Opening your heart to a Pomeranian can be fun, but you must be willing to take on the responsibility of dog ownership. When you become a Pom owner, it’s up to to do everything in your power to make your pet’s life a happy one, the proper care, environment and companionship. If this sounds like a big commitment ‘ it is! But rest assured, the rewards of pet ownership far outweigh the work you have to put into it.

An often overlooked, but very important step in caring for your Pomeranian is to insure that he is properly trained. A properly trained dog will be a pleasure to both strangers and his master, but a lot of people do not take this important step and then wonder why their dog is not ‘well behaved’. Many a dog has been considered a ‘bad’ pet when all he really needed was the owner to take the time out to train him properly.

Proper training isn’t just about performing cool tricks, although that is one side benefit. A properly trained dog will be safer than one who is not trained. A properly trained dog will be obedient and come to your side should you need to call him out of harms way. A well trained Pomeranian will not be a nuisance to guests and training your dog is also a bonding experience and will enforce the fact that you are the ‘master’. You can train a dog on your own, or you can join an obedience training class and get instruction from professionals.

The Pom is an active dog who is intelligent courageous and a loyal companion. The Pomeranian may not interact well with small children and due to its small size can suffer abuse from children . The Pomeranian can make a good watch dog but can become to yappy if you do not train him to avoid excessive braking. The Pom may be hard to housebreak but are very smart and can be trained very quickly.

Another important part of Pomeranian ownership is to get regular vet checkups. A yearly check up is a must and he should have all his vaccinations kept up to date. Also, if you notice anything different in your Pomeranians behavior schedule a vet appointment right away. Oftentimes animals hide the fact that they are feeling sick and even a small change could indicate something more serious. Have your Pomeranian neutered or spayed - they WILL be much happier.

Providing a safe environment for your Pomeranian can eliminate unfortunate accidents in the home, especially for puppies. Be careful to pick up small objects your dog could ingest and make sure there are no unsafe places in the home. When guests come over, or if the kids are running in and out, make sure they know not to leave the door open so the dog can get out. Refrain from feeding your Pomeranian table scraps as some of it can actually harm your dog. Chocolate, in particular, can be lethal.

Grooming your Pomeranian not only helps him look his best but is also important to keep him in the best of health. Cleaning his ears, brushing his fur, trimming his nails ‘ these all contribute to the overall health and happiness of your pooch. Proper dental care is the most important grooming task you can do for your Pomeranian. Without regular brusing, bacteria can build up in your dogs mouth. This bacteria can break away and cause serious health problems for your dog. Make sure you brush at least a couple of times a week and have a dental check up every year!

Finally, you need to have a plan in case something goes wrong. What if there is a fire or some other disaster? Make sure someone is responsible to get your pet out of the house in case of emergency. It’s also a good idea to have a neighbor or friend that can take your pet on short notice should you be called away in an emergency.

When you let a Pomeranian into your home as a pet, you are making a lifetime commitment to provide everything he needs for a healthy and happy life. Some Pomeranians can live into the teens so consider your commitment carefully ‘ in the end I think you will see that the rewards far outweigh the work involved in caring for a pet.

Are you frustrated with your dog or puppy digging up your lawn?  Is he already out there digging up something you just planted five minutes ago?  He’s not really doing it to drive you crazy or to get back at you for something.  Digging is an instinctive behavior for canines, but some of them do seem to seem to take an insane pleasure in it.  Is there any way to stop dog digging in your lawn or garden?

Learn Why Dogs Dig

There are many reasons for digging. Canines in the wild dig dens, both for shelter from the weather, and to provide a safe place for their offspring.  They also bury extra food to protect it from other animals until the pack can eat it later.

Instinct aside, the most common reason for dog digging behavior is due to boredom.  Too often, we tend to leave our pets alone for long periods of time with nothing to do.  People often think that dogs have it made.  Wouldn’t it be great to just lie around and sleep all day?  Well, maybe it would for a day or two, but you’d soon be bored, lonely, and restless if you were by yourself all day with nothing to keep you occupied.  You’d find something to do, just to keep from dying of boredom.

It’s the same with your pet.  A canine, young or old, left to his own devices, will find a way to entertain himself.  The problem is that his idea of entertainment will more than likely develop into an annoying dog behavior problem like digging.

Can You Stop Dog Digging?

The first step in controlling dog digging behavior is to understand what’s causing it.  A healthy canine needs at least an hour and a half of exercise every day to burn off his energy.  A long walk in the morning, and another in the afternoon or evening is essential, both for exercise, and for your pup’s mental health.  If you don’t have time for this, you might want to hire a dog walker.

Set aside a corner of your yard where he can dig to his heart’s content.  Bury toys and treats there for him to dig up when you’re gone.  If you bury a toy stuffed with food, he’ll be happily occupied for a long time trying to get the food out.  

You need to teach your canine friend where it’s OK for him to dig, and where it’s not.  It’s up to you to teach him the house rules.  If you don’t, it’s not fair to get mad at him when he breaks them.  

Spend at least ten minutes a day training him.  Provide a digging pit for him, and bury toys and treats for him.  Encourage him to dig in his pit, and say “dig in your pit” while he’s digging.  When he finds the toy, play with him for a few minutes, and then bury it again.  Remember to keep saying “dig in your pit” when he digs it up.  He’ll soon learn the meaning of this command.  

When you catch him digging someplace else, take him to his pit and tell him “dig in your pit” and praise him when he does.  Don’t make the mistake of punishing him after the fact, because he won’t have a clue why you’re upset.

Consistency Is The Key

Whatever you do, be consistent.  Everyone in the household needs to be doing the same thing with him, or you’ll never get him trained.  Here’s where a good dog training course comes in handy.  It makes it easy for the whole family to work together to stop dog digging.