Breeds / Toy
Pomapoo puppies
The Pomapoo is confident, affectionate and talkative, a very small companion with a large opinion of itself. Short walks and indoor play are enough, and it dislikes being left alone.
The facts
- Size class Toy
- A cross of Pomeranian and Poodle
- Country of origin United States
- Adult weight 1.4 to 3.2 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 3 to 7 lb
- Adult height 15 to 28 cm
- Energy level Moderate
- Grooming High
- Coat type Medium soft double to curly
- Typical lifespan 12 to 16 years
- Good with children Fine with supervision
- Good with other dogs Fine with supervision
Where these come from:
- petmd.com for adult weight and height and life expectancy
- purina.co.uk for energy, grooming and the temperament ratings, coat type and country of origin
- petmd.com for health notes
A cross, not a breed. The Pomapoo is a cross with no kennel club standard, so the figures are typical observed ranges rather than requirements, and they assume a Toy Poodle parent. Puppies in one litter vary and can favour the Pomeranian's double coat and heavier shedding or the Poodle's curls. A Miniature Poodle parent produces a noticeably larger adult, and a first cross is less predictable in coat than a later generation bred back to the Poodle side.
About the Pomapoo
The Pomapoo crosses the Pomeranian with a Toy Poodle and was developed in the United States as a small companion. Adults are genuinely tiny, around 1.4 to 3.2 kg and 15 to 28 cm, with a soft coat that may be the Pomeranian's double coat, the Poodle's curls, or a mixture of the two that sheds unpredictably. The character is confident and chatty, affectionate at home and often bold well beyond its actual size.
Exercise is easily covered by short walks and indoor games. Grooming means daily brushing, and dental care matters more here than in most dogs because a small jaw crowds and decays. The two problems that come up are noise and nerves: Pomapoos bark at everything and dislike being left alone, so train quiet and independence from the start. Supervise children closely around a dog this light.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Pomapoo puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A toy breed puppy at eight weeks is small enough to be genuinely fragile. It can be hurt by a jump off a sofa and by being stepped on, and toy breeds are prone to low blood sugar, so it needs frequent small meals rather than two big ones. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming needs are high. Start daily brushing and short, positive handling sessions at eight weeks, well before the adult coat arrives, or the first professional groom will be traumatic. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Patellar luxation, graded on orthopaedic examination
- Collapsing trachea, recognised by a honking cough and confirmed on radiographs or fluoroscopy
- Legg Calve Perthes disease, diagnosed by hip radiographs in a young lame dog
- Periodontal disease and early tooth loss, found at annual dental examination
- Progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts, detectable by DNA test and annual eye examination
- Hypoglycaemia in very small puppies, confirmed by a blood glucose test
- Alopecia X from the Pomeranian side, diagnosed by excluding hormonal disease on blood tests and by skin biopsy
From Pomapoo breed information at https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/toy-poodle. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your Pomapoo puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Toy for a Pomapoo.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 1.4 to 3.2 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other toy breeds
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.