Welcome to German Spitz and Pomeranian Project
Now in our 16th year of providing you with as accurate and detailed an account of the history and development of the German Spitz and Pomeranian dog as possible.
We modified the name of this website a few years ago from Pomeranian Project to German Spitz and Pomeranian Project. This enabled an in depth study of the various, often regional, Spitz dogs of Germany (now known as German Spitz) including recently available archive material providing a better understanding of early German viewpoints. Much of this information will be in German (with an English translation) in order to better include our German speaking friends.
Research will continue to carefully analyse original documents and other primary sources – so no ‘fake news’ here.
Your continued interest and support through the years is much appreciated.
Here is a sample of the many ‘firsts’ revealed on Pomeranian Project
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Introducing Spado (Mr Spada) - the first known Pomeranian in America c1775
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Story of Mr Gladstone’s beloved dog Petz - an imported Mannheimer Spitz (Pom)
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The earliest reference in British literature so far to a Pomeranian - Mrs Delaney 1760
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The second reference in British literature to a Pomeranian - James Boswell 1764
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People in Poms - list of 342 exhibitors or breeders of Poms. 1859-1896
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Details of the 1764 ‘experimental’ mating in London of a Wolf & Pomeranian bitch
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Evidence ‘prick eared curs’ exported from Iceland were in fact toy Icelandic shock dogs and not one of the alleged large ancestors of Pomeranian dogs
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A study with some pedigrees of Queen Victoria’s Italian Spitz dogs (aka Poms)
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A history of the Volpino Italiano/ Italian Spitz dog from a British perspective
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The catalogue of 19th century German ‘Deutsche Spitze’ breeder Arthur Seyfarth
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Analysis of Pomeranian breed history from a British point of view. 1770 onwards
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Walsh’s (Stonehenge) Pomeranian breed standard of 1878
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Standards of the UK Pomeranian Club - 1892, 1898, 1901,1906,1909
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Early German Spitz breed standards in German with English translation
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History and Development of the German Spitz Breed Club in Germany
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First hand account of breeding details of Kleinspitz/ Mannheimer Zwergspitz
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Influence of imported Mannheimer Spitz dogs in the development of the modern small Pomeranian in Britain
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Classified Ads from German publications about German Spitz dogs (Poms) 1753-1862. Ads in German with English translation.
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Classified Ads from British & Irish publications about Pomeranians/Spitzes 1770- 1915
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First known black & tan Pom - Mr Demezy’s Fox who went missing 30/7/1782
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An in depth study of early Black & Tan (tan pointed) Poms including pedigrees. Details about Model King a secret B&T stud dog considered, ‘a pillar of the breed’ by Mrs Parker the Secretary of The Pomeranian Club 1920-1928
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Evidence of frequent cases of Colour Dilution Alopecia in early blue Poms
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Pedigree and biographical information about foundation dogs Ch Mars (orange) and Ch Dragonfly (orange sable)
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The unjust vilification & persecution (BSL) of the white Pomeranian/Spitz dog in 19th New York and the long term repercussions of this legislation
I thank the following:
A Talenti et al. Studies of modern Italian dog populations reveal multiple patterns for domestic breed evolution. Ecol Evol (2018). For citing my 2011 article ‘An evaluation of early Spitz/Pomeranian dog images in Greek, Etruscan and Roman art’, in this noteworthy research.
Grant Hayter-Menzies, author and friend, for including some of my research in his wonderful story of ‘Muggins, The Life and Afterlife of a Canadian War Hero’. Victoria: Heritage House Publishing Company, Ltd., 2021
The American Pomeranian Club for featuring four of my articles in the 50th Anniversary Special Edition of The Pomeranian Review 2008.
German Spitz World and German Spitz Breeders and Owners Club (UK) for continued support.
The Vereins für Deutsche Spitze e V. official publication ‘Der Deutsche Spitz’ for including my information about writer James Boswell’s 1764 travel companion from Mannheim to Mainz, Mr Bertollon and his dog, ‘Pomer’ a Pomeranian/Spitz dog, in an article on this topic written by Brigitte Sovonja some years ago.
Volpino Atavi (Associazione Tecnica Amatori Volpino Italiano) for referring to my 2011 article, ‘An evaluation of early Spitz/Pomeranian dog images in Greek, Etruscan and Roman art’.
And lastly …
Thank you to my good friend Brigitte Sovonja (Chips Poms, Germany) whose support over the years and knowledge of the Spitz dogs of Germany has been invaluable.
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