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Coat Care: How to Keep a Pomeranian’s Coat
Healthy and Beautiful

Wolfie (a wolf sable, at 4 yrs old) and Luna (his cream 3 yr old daughter),

photo courtesy of Cristina Johnston.

You can find these two sweethearts on Instagram:@wolfie_and_luna

Overview

Out of the hundreds of different dog breeds in the world, the Pomeranian is definitely one that is known for their exceptionally beautiful coat. It’s double layered with a dense undercoat and a long outer coat of guard hairs and color and marking possibilities that are just about endless.

When a Pom’s coat is healthy and well taken care of, it’ll be profuse, luxurious to the touch, and shiny. But for a Pomeranian’s coat to look absolutely gorgeous, it must be taken care of. Over time, fur can start to look dull, become dry, and look unkempt.

To ensure your little guy or gal’s coat looks amazing, let’s dive into the top 8 things you can do to keep a Pomeranian’s coat healthy and looking beautiful.

Coat Tip #1: Take care when drying your Pom’s coat.

How you dry your Pom after a bath (or being in the rain, etc.), will affect the coat.

• The type of towel matters. Cotton blend and terry cloth are made with large loops that are abrasive to hair cuticles (the other layer that protects each hair shaft) which can, over time, lead to frizz, split ends, and dullness. Microfiber salon towels on the other hand, have tiny open fibers (not loops) which is ideal for drying fur without accumulative damage.

• Drying action with the towel. Very vigorous rubbing of a towel against a Pom’s wet fur can twist hairs, causing immediate and severe matting. A blot and squeeze method should be used. Gather small sections of fur and press on both sides with the micro-fiber towel, using light pressure.

• Air-drying vs blow-drying. After that initial towel drying, mist the coat starting about 1 inch from the roots with your chosen leave-in conditioner (more ahead), comb the coat with a wide-tooth steel comb to distribute the product and separate the hairs, and either allow your Pomeranian to air-dry or blow-dry the coat on a low setting (using the comb to lift sections of fur as you go).

This is sweetie-pie is Dollie, photo courtesy of Greta Peirce

Coat Tip #2: Apply a leave-in conditioner.

Leaving fur bare and vulnerable with zero protection can be damaging since there are lots of things that can diminish its natural beauty. Instead, using a good leave-in product (it’s sprayed on and not washed out) can benefit a coat in many ways:

Protects the coat from contact friction which can lead to dullness, drying, frizz, and split ends.
Protects the coat from the UV rays of the sun which can have a drying effect and over time can discolor fur (especially medium to dark colors).
Helps to repel outdoor allergens, tiny dirt and debris, and urine splashes.
Improves texture, making the coat soft and shiny.
Strengthens hairs, making the coat less prone to split ends.
Prevents tangles.
Some have the added bonus a pleasant fragrance which is always a plus.

If you don’t yet have a favorite leave-in product to beautify and protect your Pomeranian’s coat, these are 3 that we love:

1. The Stuff Leave-in Conditioner. If your main goals are to prevent tangles, add shine and softness, and keep the coat clean in between baths, you’ll love this. It has a very light fragrance (smells a bit like apple) and is hypoallergenic, non-toxic, and made in the USA.

2. John Paul Oatmeal Conditioning Spray. If your main goals are to keep skin and coat properly moisturized and improve texture and shine along with a noticeably nice scent, this is wonderful. It’s ideal for Poms with sensitive skin, uses all-natural botanical extracts (note that panthenol, AKA plant-based provitamin B5, should not be confused with parabens), and is made in the USA.

3. Earthbath Vanilla Almond Deodorizing Spritz. If your main goal is to keep your Pom smelling awesome, along with fortifying fur strength and boosting skin health, you can’t go wrong with this. Though there are other formulas, but this one in particular has oatmeal, aloe, and vitamin E. Earthbath is a company that’s dedicated to the well-being of pets, so as expected, it’s all-natural and made in the USA.

The leave-in should be used each time you brush your Pom. And with most formulas, a very light spritz is all that’s needed; don’t get carried away, a heavy application can cause fur to look weighed down.

Coat Tip #3: Brush often and with the right tools.

Combing and then brushing the coat plays a big role in how beautiful it’ll look. Here’s what it can accomplish:

Combing allows you to check for small mats and work them out or remove them before they become so large that snipped-out knots are noticeable.
The coat can look fuller once dead fur is removed since it can weigh it down.
Brushing stimulates hair follicles.
Brushing helps clean the coat by removing fine dirt and debris particles.
Brushing allows natural oils at the roots to be distributed down towards the tips which adds shine.
Brushing separates individual hairs for a better aesthetics.

Aim to brush your Pomeranian every 2 to 3 days. When this is done infrequently, it makes brushing much more difficult.

And to keep the coat looking wonderful, you’ll need certain tools. A two-level steel comb to separate hairs and check for mats, a mat remover tool (if you do find a knot), a slicker brush, a pin brush, and a non-rotating rake tool should all be part of the grooming tools for your Pomeranian.

Mya, at 2 years old, photo courtesy of Priscilla Bilbrey

Coat Tip #4: Use quality bathing products.

The type of shampoo and wash-out conditioner you use on your Pomeranian can make a huge difference in how beautiful and healthy the coat looks. Using those with synthetic fragrances, sulfates (harsh detergents), parabens (chemical preservatives), and/or a pH lower or higher than 6.5 to 7.5 can cause skin irritation, rashes, itchiness, dryness, and/or a dulled and dry coat and many of these additives are linked to asthma, allergic reactions, and even cancers.

