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Puppy Uglies

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Pomeranian Puppy Uglies

Pomeranian puppy uglies
The puppy uglies stage with Pomeranians can vary 
from mild to severe (as this photo shows)

Overview

Many, but not all, Pomeranians go through a stage during puppyhood known as the 'puppy uglies' at which time their coat of fur looks very odd and scraggly. 

This phase can be very confusing for owners who are not prepared for just how shocking this can be and symptoms can sometimes be mistaken for serious coat issues. And, even for those that expect the puppy uglies to happen, it can still be difficult to believe it's normal or worry may set in that a Pomeranian puppy is perhaps an exception and something worse is to blame. 

Here will will discuss what the puppy uglies are, the age that it happens, how to help your Pom get through this stage, and have a look at some helpful before and after photos. 

What the Puppy Uglies Are

The puppy uglies refers to the transition that Pomeranian puppies go through when the puppy coat falls out to make way for the adult coat. A Pom's fur will changeover from a one-layer coat of short soft hairs to a two-layer double coat with a short dense undercoat and a top coat of longer guard hairs.  

One of the reasons that the puppy uglies is so shocking, and the reason behind the terminology, is that the wonderful and beautiful coat of fur on a Pomeranian puppy falls out. It can be sad to watch it go. 

The puppy coat is a one-layer coat of very soft fine hairs. It is comprised of super-supple short hairs that feel like feathers. If you run your hand over the pup's coat, it will feel like silk. Due to this type of puppy fur, and the overall plump shape of young puppies, Poms with their puppy coats will look soft and round. They are just scrumptious. 

The adult coat is very different yet is strikingly beautiful in its own way. Adult Pomeranians have a double coat of fur; there is a dense, tightly-packed inner layer (undercoat) and a outer layer of guard hairs that stand out. 

During the phase of transition from that puppy coat to the adult coat, there is often a heavy and sometimes drastic shed. All of the soft puppy hair will fall out. All of the adult hairs will grow in. It's a matter of how slow or fast this happens. When the puppy coat falls out quickly, before the adult hairs grow in, it can leave a Pomeranian looking quite odd, hence the term 'puppy uglies' (please note that we did not invent that phrase, it has been around for many decades). 
Pomeranian with minor case of puppy uglies
minor case of puppy uglies, Pomeranian
Romeo, seen here at 4 months old, has just a minor case of the puppy uglies,
photo courtesy of Kate Lépine
The coat can look very patchy and uneven with short hairs in some places and long hairs in others. It may look sparse to the point that you can see skin. The thinning fur may appear worse on just some areas of the body, like the legs or the flanks; fur may fall out drastically on the chest one month and along the back the next. Some puppies lose fur severely just around the eyes, causing the dog to look like it got a bit too close to a flame that sizzled off the eyebrows. 

Fur may be falling out so fast that you literally get clumps in your hands when you pet or brush your Pomeranian or when drying them after a bath. No matter how it manifests, it can leave a Pomeranian with much less fur than they previously had and sometimes in a very strange pattern. 

A Pomeranian may also appear to be much thinner during the puppy uglies because so much of the fluffy fur that helped a puppy look rounded is gone and because over the course of months that the changeover is occurring, a Pom will be growing and maturing; puppy fat and a rotund appearance makes way for a longer, sleeker body shape. 

Seeing such sparse hair, or even balding areas that show skin, can be distressing and it's common for owners to worry that in addition to their pup losing so much fur, they also have an eating disorder that's causing them to be skinny and not gain weight as expected.  

Rate of Occurrence 

The puppy uglies happens to many, but not all, Pomeranian puppies. 

Every single Pomeranian puppy loses their puppy coat and grows in a new adult coat. However, in regard to this happening in such as way that there is a drastic shed causing the coat to look odd enough that the phrase 'puppy uglies' would be used is approximately 80% of the time (8 out of 10) and the level of this will range from mild to severe.  

