Weighing in at anywhere from three to seven pounds, Pomeranians are a true “toy breed” and the smallest of all Nordic dog breeds.
Pomeranians are known for being curious and independent but easily adaptable to different lifestyles, making them great pets for older adults or people with busy schedules.
All this being said, Pomeranians — due to their small size and general quirks of the breed — are more susceptible to certain health issues like obesity, patellar luxation, alopecia, dental issues, and joint disease. Because of this, they require a tailored approach when it comes to their diet.
In this article, we’ll cover how to create your Pomerianian’s most sustainable diet to support their spunky personality.
Tips for Choosing Pomeranian Food
So, what are the most important considerations when feeding your petite canine companion? Here are some of our top tips for choosing a food for your Pomeranian.
Choose Smaller-Sized Kibble for Easier Digestion and Chewing
As a small breed dog, Pomeranians should eat a small kibble size. Because they have small jaws and teeth, it’s difficult for them to chew larger kibble. Additionally, smaller bites can help prevent choking or dental problems.
Pomeranians can be more prone to dental issues like tooth decay, tartar buildup, and gum disease. Eating small pieces of food can help promote good dental health by encouraging chewing and saliva production. Generally, these dental issues arise from Pomeranians’ genetic makeup: their small jaws and often overcrowded teeth.
Use a High-Quality Protein Source
Like all dogs, Pomeranians require a protein-rich diet to maintain their health. Protein is an important factor in repairing muscles, skin, and other tissues. It can also help support a healthy immune system.
High-quality protein is important because this breed has a higher metabolic rate than larger dogs. Therefore, they require a nutrient-dense diet to support their activity level.
Keep in mind, this doesn’t automatically mean higher calories. Nutrient-dense foods can help Poms maintain a healthy weight and prevent malnutrition.
One thing to note though is that all protein is not created equal. If you’re at a pet store or reviewing new dog foods on Chewy or Amazon, be sure to look at the ingredients to see which exact protein source is in the food (kibble or wet food).
You may be surprised at some of the ingredients in popular pet food brands like Hill’s Science Diet, Royal Canin, Blue Buffalo, or Purina.
Avoid Any Foods With “Mystery Meats”
When you review dog food labels, be sure to check that the protein source is high-quality and not in the category of “mystery meat.” This mystery meat, also referred to as 4D meat, consists of diseased, disabled, dying, or dead-before-processing animals, and is often used in commercial pet foods.
Protein from 4D animals is often a sign of low-quality meat and is much less nutrient-dense than human-edible meat. Additionally, mystery meats can be hard for some dogs to digest due to the added preservatives and fillers.
To ensure you avoid mystery meats, skip dog food that has any kind of meat byproduct like chicken meal, turkey meal, or other processed meats listed. Instead, look for a food with whole muscle or organ meat.
Look for Food Options That are High in Fatty Acids
Omega fatty acids like Omega-3 and Omega-6 are essential to your Pomeranian’s health. Because these fatty acids are not produced by a dog’s body, they must be obtained through the dog’s diet.
As mentioned above, Poms are more at risk for alopecia (hair loss), joint issues, and patellar luxation (when the knee joint moves out of its normal position and causes pain). In fact, patellar luxation is prevalent in as many as 75% of Pomeranians.
These conditions can be complicated to treat, but a diet high in fatty acids has the potential to help with side effects of various health conditions. Fatty acids are known to support healthy skin and coats in dogs, as well as joint health, while reducing inflammation in the body that can contribute to joint pain.
Sources of fatty acids to look for in dog food include:
- Fish oil
- Flaxseed oil
- Chicken fat
- Turkey fat
Overall, an increase of fatty acids in your pup’s diet can have a positive impact on their overall wellness regardless of if they’re a puppy or an adult Pomeranian.
Best Honest Kitchen Food Options for Pomeranians
Natural ingredients without additives, artificial colors, or artificial flavors are some of the best options to support your Pom’s health. In The Honest Kitchen’s human grade dog food, all of these aspects are present.
Human grade dog food is a natural and healthy choice that supports a well-rounded diet full of essential vitamins and minerals.
