Tuxedo is Our Pomeranian

Tuxedo has a nickname. His nickname is ' Boss of the World '. He takes his job very seriously. Tuxedo feels he must keep track of everyone in the house, everyone that comes in the house, and everyone that leaves the house. That means humans and animal alike. Once you're inside the house, you are now a member of Tuxedo's pack. His work load is heavy, and his stress level is high.

Tuxedo is a rescue dog. He came to me when he was a year old. He is an anxious, high strung little guy. He is very bonded to me.

At the time of this writing in 2011, Tuxedo is eleven years old. He is basically a healthy, hardy little dog.

However, he does have a few dog health problems which are common to small dogs.

Tuxedo's dog health issues are:

• luxating patellas - better known as floating knee caps. These are kneecaps that slip out of place, predisposing him to torn ACL ligaments.
• Tuxedo has had ACL knee surgery Ruptured Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) on one leg already (2006). The surgery was very successful, but we want to make sure this does not happen again. It was very traumatic for him. So much pain ( not to mention, very expensive ).
• collapsing trachea - the rings of cartilage forming the windpipe become weakened and flatten when breathing.
• periodontal disease - bad teeth.

Common Pomeranian Health Problems

Breeding can potentially, have a huge impact on the health of small dogs such as the Pomeranian.

Some breeders are not as responsible as they should be.

If you buy your Pomeranian dog at a pet store, be aware that you may experience some of the health problems I have mentioned.

Keeping your Pomeranian healthy and strong, is not difficult.

• dog hair loss
• collapsing trachea ( severe coughing can make it impossible to breathe, and puts a lot of stress on the heart )
• patellar luxation ( a floating kneecap that slips out of place )
• ACL injuries
• hypothyroidism ( glandular system problems )
• heart problems
• hypoglycemia when young
• unexplained seizures
• periodontal disease ( bad teeth ) OUCH!!!

Help Your Toy Dog Be Healthy

• Keep his weight down. Don't overfeed. Dogs are getting fatter and fatter, just like people. Canine obesity is hitting epidemic proportions.
• Feed a high quality premium, grain free natural dog food. If you're having trouble deciding which dog food is best, read the PetSumer Report for an unbiased comparison of all dog foods and ingredients.
• Give grain free dog biscuits, or pieces of raw fruit and vegetables as treats...but keep treats to a minimum.
• Use herbal supplements to support the Structural System by rebuilding connective tissue and cartilage.
• Reduce stress by getting some exercise. A tired dog is a happy dog. I know your Pomeranian is a little dog, but he needs to ' move it'. It will help to keep his weight down, tire him out, and is good for you too. Go for a long walk. Read more further down on this page. Reducing stress is important to keep glandular secretions regulated.
• Give your little dog 'raw meaty bones' to prevent periodontal disease and keep his teeth and gums healthy. Read Work Wonders: Feed Your Dog Raw Meaty Bones




Stress Help for Your Pomeranian

Since Pomeranians, like some other small toy dogs tend to be high energy, somewhat hyper little dogs...here is some good advice I've learned from The Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan.

It is from his book entitled...

Be the Pack Leader: Use Cesar's Way to Transform Your Dog . . . and Your Life

Please understand, that I am putting this in my own words, and am not quoting exactly.

Here's what Cesar says about small dogs, that was helpful to me.



Things to Remember About Small Dogs

All dogs want to work for food and water.

Toy dogs have been bred down from their ancient ancestors to be companion animals only. They don't really have a job to do. Pomeranians were bred down from Nordic sled dogs, so they want and need to work.

They are small, cute dogs so we tend to let them get away with behaviors that we would not tolerate in larger dogs...such as excessive barking.

The secret is not to let small dogs store too much energy. When small dogs exhibit compulsive behaviors such as excessive barking or chewing, it is because they have found this type of negative behavior drains their energy.

You must provide some sort of activity to drain excess energy.

Go for a walk with him every day. This is good for you, too. Play ball with a fixed time duration ( eg. ten minutes only ). Be creative and make it fun, so he will want to do more of it.

Little dogs can benefit from various reward oriented obedience exercises. This keeps their minds active. Thinking will tire them out.

I have found these tips very helpful. When Tuxedo's energy is drained, he's tired, and so it helps to keep him calm. When he's calm, he has less problems with his coughing.

I use the Ceasar's formula of exercise, discipline and then affection.

It puts me in the position of being the Pack Leader, not Tuxedo. This decreases his work load. He doesn't have to be The Boss of the World all the time. This puts less stress on him and helps to keep him calm.

In Conclusion...

I know you will want to do everything you can to help your sweet little Pomeranian lead a happy, healthy, calm, relaxed and fulfilled life. Tuxedo spends his whole life trying to please me. In return, I will love him and nurture him by helping him lead a fulfilled, and relaxed life.



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