For the remaining 20% of Pomeranian puppies, the transition will still happen but at a more even progression. New adult fur will grow in essentially at the same rate as the puppy fur is falling out. So, there will be shedding but the shocking 'puppy uglies' will be avoided.

The Age that the Puppy Uglies Happens to Pomeranians and How Long it Lasts

It happens during the puppy stage, hence the name. It will begin some time around 4 to 6 months. You will notice your Pom coming out of this around the 10 month mark. After that, the coat will continue to fill in up until 12 to 15 months old.

In general, by the time you notice that your Pomeranian puppy has lost a huge amount of fur or that the coat is severely thinning and they look very odd, it will only be 4 to 5 months before enough adult fur has filled in that they start to look normal again. In fact, after the double-coat is established, your Pom will look astonishingly beautiful and you'll realize that it was worth going through the puppy uglies. 

Is there a Way to Avoid the Puppy Uglies?

There is nothing you can do to make the puppy uglies stop and you would not want to since it is the necessary transition that must occur for the puppy fur to make way for the adult coat. However, there are ways that you can speed this up and help ensure that the new coat is as healthy as possible. Tips are ahead. 

Color Changes to Expect During the Puppy Uglies

More often than not, this transitional coat change will also bring about color changes. Some owners are disappointed to hear this if they are in love with the color of their Pom's coat. However, a lot of things can happen: 
  • Colors can darken - Tans may turn brown, oranges may deepen to red, etc.
  • Colors can lighten - This happens more often than darkening. The coat may fade a bit. Brown may lighten to tan, red may fade to orange, orange may fade to cream, etc.
  • Markings and patterns can increase or decrease - This is extremely common during the puppy uglies. Expect at least some level of change. In most cases, marking will decrease. Brindle (stripes over a base color) and sable (dark-tipped hairs) usually fade or decrease to some degree. That said, it can come in heavier with some Poms. And small patches of color (like a small white marking on the chest) can diminish or grow. 
This said, there cannot be a change such as white turning to orange or black changing over to cream. 

At the end of the puppy uglies, your Pomeranian will be the color that they genetically predetermined to be. So, do note that your Pomeranian's final adult color may be different than the color that is on the registration and/or the color that the breeder told you that the pup would be. 

Pomeranian Puppy Uglies Before and After Pics

No matter how much an owner reads about this phase or thinks that they are prepared for it, it is extremely common for panic to set in once the pup's fur starts to fall out. So, let's look at a couple of examples of Pomeranian puppies before, during, and after the puppy uglies. 

As you'll see, despite how shockingly they may look, with proper care (more ahead), the coat looks amazing once the transition is complete. 
During
Pomeranian puppy uglies before pic
A 6 month old Pom with a minor case of the puppy uglies. Take note of this pup's coloring. He is black with a small hint of chocolate (seen on upper front leg). 
After
Pomeranian after puppy uglies
The same Pom at 11 months old. The most drastic part of the puppy uglies is complete and the coat is growing back in nicely. It still has several months to finish filling in. Notice the color change; as with many Pomeranians, the coat color changed when the adult fur grew in. The chocolate brown that was barely noticeable on the puppy's leg is now his main coat color. 
Darla - During Pic: 
Puppy uglies, example 1a- Darla
This little darling is Darla, going through a rather noticeable case of the puppy uglies. The coat is very sparse and there are stray guard hairs sticking out. Not to worry, this will all change very soon!...
Darla - After pic:
Puppy uglies, example 2a, Darla
This is Darla once the puppy uglies finished up. She seems proud of her new, thick adult coat, as she should be! Notice the sabling (darker hairs) on her back seem to have grow in (sometimes they fade). 
Photos of Darla courtesy of Lyssa
Bailee - Before Pic:
Pomeranian puppy uglies before photo
This is Bailee as a young Pom puppy with her puppy coat. She looks super rounded and her fur is very soft. Notice that her coat appear to be cream sable (cream base with dark tipped hairs).
Bailee - During Pic:
Pomeranian puppy uglies during photo
This is the same Pom, but at 5 months old and deep into a very severe case of the puppy uglies. As you can see, the coat is exceedingly sparse. Her fur would fall out in clumps and her coat had thinned down so much that skin was showing. 
Bailee - After pic:
Pomeranian puppy uglies - after photo
It may be hard to believe this is the same Pomeranian. The puppies uglies stage is complete and look how gorgeous this Pom looks now. All of the odd thinned-out areas are gone and her adult coat filled in very nicely. Notice that her once cream base coat now appears orange. And, interestingly, though sable often fades, this Pom retained much of her sabling (dark hairs seen on her outer layer) and this makes for a very beautiful coat. Photos of Bailee, courtesy of Britanee Gugel. 

