Pomchi Breed Guide: Colors, Size, Appearance & Temperament

The Pomchi is a mixed breed that is bred from a Pomeranian and a Chihuahua. Standing at a tiny 10 inches small, they are perfect for someone who wants a fluffy, inquisitive, toy breed.

This breed might be small in size but their big personality makes up for it.

Pomchis are fun, energetic, and truly love to be the center of attention. These guys are guaranteed to make you laugh with their bold personality.

Inquisitive and loyal are two great words to describe them. They love their people and will spend all day in your lap and under your feet if you let them!

Keep reading to learn all about these fun-sized mixes. This article covers their appearance (colors and size), grooming, temperament and more…

What Is A Pomchi Dog?

A Pomchi is the cross breeding between a Pomeranian and a Chihuahua.

Normally, the Pomeranian is the female and the male is a Chihuahua, unless a teacup Pomeranian is used. Typically, smaller male dogs breed to larger females for ease of whelping (i.e. birth). If the mother is a Chihuahua, this could be dangerous as the puppies may be too large for their mother to birth.

Since the Pomchi is a mixed breed dog, there are no official breed standards for their appearance or size.

A common color is sable and brown, however there are different color varieties. Blue and tan, black and tan and cream varieties are increasing in popularity.

They can also have different coat types. For instance, they could be bred from a long haired Chihuahua. If left untrimmed, this coat can grow quite long and be a mixture of textures.

Most Pomchi dogs have a thick double coat that requires regular grooming and haircuts to keep from matting and tangling.

Pomchis stand at 6 to 10 inches and weigh a mere four to twelve pounds.

They might be small in size, but their personality makes up for it! They are great lap dogs and love to be held and petted on their own terms.

This dog has a tendency to choose a favorite person and cling to them. He will get along with other members of the family, but he might be better suited for a single person or a couple versus a family with lots of children.

Like many other small dogs, he also tends to be quite vocal and anxious when left alone for long periods of time. If you are out of the house for the majority of the day, this breed is not right for you, or your neighbors!

This mix can also get quite nervous and is prone to stranger aggression and nipping if not socialized as a puppy. Thankfully, they are relatively trainable dogs, but it does take time to build their confidence.

Appearance

Pomchis are fluffy little heart stoppers. They are affectionate, love attention, and being around people.

The Pomchi truly lives up to their reputation of being a teddy bear dog! They are generally considered full grown once they reach 18 months of age.

At this age they will stand a maximum of 10 inches tall and have a sable and brown fluffy double coat.

Size

The Pomchi stands at only six to ten inches tall, and weighs anywhere from four to twelve pounds. For reference, this is about the size of a small house cat or slightly smaller than a Cavapoo.

Both the parents are toy breeds, so it is expected that this dog will be similar in size to the toy breeds they are bred from.

As this is a relatively new mix, there are few to no breeding standards.

It is safe to assume that your Pomchi will be a small dog, but understand there could be some variation in the height and weight ranges depending on the parents. Their adult weight does have a genetic component, and Pomchis with larger parents will likely be on the heavier side of the weight range.

Another thing to consider is that males are often slightly larger than females. Females tend to stay towards the smaller end of that range, where males generally grow larger.

At six months of age, you can expect your dog to be roughly half of its adult weight. So, a three pound, six-month-old puppy, will likely be a six-pound adult when it is full-grown.

There has also been an attempt at breeding teacup-sized Pomchi dogs.

Breeding teacups is a new breeding practice, however, the goal is to breed adults that are less than three pounds. Teacups are supposed to be substantially smaller than a standard-sized fully grown adult.

However, this is a recent breeding practice, and it is too soon to make generalizations about this particular size.

Teacups are appealing because they are so absolutely tiny and cute.

Colors

The Pomchi is most commonly sable and brown, but it depends on the breeding combination and the colors of their parents! Blue/tan, black/tan, cream, black and white varieties can also be found. White is popular because of their white Pomeranian parent.

Some have solid colored coats, but others can have a mix of two colors.

Don’t be fooled, these dogs do shed quite a bit.

If you are looking for a hypoallergenic dog, this breed is not for you!

The coat of this little guy is generally a longer, thicker double coat. They may not be ideal for people with allergies to dogs. Due to the nature of their double coat, they require regular professional grooming and need to be brushed at least once a week.

Do Pomchis Shed?

You should expect your Pomchi to shed lots. Both parent breeds shed heavily. Some Pomchis can shed even more than their parents. This is because of their long, double coat.

This breed will shed more or less depending on the seasonality of where you live:

• As the weather goes colder their coat thickens.
• When it warms up they will have to shed that extra fur in order to remain comfortable in the heat.

But remember, these dogs are rather small. Even when they are shedding at their highest, it won’t be near the quantity of hair that a Husky or a Labrador mix would shed.

Their shedding can be managed with proper grooming, shorter haircuts and regular brushing.

If these things are done regularly, you can expect to see a decrease in shedding.

However, no amount of management will prevent these dogs from shedding entirely. Keep that in mind if you are allergenic to dogs.

Grooming

Most owners choose to have their dogs professionally groomed once a month. Grooming a small dog costs anywhere from $40 to $80, depending on the location it could be more or less expensive.

Pomchi’s have a thick double coat that can grow quite long and become matted if left unattended. Their coat can look very similar to a Mini Australian Shepherd’s.

During grooming, your dog will be washed with de-shedding shampoo, brushed and detangled, blow dried and trimmed. Groomers will often trim their nails and the fur around their feet and under their stomach too.

As their long ear hair tends to trap dirt and debris, some owners request groomers clean their dog’s ears. In extreme cases, they will pluck the hair from inside their ear canals to reduce the risk of ear infections.

It is very important to get your Pomchi puppy used to grooming and water when they are young.

