When it comes to the pomeranian vs husky there are a lot of comparisons between the two breeds.
Huskies are much higher maintenance and need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation. Pomeranians are less work, but pack a big personality into a small frame.
Want to know more about these two breeds and how they compare? Here’s a quick rundown before we get into the details.
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Siberian Husky Overview
Huskies were bred by the Chukchi people of Siberia to assist with pulling sleds over long distances.
Huskies have a pack mentality and were not used for guarding or hunting, but rather as a functional part of a pack to work.
Huskies retain a large capacity for exercise due to this and like to be around other dogs due to their pack mentality.
They are very intelligent but difficult to train as they can be stubborn and independent.
They have a thick double coat that requires regular grooming and are not suited for being left alone as they will get bored easily and can develop destructive behaviors.
Pomeranian Overview
Pomeranians originated from spitz sled dogs in Iceland and Lapland that eventually gained popularity in Europe.
Pomeranians today have not retained much (if any) of their working background due to breeding and are instead classified as toy dogs.
Pomeranians love to be around people and don’t require much exercise. They are very intelligent despite their appearance and often think they are much larger than they are!
They can be prone to excessive barking, but make great companions and can happily live in apartments or houses.
Difference In Appearance
Before we get into the list of differences between the pomeranian and husky, let’s get the most obvious one out of the way first.
Huskies and pomeranians clearly look very different.
Siberian huskies are not only much larger, but they have much more of a wolf-like appearance as well.
Pomeranians are clearly much smaller and have more of a teddy bear look. Their noses are less pronounced, and their ears are much smaller but similarly pointed upwards.
More Differences Between Pomeranians vs Huskies
Appearances aside, here are some more differences between these two dog breeds.
Working Nature
Although the origins of both breeds are similar in regard to pulling sleds, since that time huskies have retained much of their working nature while pomeranians have been bred as companions.
This means that huskies need a lot more exercise and mental stimulation, and if you fail to meet their requirements they can get bored and become destructive very quickly.
We’re talking about 2+ hours of exercise per day, as well as mental stimulation in the form of training and playing games or with toys.
Pomeranians on the other hand only need around half an hour of exercise per day and are more than happy to sit on your lap for hours, especially as they become older.
They can still get bored and destructive like huskies, but they are much less maintenance.
Temperament
Huskies and pomeranians have very different personalities.
Huskies are pack animals that are difficult to train. They are often referred to as ‘catlike’ in their behavior in that they have very little desire to please their owners.
Huskies do love to be around people, however, and need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation to keep happy.
Pomeranians are easier to train and are generally very friendly and perky. Pomeranians love to be the centre of attention and thrive on attention.
They require less exercise and mental stimulation and are great companions.
Prey Drive
Huskies have a high prey drive, whereas pomeranians have a low prey drive.
This essentially means that huskies are prone to chasing small animals, including small dogs or cats, without much control over the behavior.
This is one of the reasons why it isn’t recommended to leave huskies off-leash, and also a reason why they are prone to escaping.
Similarities Between Pomeranians And Huskies
Despite the clear difference in appearance and size between these two breeds, there are a lot of similarities between the two that you probably haven’t thought about.
Working Background
This might be confusing at first, especially as I mentioned previously that huskies are a working breed that require a purpose whereas pomeranians are toy dogs that are happy to sit on your lap all day.
However, when you look into the history of the pomeranian they did actually descend from the Artic and Spitz dogs of Iceland and Lapland, where they were used for pulling sleds and various other tasks.
The spitz breed became popular and eventually spread into Europe, where 5 types emerged.
One of these – called the Zwerg Spitz – would eventually come to be the pomeranian that we know today.
So, technically speaking pomeranians and huskies both share a working background as sled dogs, but huskies have retained this trait whereas pomeranians have had this essentially bred out of them.
This is why you can say that they have similar origins, but are very different dogs in behavior today.
Grooming
Pomeranians and huskies have double coats, which is where the fur is made up of two distinct layers:
- A dense undercoat of short hairs that have a wooly texture
- A top coat made of longer guard hairs.
Double-coated breeds shed quite a lot, especially when they are blowing coat, and need to be groomed daily and even multiple times a day during coat-blowing season.
Vocal
Both breeds are very vocal.
Pomeranians, for example, are prone to excessive barking and will bark and yap all day if you let them. This does make them great watchdogs, but it means you need to be strict with training to not let it get excessive.
Huskies are also very vocal and will howl or even talk at you. Huskies are also pretty good watchdogs as well.
Life Expectancy
Fortunately, both of these breeds have very good life expectancies:
- Pomeranians live 12-16 years on average
- Huskies live 12-15 years on average
Pomeranians are more susceptible to health problems like collapsed trachea as they are a smaller breed, whereas huskies are more at risk of issues like hip dysplasia due to their size and activity levels.
In terms of overall health, both breeds are considered to be very healthy and can live a long time given the right care.
Compatible With Other Dogs
Huskies are pack animals by nature and love to be around other dogs. They also show little to no aggression toward other dogs, which is ideal when judging their compatibility to be in households with multiple dogs.
Pomeranians get along well with other dogs, and the only real concern is that they are at risk of getting injured while playing with larger dogs due to their size and ‘big dog’ attitude.
Aggression
Huskies and pomeranians are not aggressive breeds and are more likely to befriend a stranger than be wary of them.
There are some cases where huskies have attacked, but these are extremely rare and usually happen as a result of being provoked or attacked in the first place or if they have been raised in an abusive household.
Some pomeranians can get bitey if they are neglected or not looked after properly, but there is obviously less risk involved due to their size.
Given the right care, both breeds are gentle and show no aggression.
In Summary
Huskies and pomeranians have pretty similar grooming requirements and are both very vocal.
In terms of size and exercise requirements, huskies are much more work and require a serious and experienced owner.
Pomeranians are super easy to take care of and require little attention. They are more suited for apartment living than most dogs and are great fun to be around.
Want to see more husky breed comparisons? Check out some of our others here:
