Birth

Gestation period (pregnancy), usually between 61-65 days (each pregnancy or should I say each individual dam can differ, it is advisable to do ultra sounds to determine more accurate whelping dates.)

Usually in my own experience 24 hours prior to delivery the dam's temperature drops and she scratches her bedding in her whelping pin, "nesting & I believe it's a stress releaver". It is evident when she goes into labour, it looks like shivers - or trembling; this happens before the contractions and before she starts to push. My girls want me with them, so by now (we do mark the date of the mating and calculate the due date), I know when they are around me 24/7 and want to cuddle and be reassured, that the delivery day is very near.

Pomeranian puppies are born with short coats to make the delivery of the puppies easier for the dam.

• You can imagine how strenuous it would be for the mother to push with a pup that is a ball of fluff - it would be impossible.

Soon after the mother and pups have settled and are cleaned and dry, Mom takes a well deserved nap. The pups start to suckle on the dam as soon as possible after they are born.

We help Mom during the whole delivery.

From the moment the puppy appears in the amniotic bag, opening the bag, cutting the umbilical cord, clearing the airways from the amniotic fluid; drying the puppy, checking the whole puppy that everything is ok.

As soon as the puppy is cleaned and breathing fine he is showed how to lach on to Mom, and to start nursing.

• The first three days are very important, and in this stage the mom's milk (colostrum), is filled with all the necessary benefits for the pups health and nutrition and building antibodies.

Every day the pups grow, their hair grows; they put on weight and start developing individual traits. Setting them apart from their litter mates.

Puppies are born with eyes and ears closed. After 14 days of age their eyes start to open and ears after three weeks of age.

Note this puppy's eyes and ears are still closed.

• Here the facial features can be seen, how the puppy develops from new born to just under two weeks of age.

Litter brother and sister. The brother's eyes have opened, but the sister's eyes not yet. Note the individual development. And coat growth at this stage of development.

Here the fluffing of the puppy's coat can be seen quite clearly. Mother and her pups resting.

When contemplating a breeding. There are key factors in deciding why you want to breed. To the betterment in which area. Do you know the bloodlines. What traits do they carry.

Here are photos of still very young puppies. But note the diversity of colours, expression, quality.

Each bloodline (dam side and sire's side), have their own qualities.  ( genetic packages).It is important to know and understand the FCI Pomeranian Breed Standard, and to breed to the correct type. Each generation should be a improvement.

This is the white male puppy shown above. Here he is 8 weeks old. Note the coat development and facial development.

The development of a pup from the time their eyes starts to open and ears seems to be the longest waiting period for me. From then on they develop and grow quite quick. Their weight gain increases when they start to eat, their first stage puppy food. From plus minus 3 weeks they start to be introduced to food. This process takes time and patience. Not every pup is the same in body and mind. And they develop individually in every respect of the word. They also start walking and making puppy barking and little growling sounds as they start to interact with their litter mates and mom. This stage is the cutest, when they start playing and develop their own little personalities. This is why it is so important that puppies be kept over the age of 8 weeks, for the socialization with their Mom and litter mates, and people. This stage is very important mark in a puppy's temperament (personality traits). This is why removing them earlier can cause shyness, aggression, fear. The mind is just as important as the body's development.

Coat Development

Coat development is also bloodline linked. As in the case of type that breeds type in certain bloodline traits, same applies to coat.

Nutritional aspect is also very important. If the diet is not nutritious enough the coat among other things will most definitely be effected. The first sign actually in poor nutrition can be seen in the coat. It will be dull, dry and not a healthy shine to the hair.

As the puppy develops, they go through a stage called - puppy uglies; at this stage the puppy coat looks like a short wooly coat. They do not look very attractive, but this is the stage where the puppy's coat stage is coming to an end, and the adult coat is starting to grow.

This is a female still developing her coat. She is pictured here at one year of age. She has reached her adult size in growth. From here her coat will still develop into a gorgeous thick coat. She has a gorgeous coat already with beautiful facial features, with a wonderful temperament.