You can learn more about human grade dog food like The Honest Kitchen’s here. But to summarize, it’s food that is held to the same high standards as human food. Here are our top three picks of human grade dog food options for Pomeranians.
1. Whole Grain Chicken Clusters for Small Breeds
When it comes to the convenience of traditional kibble-type dog food, we recommend The Honest Kitchen’s Whole Grain Chicken Clusters specifically made for small breeds.
Though this food is not grain free, it doesn’t contain peas, lentils, potatoes, wheat, corn or soy — which can be sources of allergies in some dogs.
What this food does contain are cage-free chicken (as the first ingredient!) and whole oats that are cold pressed, slow roasted, and dehydrated to maintain nutrition and tasty flavor. It’s a win-win for both you and your pup.
Ingredient List
- Cage free, real chicken
- Oats
- Barley
- Real chicken liver
- Carrots
- Ground flaxseed
- Eggs
- Pumpkin
- Apples
- Coconut oil
- Chia seeds
- Kale
- Added vitamins and minerals
Why It’s Great for Pomeranians
In addition to all the great ingredients listed above, the Whole Grain Chicken Clusters for Small Breeds includes salmon oil, tons of B vitamins (B1, B2, B5, B6, and B12), calcium, and probiotics, all in the right amount to support Pomeranians.
Another perk of this small kibble is that it was created to perfectly support the small bites Pomeranians require. Learn more about the Whole Grain Chicken Cluster for Small Breeds.
2. Grain Free Chicken Clusters for Small Breeds
For a grain free alternative and convenient kibble option, we recommend The Honest Kitchen’s Grain Free Chicken Clusters for Small Breeds for your Pomeranian.
Similar to the previous chicken clusters, these grain free clusters are also perfectly sized to suit the tiny jaws of small breeds like Pomeranians.
Ingredient List
- Cage free, real chicken
- Potatoes
- Peas
- Lentils
- Real chicken liver
- Carrots
- Ground flaxseed
- Eggs
- Coconut oil
- Broccoli
- Pumpkin
- Apples
- Chia seeds
- Salmon oil
- Kale
- Added vitamins, minerals, and probiotics (for digestive health!)
Why It’s Great for Pomeranians
The high-quality real meat, protein, and fats in the Grain Free Chicken Clusters are ideal for this breed to help sustain their high energy and metabolism.
This kibble-type dry dog food contains 460 (kCal) per cup and is 26.5% protein, 15.5% fat, 5% fiber, and 12% moisture. It’s ideal for young Poms through adult Poms. Learn more about this recipe and purchase it today.
3. Limited Ingredient Fish
The grain free recipe only has six key ingredients, all of which are whole foods. Even more, over half of the ingredients in one bag of this food is gently dehydrated, wild caught white fish.
Ingredient List
- Dehydrated white fish
- Dried organic coconut
- Dried chickpeas
- Dehydrated pumpkin
- Dehydrated celery
- Dehydrated spinach
Why it’s Great for Pomeranians
This option includes all the necessary vitamins and minerals to ensure it hits all the most important points when it comes to supporting your Pomeranian’s nutritional needs.
This recipe includes supplements like zinc, iron, taurine, vitamins E, B1, B2, B5, B12, D3, and fish oil, a great source of DHA and EPA.
It’s also loaded with digestible protein (34% of calories per serving come from protein). Learn more and check out our other Dehydrated Limited Ingredient recipes here.
Try The Honest Kitchen Today
The foods listed above are just a few of our top picks from The Honest Kitchen to support Pomeranians’ longevity and wellness throughout all of their life stages. We have a whole line of tasty products you can explore that includes everything from wet dog food and other dry and hydrated food, to toppers and treats.
Regardless of which food you choose from The Honest Kitchen, each recipe will be filled with things like veggies, real meat, whole grains, and healthy fats to support a proper Pomeranian diet.
Don't just take it from us; check out some feedback from Pomeranian parents just like you. (Spoiler alert: They all love The Honest Kitchen!) Take a look through all of our tasty options your pup can enjoy.