Care Tips During the Puppy Ugly Stage

The best ways to care for a Pomeranian during the puppy uglies is to:
  1. Bathe your Pom every 3 weeks
  2. Use a soothing and nourishing shampoo and conditioner 
  3. Brush often with the right type of brushes
  4. Use a leave-in spray
  5. Have your Pom rest and sleep on a padded surface
  6. Treat any skin irritations with a restorative cream 
  7. Help keep your Pom warm
Let's dive into the details: 
1) Bathe your Pom every 3 weeks. Even if your puppy seems clean and there doesn't appear to be too much fur to wash due to the puppy uglies, regular baths are important. You will be washing off accumulated body oils which can otherwise clog skin pores and hair follicles. In addition, you'll want your puppy to become accustomed to being bathed, so these sessions will set the foundation for countless bathes in the future. 

Note that 3 weeks is the customary time frame since baths given too often can strip off body oils too frequently and baths given too infrequently usually leads to smells and odors and can even lead to skin yeast infections. 
2) Use superior bathing products. Since the coat will thinning and skin will be much more vulnerable, it is more important now than ever to use a top-quality shampoo and conditioner to keep both skin and fur moisturized and healthy.
For the shampoo, steer clear of cheap formulas that base their ingredients off of human shampoo; it'll have the wrong pH and will contain soap agents that will be very irritating to the skin. We recommend Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Shampoo which has a correct pH of 7, plant-based cleansers, and nourishing ingredients for both skin and fur. 
Always follow that with a wash-out conditioner. When a dog is bathed, the hair follicles open and you need a conditioner to smooth them back down. If not, what little fur remains during the puppy uglies can become very dry which will make a Pom even more uncomfortable. We recommend the Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Conditioner which complements their shampoo. Gently massage this in and let it soak in for at least 5 minutes. 

Note that when you dry your Pom, you should never rub the coat; instead, gently dab and pat.  
3) Brush your Pom often. Some owners hesitate to brush the coat for fear of making even more fur fall out, but those puppy hairs must shed off regardless. So, one way to help speed up the process is to brush a Pom often to remove loose hairs. 

In addition, and importantly, when you brush your Pom, this will increase blood flow to the hair follicles which is a fantastic method to help fur grow back in and speed up the puppy uglies. 

The type of brush you should use on a Pomeranian with the puppy uglies depends on how much fur remains on the body. And please note these will be different from the types of brushes and grooming tools that are used on adult Poms that have thick double-coats, increased risk of mats, and heavy seasonal sheds. 
For areas with very little fur (where you will basically be 'brushing' on skin or very thinned fur), you will want to use a soft bristle brush like the Bamboo Groom Palm-Held Boar Bristle Brush. Note that you should avoid hard, coarse, and plastic bristles. Brush this over the body, in the direction of fur growth. 
For areas with longer or denser fur that have not yet succumbed to the puppy uglies or where some longer adult hairs have already grown in, you will want to use a bubble-tipped pin brush.
One like the ConairPRO Small Pin Brush for Dogs will separate hairs and the tips will stimulate hair follicles. Work in sections and always brush in the direction of fur growth. 
4) Use a leave-in conditioner spray. You may wonder why it's recommended to use a leave-in product if there is very little fur remaining during the puppy uglies, but there are indeed many benefits. First and foremost, whatever is used on the coat directly affects the skin. And during this changeover in fur, it's vital to keep the skin in good shape. 

