Are Pomskies Good Family Dogs: Why Pomskies and Little Kids Don’t Mix
The adorable, fluffy, and fun-size Pomsky hybrid dog breed has recently become the newest hot dog to own.
These dogs have mixed parentage – they are a cross between a purebred Pomeranian dog and a purebred Siberian Husky dog.
Because Pomskies are so small and cute, many people think they will make wonderful family dogs. However, this is not always the case.
In this article, we discuss the ideal family for a Pomsky dog so you can decide if this is the right companion canine for your family.
Are Pomskies Good Family Dogs?
Pomskies are known to be good family dogs in the right family situation. Pomskies are nippy naturally, and this can present some dangers when your family includes very young children and/or other small vulnerable prey-type pets.
But if your kids are old enough to learn and remember how to be gentle with a small dog like the Pomsky, and if you are willing to train your Pomsky every single day, then a Pomsky can be a good family dog for you.
Get to Know the Pomsky With This Short Video
This short, simple video gives you the basic facts you need to know about the Pomsky breed.
One thing you will quickly notice is that the Pomsky dog is only recommended as a family pet for families with older children.
Here, the term “older children” is meant to describe kids who are old enough to learn how to handle and play gently with a small breed dog like the Pomsky.
The Ideal Family for a Pomsky Dog
The ideal family for a Pomsky dog is actually quite specific.
Because these dogs can be stubborn and nippy, and because they have short attention spans and high energy levels, Pomskies are definitely not right for every family!
As the International Pomsky Association explains, Pomskies are not for everyone. So let’s take a look at the ideal family situation for a Pomsky puppy or adult Pomsky rescue dog.
An active single individual
Pomskies get their active, energetic, and playful personality honestly.
Both the Pomeranian and the Siberian Husky dog breeds are true working dog breeds (even though the Pomeranian today definitely doesn’t look like it!).
The Pomsky does need plenty of enrichment, activity, exercise, playtime, training and people time every day to stay happy, healthy, and out of trouble.
Because the Pomsky does have a tendency to bond more strongly with a single person, as VetStreet points out, an active single individual is the hands-down best option for a Pomsky dog.
These dogs need to be with their people and be the center of family life. If it is just you and your Pomsky and you spend a ton of time together, this is going to be the perfect situation for your dog.
An active couple
The second-best option for a Pomsky dog is going to be an active couple.
If you and your partner want to make your dog the center of your life and you love doing canine-centric things every day, this is going to meet your Pomsky’s needs very well.
You can balance out your dog’s genetic tendency to bond more closely with just one person by splitting the daily training and care tasks evenly.
For example, Pomskies are very food-oriented, so you could make sure one of you feeds breakfast and the other feeds dinner. This way your Pomsky will understand it is in their best interests to bond closely with both you.
An active family with older kids
The third best option for adding a Pomsky dog to your life would be if you have a family but your kids are older.
The Pomsky Owners Association states right up front that Pomskies can be difficult to train because they are high energy, nippy, stubborn, and have naturally short attention spans.
They dig and chew and howl and bark and whine and jump and run and can be aggressive towards other dogs and other family pets, especially small prey-type animals.
This is why you don’t want to add a Pomsky dog to a family with babies or very young children or to a family where you already have other small family pets that might be in danger from your Pomsky.
Your kids should be at least old enough to learn and remember how to gently handle your Pomsky. They should also be old enough and responsible enough to participate in training your Pomsky.
If your kids are still young enough that they might play too roughly with your Pomsky puppy and risk getting nipped or worse, then this is too young for this dog breed.
How to Successfully Add a Pomsky to Your Family
As Running Spirit Kennel and Pomsky breeder explains, even a full-grown Pomsky is likely to be a very petite pup.
The average Pomsky will weigh between 17 and 30 pounds and stand 10 to 15 inches tall (paw pads to shoulder girdles). This is a pint-sized dog indeed.
There are some special considerations to keep in mind anytime you add a very small dog like the Pomsky to your family.
Choose your Pomsky breeder wisely!
As Northern California Pomskies breeder explains, the Pomsky is a hybrid dog breed is very new – barely a decade old.
Only a handful of dog breeders are familiar enough with Pomsky breeding to know what to do and what not to do.
As well, since hybrid dog breeding combines the genetics of two different purebred dog breeds, two puppies in the same litter can look and act very differently.
The hands-down best way to select a healthy puppy with the right temperament for your family situation is to work with a knowledgeable and experienced Pomsky breeder.
The breeder can help you select the Pomsky puppy that will be the right fit for you.
A reputable Pomsky breeder will give you a proof of parentage, an initial guarantee of puppy health, proof of all required vaccinations and pest control treatments and care guidelines to follow.
When you choose a responsible, health-focused Pomsky breeder to get your puppy from, that breeder will be able to be a resource for you throughout your dog’s life to help you over any hurdles you encounter.
Potty training accidents will happen
The first thing to remember is that you absolutely will have accidents while trying to potty train a small dog like the Pomsky.
These dogs may grow up faster overall than larger dog breeds, but their tiny bowel and bladder system will still take 12 months to mature completely.
You will need to have extreme patience while potty training your Pomsky. You will also need to make sure someone in your family is always home so your Pomsky can relieve themselves when they need to.
Make sure your Pomsky stays with mom for at least nine weeks
Pack-centric dog breeds like the spitz breeds that both the Pomeranian and the Siberian Husky come from needing extra socialization and obedience training to fit into a companion canine role well.
They also really need the early socialization and pack training they will get from the mother dog and their littermates.
Pomsky puppies that don’t get this early experience often have extra training challenges that their human owners then must figure out how to overcome.
This can be especially challenging and frustrating if you are new to caring for and training a pet dog.
Overall, you will work much less hard in training your Pomsky if you let your dog stay with the mama dog and littermates for a little bit longer. Don’t work with any breeder who is willing to let you take your Pomsky puppy before the age of nine weeks old.
Start training right away and involve all family members
Pomskies are headstrong and can be stubborn. In other words, if you don’t train your Pomsky, you can be sure your Pomsky will train you!
Pomeranians have lived as lapdogs to royalty for centuries. They are smart, entertaining, playful, and very cute and they know how to use that to get what they want.
Siberian Huskies are accustomed to living in dog packs and working independently of their people – they have an independent mind and spirit and may not understand the reason for simple “pet dog commands” like sit, stay, and down.
When you choose a dog like the Pomsky that is likely to inherit this unique combination of personality and temperament traits from each parent dog, you don’t want to skip one single training session.
And you want everyone in the family to train your Pomsky so your dog doesn’t try to disobey when their primary trainer is not watching.
By following the tips and guidance in this article, you can have the very best experience of welcoming your Pomsky puppy or adult rescue dog into your life and family.
