An intelligent, courageous, and loyal companion, beneath the Pomeranian's fur is a small but muscular dog, similar to a Chihuahua.

Part of the spitz family, the breed is named for the Pomerania region of Historical Eastern Germany where it originated from the sled dogs of Iceland and Lapland. The Pom's fur is its most distinctive feature, having two coats, an undercoat and a top coat. The first is soft, thick, and fluffy and the latter is long, straight and coarse. Poms have an alert character which makes it a superb watchdog and great companion. However they can be very fiesty and stubborn at times and require a lot of attention.

Poms are generally a healthy, hardy, and long-lived breed often living 12-16 years with very healthy Poms having been known to live 18-20 years.

Source : www.dogcentral.msn.com .