Pomsky Dog Breed
The Pomsky dog breed is a relatively new one, said to have originated in the United States. It’s a cross between the Russian Siberian Husky and the German Pomeranian. I say that the Pomeranian is a German breed but Pomerania is a geographic region that borders North East Germany and North West Poland. The earliest mention of such a cross seems to be in 2009 when someone posted a question on the internet asking about the mental stability of such a cross that they were thinking of adopting. It turns out the dog in question wasn’t actually a cross between a Husky and Pomeranian but the mere idea of crossing these two breeds was born. Some photos claiming to be a Pomsky turned out to be fake, often the photo depicted a Finnish Lapphund. The first genuine photos of a Pomsky seem to date from 2011, a result of an accidental breeding between a male Husky and female Pomeranian in Australia. The first deliberate breeding of a Pomsky seems to have taken place in America in 2012 between a female Husky and male Pomeranian, by artificial insemination. The popularity of the breed then seems to have exploded between 2013 and 2016, thanks to the internet and social media. PetsA2B has had the pleasure to transport a couple of Pomsky dogs in the past including the puppy in the image above which came from a breeder in South Wales. Let’s look at the Pomsky breed in more detail.
Pomsky Breed Information
The Pomsky was originally a designer breed of dog. Creating new breeds to meet the latest trends or whims of the general public isn’t something we support. Humans have a lot to answer for when it comes to how we can sometimes treat dogs as a fashion accessory. Despite this the Pomsky has generally turned out to be a healthy, well rounded breed for the right owner. On the face of it breeding a large breed like the Siberian Husky with a very small breed like the Pomeranian would seem to be foolhardy. Indeed due to the size difference, Pomskies are often bred via artificial insemination. So what do we know about this breed?
Appearance
As puppies the Pomsky will often just look like a puppy Siberian Husky. As adults though you can see more clearly the Pomeranian in the breed. The wolf like appearance is popular with the public but the Pomsky is an easier breed to own than the parent Siberian Husky. In terms of size an adult Pomeranian is between 10 and 15 inches tall (25 to 40 centimetres). A healthy dog should weight between 20 to 30 pounds (9 to 14 Kg). They can come in a range of colours that include blue, grey and white but also may be brown, chocolate and liver colour. The colour apparently comes from the Husky parent rather than the Pomeranian. Eye colour can also vary. They can also sometimes have a more speckled pattern about them.
Pomsky Temperament / Personality
The Pomsky is often said to have the intelligence of the Siberian Husky and the energy levels of the Pomeranian. So whilst they are ideally suited to apartment living, don’t expect a Pomsky to be a lazy lapdog. One good long walk a day is often enough but at home they are more likely to want to follow you around and be involved in every aspect of your life than a Husky typically would. A Pomsky is a very playful and loyal breed. They will often want as much mental stimulation as physical stimulation so be prepared for this.
They inherit the prey drive from the Husky and can chase smaller animals. This could include your cat so be aware that you may need to train your Pomsky not to follow this instinct. Socialisation as a puppy is very important! They can push the boundaries so require a consistent owner. A Pomsky is probably not the ideal first breed to own so do plenty of research before buying a Pomsky.
The loyalty of this breed will often display itself as separation anxiety. They are not a breed that tolerates being left alone for long periods. Separation anxiety can display itself in many ways including barking, chewing and urinating. The Pomsky can be a very vocal breed generally so bear this is mind if you have neighbours who are likely to complain about the noise.
Grooming Needs
When you consider the coat of a Siberian Husky and a Pomeranian it should come as no surprise that the Pomsky is a high maintenance dog when it comes to grooming. Their thick double coat does require a daily brushing and this is a breed that is known for shedding. In summer months they will benefit from either a monthly bath at home or perhaps even a monthly visit to the groomer. The thick coat makes them ideally suited to colder climates and they will become even more playful if you get snow. They shed less in winter. The Pomsky also tends to like playing in water.
General Health & Lifespan
A Pomsky typically lives between 12-15 years and are generally considered to be quite healthy. They can suffer from the same health issues that both parent breeds are known for, namely:
Pomeranian – Dental problems, skin infections and ear infections.
Siberian Husky – Eye issues & hip dysplasia.
Due to the size difference between the parent breeds it’s important to be careful to find an ethical and humane breeder. This means the breeder will almost certainly use artificial insemination. Because it’s important that the male is not too large, for first generation puppies the male is usually the Pomeranian and the female is the Siberian Husky. For further generations the male should not be more than 5 pounds heavier than the female.
UK Pomsky Breeders & Links
For anyone who is interested to find out more about the Pomsky breed the following links should offer a good starting place.
United Kingdom Pomsky Association – Established in 2017 to guide and educate breeders. They have their own breed standard and look at a range of things including hereditary health issues and genetic diversity.
UK Recommended Breeders. The following are not my own personal recommendations but rather those of UKPA mentioned above.
Aurora Pomskys – Based in Somerset.
Cocoafrost Pomskies – Pomsky breeder in West Yorkshire.
Cosmic Pomskies – South Wales based breeder.
Nashobaster Pomskies – Breeder based on Isle of Wight.
Pads & Co Pomskies – Essex based breeder.
Prestige Pomskies – Breeder in Derbyshire.
Perthshire Pomskies – Based in Perth, Scotland.
If you have any experience with the Pomsky breed and would like to share your thoughts with our readers please feel free to leave a comment.