The Pomeranian New Year's 

Resolution Challenge

What sort of resolution can you pick for your Pomeranian? We’re listing 7 care elements that can have a big impact on a puppy or dog’s quality of life. We’ll cover the ways in which these are beneficial along with tips to make implementing these as easy as possible. If you believe that you’re following all of these, read the details to see if there may be room for improvement. 

Plaque buildup is the biggest threat to a dog’s dental health. It’s incredibly destructive. If not consistently removed, plaque (and tartar, which is hardened plaque) can lead to tooth decay, periodontal disease, infections, bone loss in the jaw, and tooth loss. Additional complications include an exceedingly weak jaw that breaks under very little pressure, damage to organs (kidney, liver, and heart) and possible full-body sepsis (a dangerous and fatal infection).  

Each day, implement a method to remove plaque and keep the teeth clean. 

1. Have potential existing issues ruled out. With young pups, you can usually proceed without a vet checkup. For those 1+ years, it’s best to have the veterinarian perform a dental exam to rule out tartar buildup that requires scraping and x-rays to rule out decay or other issues that require professional care. 

2. Brush your Pom’s teeth daily. When consistently done using the right products, this is a very effective method of keeping plaque at bay. Be sure the toothbrush is properly sized and the paste is designed for dogs (non-foaming, meant to be swallowed, and fluoride-free). 

Regular exercise can have extraordinary benefits for dogs and staying sedentary can be terrible detrimental. Exercise can boost the immune, is good for the heart and lungs, helps ward off canine diabetes and even some forms of cancer, helps regulate the metabolism, helps a dog maintain proper muscle mass, keeps joints healthy for good mobility, and allows a dog to work off pent-up energy that may otherwise manifest as excessive barking, destructive chewing, and other undesirable behaviors. 

Engage your Pom in moderate cardio activity at least twice per day for a minimum of 20 minutes per session. 

1. Have a plan for both ‘good weather’ days and ‘bad weather’ days. 

2. Keep a schedule. This makes it easier to stay on track; but, be ready to be flexible when needed. 

3. Walks, which are one of the best forms of exercise for dogs, should be done at a pace that is considered brisk for your particular Pom. To stay in control of the walk, keep your little guy or gal in a heeling position (to your left and no further ahead than the extension of your foot) using a harness (see resolution #3, next) and an adjustable leash. 

If your Pom needs help staying focused on walking, you can add some fun by making it a bit challenging. With your little guy or gal in a heeling position, weave around trees and street lights, change the pace from fast to slow and fast again, veer onto the grass to circle a rock, etc. 

You can also change things up by walking in other neighborhoods, exploring new parks, heading to a shoreline, or even taking on some ‘beginner’ hiking trails together.  

Just because something is monitored certainly does not mean that it’s safe and a clear example of this is what is happening with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US water supply. The EPA maintains a long list of known cancer-causing agents and toxins linked to major health issues (everything ranging from organ disease to neurological damage) in drinking water that are declared to be ‘safe’ when found at low levels. Yet, these levels are surpassed time and again by municipalities across the country. 

Just a few examples: The Flint MI water crisis exposed 100,000+ people to high levels of lead, the tap water in San Diego’s contains 23 toxins over the ‘safe’ limit, the tap water in Corpus Christi TX contains 11 contaminants over ‘safe’ limits, over 200 million Americans spread out over 50 states have chromium-6 (a known carcinogen) in their tap water, and 70% of US tap water contains fluoride (which causes fluorosis in humans [mottling of the teeth] and has been proven to cause osteosarcoma which is the #1 cause of bone tumors in canines, developing in 8,000+ dogs each year in the US.) as of 2015.  

Some veterinarians receive a kickback from dog food manufacturers which prompts them to recommend brands they’d never feed to their own canine family members and many of the ‘top’ brands you see stacked in supermarkets or in TV commercials are very low-quality brands that profit from name recognition and the misguided trust of pet owners.  

Many subpar dog food and treats contain ingredients that can cause terrible reactions ranging from allergies (rashes, hot spots, itching, paw licking, etc.) to intestinal distress. Some of the worst ingredients are soy (including soy protein isolate aka SPI), artificial color dyes (most notably Yellow #5 which is linked to hyperactivity, aggression, insomnia, and allergies, Yellow #6 which is linked to the precious issues as well as asthma and chromosomal damage, Red #40 which is linked to ADHD and hyperactivity, and Blue #2 which is linked to brain tumors and allergies, artificial flavoring (including MSG), and chemical preservatives. 

Other ingredients to steer clear of are cheap fillers that take up space while offering little to no nutritional value, by-products (for example, ‘chicken by-product’) which are animal parts deemed unfit for human consumption (spines, intestines, undeveloped eggs, etc.), and generic meats or oils which are sourced from roadkill, deceased farm animals, and expired meat from butcher shops, restaurants, and supermarkets. 

Feed your Pomeranian a wholesome diet for both main meals and snacks. 

1. Know the rating of your Pom’s food. A good resource for this is DogFoodAdvisor which offers a detailed analysis of just about every dog food brand found in stores and online. Those with poor rankings far outnumber the good ones. The lowest rating possible, 1-star, is given to Alpo, Atta Boy, Cesar, Gravy Train, Kibbles n' Bits, Pedigree, and Purina. A dismal 2-star rating goes to Defender, Evolution, several of the Hill's Science and Ideal formulas, and Iams. And an ‘okay’ 3-star goes to Beneful, some Blue Buffalo recipes, and Eukanuba. 

The statistics are troubling; 80% of dogs age 8+ have some level of this terrible disease. It starts with stiff joints and often ends with crippling pain, severe inflammation, and often dramatically decreased mobility.

This can develop in any area of the body, but dogs that have had issues with the knees, hips, elbows, or back will usually see arthritis develop there first. 

One of the main problems is that owners do not give this disease much thought until its already well underway and clinical signs are noticed. By then, treatment to offer relief can be complicated and includes a range of prescribed oral medications and injections (several with possible troubling side-effects), and alternative treatments like laser therapy, massage, and acupuncture.  

Your goal: 

Do everything possible to delay the onset of osteoarthritis.