🐶 Pomeranian
Temperament
Lively, alert, vocal, bold. Poms can be snappy with strangers and other dogs without socialisation. They're intensely bonded to their owner.
Exercise
20–30 minutes of daily walking plus play. They love to "patrol" gardens.
Grooming
Heavy double coat needing 3–4× weekly brushing, more during seasonal moults. Most owners get a trim every 2–3 months.
Health
Patellar luxation. Tracheal collapse (use a harness). Dental disease. Alopecia X (post-clipping coat loss). Heart problems.
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🐶 Shih Tzu
Temperament
Gentle, friendly, slightly aloof, content. Shih Tzus thrive on company and dislike being left alone. They're playful but not high-energy, and generally good with children, other dogs and cats.
Exercise
30 minutes of daily walking plus indoor play is plenty. Brachycephalic features mean they overheat easily — avoid hot weather and strenuous exercise.
Grooming
Long double coat. Daily brushing if kept long; most owners choose a "puppy cut" every 4–6 weeks for ease. Hair around eyes needs daily wiping (eye discharge collects). Top-knot to keep hair out of eyes.
Health
Brachycephalic airway syndrome (mild). Eye issues (proptosis — eye popping out — in trauma). Patellar luxation. Hip dysplasia. Dental disease (small crowded mouths). Generally long-lived for a brachycephalic breed.
Full Shih Tzu profile →