A good spray will help moisturize the skin, keep fur soft, repel irritants (pollen, dirt, small urine splashes, etc.), and help prevent static issues often seen when brushing. So, anytime you brush, use a spray. You can lightly mist the coat as you go along, mist the brush as you go, or (best for short or very thinned fur) spray some into your hands and massage it into your Pom. 
The needs of a Pomeranian going through the puppy uglies is different than an adult with a double-coat, so during this time we recommend using BioSilk Therapy Spray
5) Make sure your Pom has padding underneath them. This is advice for Pomeranians at all ages but plays an especially important role at this time during which fur is thinned. Pressure points (like the elbows) can become sore and raw when lying down on hard surfaces.
It's best to encourage a Pom to rest on their supportive doggie bed, but at the very least slip a towel or baby blanket underneath them. 
6) Treat any irritated skin issues, as needed. If fur loss during the puppy uglies stage has caused skin to be exposed, it's not uncommon for that to lead to dry skin, sore spots, hot spots, or otherwise irritated areas. These sorts of issues should be addressed as soon as they are noticed since they can worse rather quickly. 

It can help to massage in a restorative or healing cream at least once a day. Ingredients to look for include shea butter and aloe. For this, we really like ResQ Organics Pet Skin Treatment which has an awesome combination of aloe vera, Manuka honey, coconut oil, olive oil, hemp seed oil, shea butter, blue/green algae minerals, and a mix of vitamins. 
7. Help keep your Pom warm. Pomeranians are one of several Spitz breeds that descended from Arctic sled dogs. And one feature that they've retained throughout all of these years is their adult super-thick double-coats meant to keep them warm. However, young pups, and especially those going through the puppy uglies that do not yet have that sort of fur, can easily get chilled. 

You can help your Pom stay warm by keeping their indoor playpen or other designated area distanced away from entrance doors, windows, or areas with drafts, try to maintain an indoor temperature no lower than 70 F (21 C), and slipping a warm shirt or sweater on them, as needed. 
A soft and warm shirt can also help a puppy that's lost a lot of fur feel more secure. A top like the Zack & Zoey Cotton Polo Shirt for Dogs is good for indoor wear during most seasons; note that the size extra-small is usually ideal for most 3 to 4 lb. puppies. 

Other Issues That Can Mimic the Puppy Uglies

Though not overly common, there are other conditions that can be mistaken for the puppy uglies. So, if your Pomeranian is not between the ages that the puppy uglies occurs (4 to 10 months old), has symptoms that more closely resemble other coat or skin disorders such as very itchy skin or discolored skin, or fur is not growing back in as expected (usually by the 10 month mark), it will be time for a vet visit. 

One issue to use out is Black Skin Disease (BSD). The early signs include fur that has a wooly texture, huge clumps falling out, and discolored, darkened skin. Later signs include balding areas (sometimes the entire body) but generally not including the head. 
Other reasons for problems with fur growth include severe allergies, thyroid issues, mange, and alopecia.
Do you have your book? 
If you have a Pom, you'll want PetPom's GIANT Book of Pomeranian Care. It's the most comprehensive book of its kind. 
You may also be interested in:
Why Pomeranians look so different - All of the elements that can cause Poms to look very different from each other.
Throwback Pomeranians - The reason why some Poms can be much larger than the standard, reaching upward of almost 20 lbs.
Best Car Seats for Poms - If you'd buckle up a child, do the same for your Pom. Never take a chance when you have your puppy or dog in the car with you. 
Supplies to Have for a Pomeranian - Everything you should have to provide optimal care. 
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