These dogs have to be groomed their whole lives, so starting young and creating a calm, pleasant experience for your dog will save you and your groomer a great deal of trouble. The Pomchi can be naturally very nervous and even nippy in new places and around loud sounds.

If you are feeling particularly ambitious and want to groom your Pomchi yourself, it is entirely possible!

This dog should be brushed once a week with a de-shedding tool and a detangling brush. If your pooch loves to be brushed, it can be a great bonding experience and can be done several times weekly. You will also need to buy some type of hair trimming tools, nail clippers and ear cleaner.

Pomchi Temperament

Pomchis can be a nice mix of Chihuahua and Pomeranian, or they can be just like one parent. Chihuahuas are often energetic, alert and a little nervous. They are curious, inquisitive and bright.

It will be hard to know which breed it will take after until your dog is full size.

As with all mixed breed dogs, a major disadvantage is not knowing exactly what their personality will be like as adults. It is important to meet both parents and gauge their personalities. This will give you a general idea of what personality your puppy might have.

Anyone who owns a Pomchi knows about their larger than life personality!

They are bold, inquisitive, and energetic little dogs who will stop people in their tracks with their sass and spunk.

Unfortunately, this breed can be somewhat reactive and has a tendency to be very vocal. This trait is shared with the Chihuahua, so you can expect your dog will be some level of yappy.

Due to their larger than life personalities, training is crucial to prevent stranger and dog aggression. This will also help reduce the chance they will develop the habit of excess barking.

Chihuahuas are also particularly watchful dogs, they have a tendency to constantly watch their surroundings. This can lead to anxiousness and aggressive behaviors. Unfortunately those traits can also be shared with the Pomchi.

Pomchis tend to do well in families, however due to their small body they can be frightened easily and may become nippy. Children should be taught how to properly play with a dog before they are introduced.

The Pomeranian and Chihuahua are both smart breeds, however, at times they can be stubborn and belligerent.

In general, the Pomchi enjoys learning and is smart. But, do not try and convince them to do something they don’t want to do!

Lifespan

The Pomchi has a life expectancy of 12 to 16 years. You can expect to have your best friend by your side for a long time!

A Pomchi will keep you on your toes and enjoys fresh air and time spent outdoors. The different smells, sights and sounds will help build their confidence, while simultaneously tiring them out.

Although they do like to exercise and play, they do not require an overwhelming amount of walks.

Pomchis would much prefer a walk around the block, rather than a run through a field. This is why they are so suitable to city living and moderately active households. Thirty minutes of walking a day is more than enough.

This mix can become overweight very easily because of their small body.

If you are not able to walk them daily, they at least need to be played with indoors to stay within a healthy weight range. They love having a variety of different toys and enrichment experiences.

Overweight dogs are subject to a variety of health conditions such as joint issues and a shortened lifespan.

Puppies

Litters of Pomchi puppies can be anywhere from two to five. When they are born they start out weighing less than a pound. The generally grow to four pounds or more by their first year of life.

If you are bringing this puppy home to a family with young children, note they are very delicate. They should not be given to children that are unsupervised or don’t know how to properly interact and hold a small puppy.

There is a chance these dogs can develop a short temper.

Constant poking and prodding from children are liable to set them off. They have a tendency to get nippy, so it is really important to properly socialize them.

Have regular visitors to your house, and focus on proper interactions and preventing barking before it starts. Socialization is key to making sure your puppy does not develop stranger aggression.

In general they are best suited to single owners or a couple due to their nature to pick a person and bond with them.

You can expect to spend between $500 to $2000 on a Pomchi.

Their price will depend on the breeder and geographical location. They are most expensive in states where designer breeds are fashionable and popular, such as California, Florida, and New York.

It is important to do your research on the breeder to make sure they are responsible and breeding high quality, well taken care of dogs.

A good breeder will be knowledgeable about the genetics of their dog, as well as both the parent breeds. They will also be registered, able to provide you references and provide proof that they health screen their breeding stock for genetic and preventable health conditions.

History

Pomeranians are miniature versions of the powerful sled dogs of the Arctic. The breed originated and is named for Pomerania, an area of northeastern Europe that is now part of both Poland and Germany.

Hundreds of years ago, Pomeranians were bred down from sled dogs into toy and teacups dogs. They are the smallest of the spitz breeds. Queen Victoria is credited for their rise in popularity and reduced their weight from 30 pounds to their current toy weight of three to seven pounds.

Chihuahuas are from Mexico. About one thousand years ago when the Toltecs held power in Mexico, the breed of choice was the Techichi. Techichis were larger and heavier ancestors of the Chihuahua.

Eventually, the Aztecs conquered the Toltecs, and historians credit the Aztecs for selectively breeding the Techichi into the smaller Chihuahua. Americans took an interest in the breed in the mid to late 1800s. In 1908, the Kennel Club registered their first Chihuahua.

The Pomchi mix has no known history.

It can be assumed that this breed existed naturally or accidentally over the years. But, it was not until the 2000s that the Pomchi was intentionally bred. Their sole purpose is companionship.

Summary

A Pomchi is a mix between a Pomeranian and a Chihuahua.

If you are looking for a toy-sized fluff ball, with a larger-than-life personality, then this mix might have the makings to be your new best friend!

Between their fluff and their attitude, they are sure to stop strangers right in their tracks.

The Pomchi is best suited to single adults or couples. Owners find this dog tends to pick and stick to one person like glue! For this reason, they are great long term companions and lapdogs.

However, they do love their daily walks and will keep you on your toes with their flamboyance and energy. A walk around the block and indoor playtime are enough to keep these little dogs happy!

This mix can do great in social situations and with other dogs, however be warned that they will need lots of 
socialization.

Is the fluffy Pomchi the companion for you?