Trimming Guidelines for AKC Judges
The American Pomeranian Club Board of Directors voted to provide this clarification to all AKC Judges approved to judge Pomeranians as submitted by the Judges Education Committee.
To review and or print the Trimming Guideline which includes photographs, please consult the below PDF.
The double-coat is an extremely important characteristic of the Pomeranian. The Pomeranian is a Nordic/Spitz breed and correct coat, guard hair, undercoat, texture and length is the epitome of our breed. The coat is an important part of protecting the breed in the extremely cold temperatures the Pomeranian was bred to live in on the coast of Pomerania.
While the AKC approved breed standard does specifically state “Trimming for neatness and a clean outline is permissible”, the American Pomeranian Club is concerned with the extremes being taken with this allowance. Sculpting the coat of the Pomeranian, such as the sculpting of the overall coat and removal of guard hair and tail coat, should not be considered “trimming for neatness”. An essential component of a judge’s assessment is to evaluate the texture of the guard hair which is not possible to do when it has been cut off.
The Pomeranian Breed Standard is very specific in the description of correct coat and trimming:
Coat – The Pomeranian is a double-coated breed.
Body – The body should be well covered with a short, dense undercoat with long harsh-textured guard hair growing through, forming the longer abundant outer coat which stands off from the body. The coat should form a ruff around the neck, framing the head, extending over the shoulders and chest.
Head & Leg – Head and leg coat is tightly packed and shorter in length than that of the body. Forelegs are well-feathered. Thighs and hind legs are heavily coated to the hock forming a skirt.
Tail – Tail is profusely covered with long, harsh spreading straight hair forming a plume. Females may not carry as thick or long a coat as a male.
Puppies – Puppy coat may be dense and shorter overall and may or may not show guard hair. A cotton type coat is undesirable in an adult. Coat should be in good and healthy condition especially the skirt, tail, and undercarriage.
Trimming – Trimming for neatness and a clean outline is permissible.
Major Fault – soft, flat or open coat.
Examples of grooming that would not be considered trimming for neatness and a clean outline include; sculpting the Pomeranian into a triangle shape, cutting off guard hair on the back of the neck, trimming off a majority of the tail plume and trimming off the majority of the skirt.
Excessive trimming to the point of sculpting by exhibitors will not stop unless Judges enforce the breed standard on trimming, “trimming for neatness and a clean outline is permissible.”
Grooming to excess should be weighed appropriately in a judge’s assessment of the breed. As any other characteristic not as described within the standard, it is a deviation and the extent of the deviation should be considered accordingly, especially when the deviation so severe that it hinders the ability to properly evaluate salient characteristics of the breed.
