American Eskimo vs. Pomeranian: The Main Differences (With Pictures)

Two friendly small dogs you can get are the American Eskimo dog and the Pomeranian. But while these two dogs are extremely similar in many ways, they have distinct differences.

The American Eskimo dog comes in a wider range of size options but has a few more care requirements you’ll need to keep up with. Meanwhile, the Pomeranian is great in a home with no other pets and is an outstanding choice for those who want a non-stop companion.

It’s a lot to sift through, which is why we came up with this guide to walk you through everything you need to know about both adorable breeds.

Visual Differences

At a Glance

American Eskimo Overview

The American Eskimo dog comes in three different sizes: toy, miniature, and standard. The three different sizes of the breed account for the vast size difference within the breed.

But no matter what size American Eskimo dog you go with, you’re getting a great pup with tons of outstanding traits. We’ve highlighted a few of the basics about this wonderful breed for you here:

Personality / Character

If you have kids, the American Eskimo is an excellent dog choice. They’re extremely family friendly and usually get along with just about everyone, although you need to be a bit more careful when introducing them to other pets.

The American Eskimo is extremely smart and are outstanding watchdogs, but without proper training, they can bark quite a bit. Overall, the American Eskimo is an extremely loyal and active dog, although they do have a stubborn streak that can make it a bit more challenging to train them.

Training

While the American Eskimo can be a stubborn breed, they’re also extremely intelligent. Because of this, if you stay consistent with training, you should be able to teach them about anything.

Consistency is critical with the American Eskimo, so aim for at least one training session that lasts about 15 minutes a day.

Health & Care

While the American Eskimo is generally a pretty healthy breed, they are prone to a few common health conditions. These conditions include patellar luxation, canine hip dysplasia, and progressive retinal atrophy.

Most of these issues are genetic, so finding a reputable breeder that offers health guarantees for their dogs goes a long way in ensuring your American Eskimo won’t develop these conditions.

Lifespan

The lifespan of an American Eskimo dog varies a bit depending on the size you go with. Most toy and miniature American Eskimos will live about 14 or 15 years, while the standard-sized American Eskimo will generally live about 13 years.

Suitable for:

The American Eskimo dog is an excellent choice for those with kids. Still, if you do have smaller kids in the home, we recommend going with a miniature or standard size since your child is less likely to accidentally hurt them since they’re a bit larger.

If you have other dogs in the home, an American Eskimo might be the right choice, but we recommend a meet and greet before bringing them home.

Pomeranian Overview

A small dog with a big personality, the Pomeranian is a great dog for many families. They have a rich history and are a joy to own, which is why we wanted to give you a brief overview of the breed here.

Personality / Character

While the Pomeranian is a tiny dog, they don’t realize how small they are. Because of this, you need to be careful with them around larger dogs, but other than that they shouldn’t have problems adapting to other dogs.

The same is true for smaller children, although the children are more likely to hurt the Pomeranian than the other way around. Pomeranians are extremely loving and loyal, and paired with their high intelligence level and fun-loving nature, they’re a joy to have around.

Exercise

While the Pomeranian is a more active dog, because of their smaller size, they don’t have very high exercise requirements. If you can give them 30 minutes of exercise each day, that should be more than enough to keep them happy and content.

As they get older, Pomeranians turn into lap dogs, so if that’s what you’re looking for, they’re a great choice!

Training

Pomeranians are extremely smart, but the only thing that matches their intelligence level is their stubbornness. Because of this, you should probably dedicate one to two training sessions a day to them, and each session should last between 10 and 15 minutes. Consistency is key, and if you stick with it, you can train your Pomeranian to do just about anything.

Health & Care

If you track down a reputable breeder and get a clean bill of health from both parents, there’s a good chance you can avoid most common health problems that come with many Pomeranians. Common health issues that affect many Pomeranians include patella luxation, collapsed tracheas, and hypoglycemia.

Lifespan

The Pomeranian has a longer lifespan than most other dogs, and it’s very common for them to live up to 16 years if they maintain a healthy lifestyle. In fact, the oldest documented Pomeranian lived for over 20 years!

Suitable for:

As long as you don’t have smaller children or larger dogs, the Pomeranian is a great choice. They’re outstanding little family dogs with relatively few health problems that live quite a long time. Whether you live in the city or the country, the Pomeranian is a great dog option for you.

Caring for an American Eskimo or a Pomeranian

Whether you decide to get an American Eskimo dog or a Pomeranian, they’re easier to care for than most other dog breeds. They’re both outstanding choices for first-time dog owners, although it’s worth noting that Pomeranians hate being alone.

Between the two dogs, the American Eskimo does better in packs, while the Pomeranian does better by itself. Finally, the American Eskimo has very high grooming needs, and the Pomeranian has moderate grooming needs.

Which Breed Is Right for You?

If you’re looking for a dog to keep by your side all the time, the Pomeranian is the way to go. But if you already have multiple dogs in your home or if you have smaller children, the American Eskimo dog is a great choice.

Both dogs are outstanding options whether you live in tight quarters or in wide open spaces, so that’s one less thing you need to worry about when picking a breed!

See also: 

• Pomsky vs. Pomeranian
• Samoyed vs Pomeranian

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Featured Image Credit: (L) KA_Richer5171321, Shutterstock | (R) Trent Pickering, Unsplash