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Unlike some other breeds or breed groups with significant variation in size, coat type, or behavior, the pomeranian is not divided into different types or varieties on the basis of its size or other physical traits. Pomeranians are, more or less, universally known for their small stature, full fluffy coats, and criminally-cute teddy bear faces.
However, if you’re a Pomeranian enthusiast, or if you own one like I do, you might have heard of something called a “throwback pomeranian.”
Throwback pomeranians have a distinctly unique set of characteristics both physically and behaviorally that set them aside from other dogs within the breed.
A Brief Look At Pomeranian’s Ancestors
Our beloved tiny Pomeranians are one of many dog breeds called the “spitz,” that being marked by the characteristics of a double coat, erect pointed ears at the top of the head, and a tail which curls over the back. Other dog breeds belonging to the spitz group alongside the pomeranian are the Keeshond, Husky, Akita, Samoyed, Swedish Vallhund, and many others.
Pomeranians share ancestors with many of these dogs, as the breed itself used to be much larger than they are today. In fact, it was only until the reign of Queen Victoria that pomeranians started being bred to be smaller in size. Before that, they looked similar to many other spitz breeds, and much more like their shared ancestors.
The dogs from which pomeranians descend were medium to large in size, ranging in weight up to 40 lbs. The pomeranian’s ancestors were utilized as sled dogs throughout Iceland as well as hunter and herding dogs throughout the areas close to the north.
In an area of Germany, then-called Pomerania, the pomeranian breed was established looking similar to existing breeds like the Samoyed and Keeshond.
The story goes that these charming pomeranians enthralled Queen Victoria in the latter half of the 18th century, and she was known for keeping a number of them around. At that time, it was a famous trend among the English royals and nobles to keep small dogs in their laps, so the queen started a breeding program to reduce the size of these dogs further, taking them from robust workers to foot-warming lapdogs.
What is a Throwback Pomeranian?
Although there is no such thing as throwback Pomeranian in terms of any kennel club registrations, we common pet parents and sometimes breeders use the term “throwback” Pomeranian to describe pomeranians that are too large to fit into the breed standard. So a throwback Pomeranian can be defined as a purebred Pomeranian that resembles their sled dog ancestors genetically and physically more than today’s standard Pomeranians.”
That means throwback Pomeranians are larger than the Pomeranians we know. As per AKC (American Kennel Club) criteria, a standard purebred Pomeranian should weigh between 3-7 pounds (although very obese Pomeranians can weigh up to 12 pounds while still being the appropriate size genetically).
A complete throwback Pomeranian is a huge Pom, which is at least 14 pounds at a healthy weight. Occasionally, a pomeranian will turn out extra large, reaching up to 30 pounds while still being 100% pomeranian.
Sometimes the behavior is also different from what you might expect from a standard pomeranian. Today’s Pomeranians are developed as calm, and affectionate companion dogs. In contrast, throwback Pomeranians could display some behaviors more akin to their working ancestors, such as a higher prey drive, an affinity for sport or outdoor time, and increased vocalizations.
A “partial throwback” is another anecdotal term for a pomeranian that is not quite as large as a throwback pomeranian, but may be larger than the allowed 7 pounds at a healthy weight by AKC standard. My own pomeranian, Wicca, is 12 pounds, for example, while still being a purebred pomeranian.
Are Throwback Pomeranians Purebred?
Like my pom Wicca, a throwback pomeranian is still 100% pomeranian.
As throwback Pomeranians are not a distinct breed, they are born right alongside other standard Pomeranian puppies and usually from standard pomeranian parents; they are just comparatively larger than their littermates. So they are as purebred as their littermate Pomeranians.
This is different than a “poorly-bred” pomeranian, where breed nonconforming individuals are selectively bred, resulting in puppies that are also breed nonconforming. I have noticed an increase in larger pomeranians in the 8-12 pound range over the last several years as pomeranians have become more popular.
