You will hear the names teacup, toy or miniature used in discussions about Pomeranians, but the truth is there are no such official designations. The Pom is a tiny dog already, so making him smaller is pointless. However, face shape is a distinguishing feature within the Pomeranian group.
Fox Face
This is the American Kennel Club standard for Pomeranians and includes a more elongated or fox-like snout than other face varieties. Imagine a stuffed toy fox with fat, fluffy cheeks, narrow chin and button nose and you've got it. The AKC describes the expression of fox-face Poms as "denoting his alert and intelligent nature.”
Teddy-Bear Face
This is about as cute as cute gets. If you always wanted a pet Ewok, a teddy-bear-faced Pom is for you. The snout of the teddy-bear-faced Pom is less elongated and the face somewhat rounder overall than standard. The face has a kind of “pushed in” look without the extreme upturning of chin and nose characteristic of dogs such as the pug, so it retains a kind of puppy-like look that very much resembles that of a teddy bear. The eyes will also appear closer to the snout due to the slight upturn of the nose tip.
Baby-Doll Face
The baby-doll-faced Pom looks so much like the teddy-bear variant that it can be difficult to distinguish one from the other. Again you will see the shorter, rounded muzzle and baby-like features, but the snout has a flatter appearance on top and does not turn up, so the eyes appear slightly higher and wider apart than is typical for the teddy bear variety.
A Word About Color
Pomeranians come in an almost endless assortment of colors and patterns, although the AKC states that orange and red Poms are the most popular. There are 19 official colors and five official marking designations, but if you love Poms, the color isn't as important as getting those special kisses from your favorite furry friend.
The Pom Puppy “Uglies”
Regardless of face shape, Pomeranians have an odd thing in common that sets them apart from most other breeds: the extreme hair-shedding phase young Poms go through. This phase – which begins nearly always between 4 and 8 months of age and last up to age 10 to 14 months – has lovingly been called “the uglies,” though in truth it is more “weird” than ugly. Your Pomeranian puppy was born with only one fluffy coat of hair that she must shed before getting the full, double coat of adulthood. When her hair is falling out in odd patches here and there, the disheveled and uneven appearance can look a bit ... unsettling. Don't worry -- this is normal. Your Pom – whether fox, teddy or baby-doll-faced, will eventually be just as lovely as you thought she would be when you brought her home.
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