*Not all photos on this page are mine, All were offered to me by my fellow Pomeranian Breeders/Lovers. Huge Thank You to all of them! *
Are all Pomeranians an orange color? No! Did you know that the Pomeranian is one of the only breeds that the AKC will accept in any color? “All colors, patterns, and variations there-of are allowed and must be judged on an equal basis.” (American Kennel Club- Pomeranian Breed Standard, 2011).
Orange and Orange Sable Pomeranians:
Orange Pomeranians are what most people think of when someone mentions a pom! The most common color, and often what you'll see the most of in a show ring!
Orange Pomeranian, Courtesy of Wikipedia
Orange Sable is a very classic color. It is an orangey base and the guard hairs have dark tips. Sable Pomeranians can often look very different from each other, as some will have heavier dark markings, and some will have very minimal sable-ing!
Orange Sable, Owned by Candy Shop Poms
As with all Sable Pomeranians, Orange Sable puppies look very dark when they are younger, with most looking almost black when they are born! Their color develops as they grow!
Orange Sable Puppy, Courtesy of Taylors Pomeranians
Cream and Cream Sable Pomeranian:
Cream Pomeranians are another favorite! They are a lighter, more diluted shade of orange.
Cream Pomeranian, Courtesy of Shannon Lambdin
Cream sable is a cream base with dark guard hairs, some will have more black than others!
Cream Sable Pomeranian, Courtesy of Donna Yielding
Wolf Sable Pomeranian:
The Wolf Sable Pomeranian is often confused as a cream sable, with more black, when in fact wolf sable is a whole different gene! Wolf sable is a silvery base with dark guard hairs. It is believed that the first Pomeranian's were wolf sables, and that the gene was inherited directly from wolves! In a color test, a Wolf Sable's A locus will test Aw while a Cream Sable is Ay
Wolf Sable Pomeranian, Photo Courtesy of Pomeranian Club of NSW
Red and Red Sable Pomeranians:
True Red Pomeranians are becoming more and more rare, as people breed them to creams, oranges, and whites, the color is lost. There are few true red poms left, But many preservation breeders are preserving the color.
Red Pomeranian, Courtesy of Betty Nimczuk
Red Sable is also becoming more rare, but is still possible to find! Often red sables will look orange and have just a few spots with a rich, deep red.
Red Sable, Owned by Candy Shop Poms
Ice White Pomeranians:
"Ice White" is what a lot of breeders and Pom lovers use to refer to a a white dog with no traces of cream/orange. Ice whites are often used in Wolf sable breeding programs to keep any traces of cream/orange out of a breeders line.
Ice White, Courtesy of Pomarazzi Pomeranians
Black Pomeranian:
The Gorgeous, regal, black Pomeranian! Fun fact: it was a black pom "GCHP CH Empee's Cyber Monday" that won best of breed at the 2021 Westminster dog show!
Black Pomeranian, Courtesy of Donna Yeilding
Black and Tan Pomeranian:
The Gorgeous black and tan - a black base with tan points over the eyebrows, in the ears, on the "beard", the lower legs, and under the tail.
Black and Tan, Courtesy of Princess Dearinger
Blue Pomeranian:
The Blue Pomeranian is a diluted black. Both parents must carry a dilute gene to produce a blue. Blues are self colored, meaning that their nose, eye rims, paw pads, and even eyes are a dark blueish grey color. Blues come in solid blue, and blue with tan points.
Blue and Tan Pomeranian Puppy, Courtesy of Mary Guarino of MK Exquisite Poms
Merle Pomeranians:
"Merle" refers to a pattern that is caused do to the Merle gene (the M Locus, (PMEL)). Merle is caused by an unstable gene that disrupts activity of the pigmentary gene PMEL, leading to mottled or patchy coat color. This is what turns black hair into "Blue Merle"and chocolate hair into "Chocolate Merle". For this reason, Merles can have Tan Points. You can Merle over any other color as well, but it may be harder to see. For this reason, you should NEVER breed a merle to a sable, or any light color. Merles are the only way to get bright blue eyes in a Pomeranian, if you have a dog with blue eyes, or blue flecks, you should always test them for merle before breeding. Two Merle dogs should NEVER be bred together, as this can cause blind and deaf puppies. Please do lots of research and color test your dogs with a DNA kit before attempting to breed for Merle.
Chocolate Merle, Courtesy of Rietay Ri-Ri Burton
Blue Merle puppy, Courtesy of Pomarazzi Pomeranians
Chocolate Pomeranian:
Chocolate Pomeranians are a rich chocolatey color. The Cocoa (HPS3) gene turns black to chocolate, Chocolates, like blues are self colored- their eye rims, noses, and paw pads are a chocolate color. Their eyes are often a hazel color.
Chocolate Pomeranian, Courtesy of Donna Yielding
Chocolates can also come with tan points!
Chocolate and Tan, Courtesy of Pomarazzi Pomeranians
Chocolate Sable Pomeranian:
The chocolate sable has a light creamy colored base with chocolate tips on the guard hairs. They will have the chocolate nose, eye rims, and paw pads, and usually hazel eyes.
Chocolate Sable, Courtesy of Pomarazzi Pomeranians
Beaver and Lavender Pomeranians:
Beaver and lavender are both dilutions of chocolate. You can produce a Beaver when breeding a chocolate that carries the dilute gene to another dilute carrier. Beaver Pomeranians look like chocolates, just a less rich, more yellowy brown. Lavender poms can be produced by breeding chocolate to chocolate, blue to chocolate, or beaver to chocolate. Lavender and beaver are very similar genetically, however the lavender color happens when the coat is more intensely diluted.
Lavender Pom, Courtesy of Beau James Pomeranians
Pomeranian Markings:
It doesn't stop there! There are other markings that can totally alter the Pomeranians coat color!
Parti:
Parti refers to a white base with any solid color or pattern over it. The possibilities are endless with parti's, You can have a white blaze, with feet, or mostly white with just splashes of a secondary color.
Chocolate Parti puppies, Courtesy of Princess Dearinger
Piebald or Extreme Piebald:
Piebald refers to parti colored Poms with more white than any other color. Often they are mostly white with just a little bit of color around their eyes, like the Chocolate Piebald pictured here!
Chocolate Piebald, Courtesy of Dequita Frost
Irish Parti Coloring:
Irish Markings are another variation of parti. There will be color on the head (with or without a white blaze) and body with white legs, chest and collar.
Irish Part puppy, Courtesy of Dequita Frost
Mismark Coloring:
"Mismark" is a term used to describe a small white marking(s) on a dog that is not a full parti. Often you sill see a white chin, white around the mouth, white feet, or a white splash on the chest. A mismark is an indicator that this dog carries the Parti gene, so they would result in a Ssp result in a DNA test. (sp being the parti gene, S being solid colors).
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Brindle Pattern:
The AKC describes brindle as dark cross stripes on any solid color or allowed pattern. Black and brown brindles are most common, however brindles are hard to come across.
Black Brindle Pomeranian, Courtesy of Donna Yielding
*Please make sure that you purchase a puppy from a breeder that breeds for health, temperament, and quality before color. Often puppies that come from a breeder who only cares about color will be bigger than the AKC standard, have less coat, and overall poor quality/health. Please do your research before purchasing a puppy from ANY breeder.
If you are looking for a color that I do not produce in my program, I am happy to refer you to a breeder that does!*