You can read more about why this (and other backyard breeding) is concerning in my article, The Real Dangers of Backyard Breeding.
Larger pomeranians may be becoming more common because larger pomeranians are being bred by backyard breeders, but this is not the same as a throwback or partial pomeranian, which is an outcome of a breed-standard pair.
If you are unsure that you indeed have a pomeranian — for instance, if you got your pom from a rescue without papers — you might wonder if your slightly-too-large pomeranian is even a pomeranian in the first place.
There are several other dog breeds that are what you might call “pomeranian-adjacent,” a set of spitz dogs sharing a similar set of physical and behavioral characteristics. Some of these breeds include the Schipperke, German Spitz, Volpino, and Japanese Spitz.
If you have an unverified pomeranian that you could use some clarity on, I recommend getting a breed and health DNA test from Embark. From your own home you can get a DNA test done to determine that your pomeranian is indeed 100% pomeranian. Embark also carries a purebred dog DNA test which can provide even more insight!
If you have your too-big pomeranian tested and their results come back as 100% or near 100%, you may have a throwback pom on your hands.
Are Throwback Pomeranians Rare ?
The most exciting aspect of throwback Pomeranian is that you can’t produce them at will. The random throwback of genes give birth to a throwback Pomeranian, and it is impossible to predict when they will be born.
Again, this is different than slightly-too-large pomeranians being produced over generations by breeding breed standard nonconforming dogs; throwback pomeranians are specifically larger due to a recessive trait appearing in a breed-standard litter. It is entirely random.
This means that even if you mate a pair of Pomeranian dogs that have produced throwback Pomeranians in the past, there is no surety that throwback Pomeranians will appear again. That makes them a rare type of dog.
If you are looking to get a genuine throwback pomeranian, doing so is unfortunately a matter of luck. Reputable pomeranian breeders will breed for breed standard and/or health (ideally both!). It is just about impossible to find a reputable breeder that would aim to breed for larger than the breed’s standard of 7 pounds.
My pomeranian Wicca was a rescue, so I don’t know much about her parentage. But it’s more than likely she was like a lot of the dogs that end up in rescues and shelters, a product of backyard breeding that also resulted in her being larger than breed standard and having other breed nonconforming traits. I still adore her, but will not pretend that she is a well-bred dog!
Are Throwback Pomeranians Expensive?
Generally speaking, throwback Pomeranians are less expensive than a purebred standard Pomeranian.
Although both are equally cute, fluffy, attractive, and very cute, at about a year old, (after the “uglies” stage) these “throwback pomeranians” just aren’t as cute and fluffy as the show-sized Pomeranians of the same age.
A throwback pomeranian who grows later in their development may cost the same as a standard pomeranian because they are assumed to be the same as their littermates. However, if a pomeranian shows non-standard traits very young, they may actually be sold at a reduced cost due to their “flaws” as per the AKC standard.
How Do I Know If I Have A Throwback Pomeranian?
During the early days of life, it’s a bit difficult to tell whether your dog is a standard Pomeranian or a throwback Pom. Like we already established, it can be difficult to tell the end weight and exact temperament of
However, adult dogs can be identified easily. You might have a throwback champ if your Pom is not obese and still bigger and weighs heavier (at least 14 pounds) than other littermates. An adult throwback Pomeranian generally has a longer snout, ears, legs, and back than the standard toy Poms, and the coat is flatter rather than fluffy.
If your adult pomeranian is 14 pounds or more, and you know their parents are smaller, then you have a throwback pomeranian. If your adult pomeranian is larger, and so were their parents, you may just have a “flawed” pomeranian, like I do.
And if you’re not sure of either, you can test with Embark and maybe get some hints by using their family tree feature to find littermates and other relatives of your dog.
In the end, throwback Pomeranians are not a distinct breed. They can appear randomly among the litter of any Pomeranian parents. They are just a little bigger than their littermates and unable to compete in show, but they are equally wonderful as pets. They just give us a glimpse of what their amazing ancestors looked like.