.

●      Hip Dysplasia

A disease that is very rare in Teacup Pomeranians is hip dysplasia. This hip bone disease can occasionally occur in Teacup Pom dogs. A lot of factors may be responsible for this disease in a dog.

The single most leading cause for hip dysplasia in Teacup Pomeranian is genetics. It is hereditary and is genetically transferred from one generation to the next. Improper nutrition, lack of exercise, and weak bones lead to severe symptoms.

In genetically disabled Teacup Poms, it is seen that they are able to live normal lives. It is because these are small dogs and unlike large dogs, they put a little weight on the hip bones.

●      Legg-Perthes Disease

Another disease is Legg-Perthes disease that concerns the hip joint. In this disease, the femur bone is affected. The blood supply gets disrupted to the head of the femur bone. As a result, the joint that connects the femur to the pelvis starts to disintegrate.

Legg-Perthes is a painful joint condition. In critical cases, the hip joint may crumble and finally collapse. Unfortunately, this disease is quite common in small dogs. That is why Teacup Pomeranians are affected by this disease in a large number.

The treatment of this disease involves removing the hip joint in an operation. If the treatment is successful, the outlook of the dog gets better. Dogs with this disease shouldn’t be bred because there are chances that this disease might be genetically transferred to the offspring.

●      Patellar Luxation

The patella is kneecap and luxation means dislocation. Hence, patellar luxation is the dislocation of the kneecap in dogs. This disease is very painful. With every movement of the knee, there goes a wave of pain throughout the leg.

The Teacup Pomeranian is quite unfortunate, as many have a genetic predisposition to developing this disease. It is because the point at which the kneecap is attached to the bone is weak and can be easily dislocated.

The results lead to the crippling of the dog. However, as Teacup Pomeranians are small they can lead normal lives with this disease.

●      Collapsed Trachea

This is a condition in which the trachea or windpipe collapses. The trachea is a cartilaginous c-shaped ring tube that gets air in and out of the lungs. The natural consequence of tracheal collapse is that the supply of oxygen to the lungs is blocked.

Severe breathing problems start after the tracheal collapse. A harsh dry cough is common in dogs that face this issue. The warning signs of tracheal collapse are difficulty in breathing, excessive dry coughing, vomiting, and gagging, wheezing, and cyanotic episodes.

Teacup Pomeranians are prone to developing this disease. The most common cause of developing this disease is a genetic transfer from one generation to the next.

●      Dental Problems

Teacup Pomeranians can develop several dental problems. One of them is bad breath. Although having a bad breath is not itself detrimental, it does point to the poor dental hygiene of your dog. Poor dental hygiene is related to many problems.

With poor dental hygiene, plaque can grow on the teeth. Bacteria and food debris corrupt the enamel and decay the teeth over time. It leads to pain and discomfort in the dogs.

Early teeth loss is another severe disease associated with Teacup Pom dogs. All the teeth problems can be avoided by taking your dog to a dog dentist or vet and taking care of the dental hygiene of your dog.

Teacup Pomeranian is active, agile, and compact. It goes well for people who live in an apartment. Luckily, Teacup Pomeranians have a moderate activity requirement and can live well in small homes.

However, they do need moderate exercise on a daily basis. A very short neighborhood walk is sufficient for the Teacup Pomeranian. Some Teacup Poms can be strong and they can enjoy long walks.

However, you need to take extra care of your Pom as it is a small dog. Protect it from cars, traffic, and other things. Also, the Teacup Pomeranian is a tiny dog and they get heated up even after a short walk. Hence, you need to take care of their hydration.

Although Poms are tiny, they need to be fed at the usual timings. Their nutrition requirements must be taken proper care of. Being small, the portion size for Teacup Pomeranian must be kept small.

Recommended daily food and nutrition requirements for a Teacup Pomeranian can vary from a quarter cup to half a cup. Serve them a meal that is rich in proteins. Fish, chicken, turkey, beef, or pork can be served along with fresh vegetables.

Grooming Requirements of a Teacup Pomeranian

A Teacup Pomeranian is one of those dogs that require regular grooming. If you want to improve the life expectancy of the Teacup Pomeranian, then the grooming requirements of this dog must be adhered to.

Teacup Pomeranians have a long, full double coat. The coat is furry, fluffy, and soft to touch. The shedding level of this dog is minimum. However, Teacup Pomeranians do shed.

Brushing the coat is a weekly if not daily requirement. Brushing has many advantages.

First of all, brushing removes all the dust, dirt, and mud that may be there in the coat. It also removes any fleas, ticks or burrs that may be hidden under the coat.

Secondly, brushing distributes natural oils in the coat. Brushing can be done with a slicker brush. The frequency of brushing should at least be two to three times within a week.

Brushing also has the advantage in that it removes the loose hair from the coat. While brushing, you can easily collect the shedding of the coat and can protect your clothes, rugs, and furniture for the shedded coat.

Start the brushing from the head of your Pom and move slowly towards the shoulders and the body. Make your dog comfortable for brushing and make brushing a pleasant experience for your dog.

The other grooming requirements include giving a bath to your dog. Once a week, give a thorough bath and try to pick all the dirt from the coat. You also need to trim the nails of your puppy.

Conclusion

Take very good care of your Pomeranian in order to increase the Teacup Pomeranian life span. There are a number of diseases that your tiny dog is vulnerable to. These include allergies, epilepsy, eye problems, hip dysplasia, Legg-Perthes disease, patellar luxation, collapsed trachea, and dental problems.

If you want to ensure your Poms lives a long life, make regular appointments with your dog’s vet for proper and thorough checkups. Take care of your dog’s grooming requirements. Feed your Teacup Pomeranian well and make sure it is getting all the required nutrition.

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References and Further Reading:
[1] Official Standard of the Pomeranian (AKC). American Kennel Club, 2011.
[2] English Kennel Club Pomeranian Breed Standard, 2017.
[3] Denise Leo, The Pomeranian Handbook.
[4] Milo G. Denlinger "The Complete Pomeranian".
[5] Kimbering Pomeranians "1891-1991".
[6] William Taplin "The Sportsman’s Cabinet".
[7]  E. Parker "The Popular Pomeranian".
[8] Lilla Ives "Show Pomeranians".

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