Opt for an additive-free, all-natural shampoo that uses plant-based cleansers (like coconut) and natural fragrances (like rosemary, almond, vanilla, etc.) with a pH that’s correct for canines (6.5 to 7.5). One of our favorites is Earthbath All Natural Shampoo.

The Coat Brightening Lavender formula is awesome for light coats (whites, creams, oranges, tans) to help remove stains and bring out color intensity in a natural way. The Oatmeal and Almond formula is ideal for all Poms and is also excellent for those with sensitive skin. And the Mediterranean Magic formula is perfect for Poms that tend to get a bit smelly soon after baths.

Never skip using a wash-out conditioner; it’s vital for good coat health and soft beautiful fur. Hair cuticles open when shampooed and a conditioner helps smooth them back down. Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Conditioner works well in conjunction with any of their shampoos. Massage this in well, allow it to soak into the coat for at least 5 minutes, and then rinse it out with lukewarm water.

Coat Tip #5: Wipe and spot clean the coat.

When grasses, dirt, pollens, and urine splashes come into contact with the coat, and are not cleaned off, this can cause accumulated discoloration, especially to light-colored coats. And since baths should be given only every 3 weeks or so, you can help keep the coat looking clean and pretty by wiping it down and spot cleaning as necessary. This can also help keep your Pom smelling nice. And a bonus is that you will also be removing possible allergens or irritants.

The easiest way to accomplish this is to use a canine grooming wipe like Earthbath All Natural Grooming Wipes. The entire coat should be wiped down 1 to 2 times per week and spot-cleaned as needed.

Rocky, at 10 years old, photo courtesy of Allen L.

Coat Tip #6: Don’t ignore face stains and tear stains.

Though this is related just to the face, we’re including this since an unkempt face can affect a Pomeranian’s overall appearance.

Red or brownish stains under or around the eyes and sometimes running down the cheeks are due to a different reason than the previous staining. This is almost always caused by porphyrins which is a compound found in basal tears (hence the name), and often occurs when a dog has excessive tearing (due to allergies or another cause). The longer this is ignored, the darker and more noticeable staining will be.

It’s important to both remove the stains themselves and resolve the underlying cause, or they will simply return. For this reason, our tips for permanently removing tear stains from Pomeranians addresses a two-tier approach with a guideline to eliminate the possible causes and using a topical product to fade the stains.

Coat Tip #7: Omega fatty acids.

If a Pomeranian has poor coat quality, an increase in dietary omega fatty acid can be quite helpful. It boosts both skin and coat health, helps fur grow thicker and longer, makes fur stronger, can add shine, and can improve its texture.

Omega comes mainly from seafood (most notably, fish) and certain plants, nuts, and seeds (flaxseeds, soybeans, canola oil). The most effective type for coat health is long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA which is derived from fish. And wild fish is a much better source than farmed fish.

You can add more fish to your Pomeranian’s diet (certain cold-water fish like mackerel, pollock, and salmon is best) by home cooking or mixing fresh fish into their kibble or you can add a dash of fish oil to your Pom’s meals (most dogs really love the smell and taste).

For fish oil, we love Zesty Paws Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil which has zero additives and comes in a handy pump to make it easy to add to meals (most Poms need just a 1/2 pump per day, so a bottle lasts a long time).

Bliss Stars James Bond (Bentley), with a neat and tidy trim that shows off

his beautiful coat. Photo courtesy of Stefano Confalone

Coat Tip #8: With caution and completely optional, trims.

This last tip to help a Pomeranian have a beautiful, healthy, thick, and fluffy coat comes with a few words of caution.

First, trims are not a requirement at all. Poms are absolutely beautiful with their natural coats. Most Poms with trimmed coats are those that compete in conformation show rings (there, it’s a ‘must’). But, if you want your Pomeranian to look more like those you see in those competitions, keep reading.

Just like with human hairstyles, a Pom’s natural coat rarely grows perfectly even all by itself. A bit of asymmetry is completely normal and expected. And, when guard hairs become very long, instead of standing out from the body (looking full and thick) the hairs can weigh the coat down, making it look flat.

So, when done properly, a trim can tidy things up. Fur will be scissored and layered to create a rounded appearance with more symmetrical ends.

The problem is that there are far too many ‘grooming gone bad’ incidences in which a Pom is dropped off at a groomer’s for a quick trim and then is a severely shaved-down dog when picked back up. And it’s not just a temporary aesthetic issue. Closely shaved coats may never grow back the way they once were. Fur can struggle to grow and when it finally comes in, it can be very patchy. It takes a lot of work to help restore a shaved coat.

So, if you have a groomer you completely trust, a ‘tidy trim’ is a good way to have the coat looking nice. But, even so, proceed very carefully with explicit instructions and photo examples.

Summary

Here’s a quick summary of what you can do to have your Pomeranian’s fur looking super thick, healthy, and beautiful:

Take care when drying your Pom’s coat.
Apply a leave-in conditioner.
Brush often and with the right tools.
Use quality bathing products.
Wipe and spot clean the coat.
Don’t ignore face stains and tear stains.
Omega fatty acids.
With caution and completely optional, trims.

A Final Word

One of the wonderful things about Poms is that each is so unique! With varying sizes, coat colors, nose colors, and personalities ranging from shy to outgoing, every Pomeranian is beautiful in their own way. As long as you feel confident that you are taking awesome care of your Pom and doing all you can to keep them healthy and safe, please don't compare your Pom's coat or other physical aspects to other Poms and especially not to champions in the show ring.

Do you have your book?

If you have a Pom, you'll want to check out our book: PetPom's GIANT Book of Pomeranian Care. It's the most comprehensive book of its kind and will be your guideline for your Pom's entire life.

Coat Care: How to Keep a Pomeranian’s CoatHealthy and Beautiful