Pomeranian Lab Mix: Can a Pomeranian Mate With Labrador?

As dog breeding becomes more commonplace, people are looking for more unique crossbreeds. There has been a large increase in recent years of breeders crossing large and small breeds together, rather than pairing similar-sized dogs.

One of the newest additions to the crossbreed world is Pomeranian Lab Mix, the Pomador; a cross between a Pomeranian and a Labrador. This unlikely pairing would not normally happen naturally, although smaller Labradors would be able to mate with a Pomeranian.

This Pomeranian Lab Mix breed profile will look at all aspects of the Pomador including the history of the parent breeds, personality, temperament, and health concerns.

Pomeranian Labrador Mix

The mixing of Labradors and Pomeranians is such a new crossing, that there is very little written about them either in books or online. What we know comes directly from the owners of these dogs and there are a host of different stories.

For the most part, it seems that Pomadors carry the nature of their Pomeranian parent, although a few do show the calmer nature of the Labrador. They are very smart, quick to learn, and quite lively in their personality.

Estimating their adult size is difficult. This is dependent on several factors including the size of both parent dogs and the randomness of genetics. If the Pomeranian parent was large for the breed then the resulting litter will be more likely to grow to a larger size. A standard-sized Pomeranian bred to a small Labrador could show a big variation in the litter. Due to the lack of knowledge on this crossbreed, there is no size guidance to follow.

When looking at the coat, we have a better understanding. The Labrador only has one coat type; short and smooth. They have a double coat that is water-resistant and low to moderate shedding. Pomeranians are long-coated dogs, with a soft undercoat and a coarse topcoat.

When it comes to coat colors and patterns, there is no end to the possibilities that a Pomador could show. Although Labradors only have three coat colors (black, chocolate, and yellow), Pomeranians have dozens of colors and patterns.

• Black
• Chocolate
• White
• Cream
• Blue
• Blue merle
• Chocolate merle
• Orange (golden yellow)
• Red sable
• Cream sable
• Orange sable
• Wolf sable (dark grey)
• Black and white
• Black parti
• Chocolate parti
• Blue parti
• Black and tan
• Chocolate and tan
• Blue merle and tan
• Black tri-color
• Chocolate tri-color

A Pomeranian Lab Mix may show any of these coat colors and patterns and either a short coat like the Labrador or a thicker, longer coat like a Pomeranian. Their physical appearance may also differ.

The Labrador’s tail is long and held downwards, whereas the Pomeranian has a bushy, curled tail held over the back. A Pomeranian Lab Mix may show either characteristic. The same can also be said for head shape and ears. Some Pomadors may have a pointed face with pricked ears or they could have a broader head shape with floppy ears.

As far as health concerns go, Pomadors do not have any specific ailments, but this cross is so new that there is no guarantee of health. They are still at risk of suffering from ailments that other small breeds experience. These include gastrointestinal illnesses, allergies, and joint problems.

They may also be prone to hip and knee dysplasia as Labradors are. Fortunately, Labradors do not have many breed-specific medical conditions to worry about, so the puppies have a chance to inherit their Labrador parent’s sturdy health.

For life expectancy, anywhere between 10 and 15 years is given by veterinarians and professional dog breeders. Since this crossbreed is so unknown, there is no firm evidence.

Pomeranian

The history of the Pomeranian varies depending on the country and it is almost impossible to pinpoint one specific country of origin. What we do know is that they originated from a large region called Pomerania, which is a historical region encompassing Poland and Western Germany by the Baltic Sea.

They are Spitz-type dog, which includes many breeds such as Akita, Malamute, Samoyed, Chow Chow, and Shiba Inu. The characteristics of a Spitz breed include wolf-like pointed ears, a thick double coat, and a tail curled over the back. These breeds all originated from arctic climates; countries such as Russia and North America.

The Pomeranian used to be a larger dog, but selective breeding over the centuries has resulted in a much smaller size. Their popularity is thanks in part to Queen Victoria of England, who fell in love with the breed during a visit to Italy. She becomes a serious breeder and one of her dogs won best in breed at Crufts in 1891.

Not only did breeders start to look seriously at reducing the size of the breed, but there was also interest in encouraging coat colors rather than black or white. Chocolate, sable, and blue became more commonplace within the breed.

The temperament of the Pomeranian has both good and bad qualities. They are charming and affectionate dogs, with an inquisitive nature and they are loyal to their owners. Unfortunately, they have a tendency to be vocal and are prone to separation anxiety.

Labrador

The Labrador Retriever is perhaps the most famous breed in the world. Not only do they make wonderful family pets, but they are hard-working dogs across a whole range of industries including law enforcement, health care, and rescue. The Labrador is the most common breed among guide dogs supporting people with sight loss or physical disabilities. They are also favored by law enforcement for the ability to scent track. Labradors make up a large proportion of dogs used to detect drugs, explosives, and other prohibited items.

The Labrador originated from the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. In fact, many working breeds have their heritage from this same region. It is believed that today’s Labrador is descended from the St John’s dog. They had a water-repellent coat, short hair and were excellent swimmers. They were used by fishermen to catch fish and pull nets from the water.

It is generally accepted that the modern Labrador breed began at the beginning of the 19^th century. A small number of St John’s dogs were imported to Dorset, England. The English aristocrats recognized their hunting ability and stamina, which served them well in hunting waterfowl, which was the main pastime of the English gentry.

The Earl of Malmesbury was the first English breeder to focus on the St John’s dog. He bred them to assist in duck hunts around his estate. He later gifted some of his dogs to the 5^th and 6^th Dukes of Buccleuch and it is the resulting breeding program that experts believed is the true origin of the Labrador.

In temperament, the Labrador is a friendly, energetic, and goofy dog. They love water and are excellent swimmers. They also enjoy games of fetch and do well at scent-based games. They are intelligent and very obedient dogs, making wonderful family pets.

It is this intelligent nature that makes them perfect dogs for working with disabilities. They have a wonderful calming nature and learn quickly.