How to Buy a Pomapoo Puppy in the United States | PetzLover

What does a Pomeranian and Toy Poodle cross bring?

Both parents are small, bright companion dogs, but their coats differ: the Pomeranian has a profuse double coat that sheds, the Poodle a curly coat that grows. A puppy can take after either parent or fall in between.

MetLife suggests about a 30-minute walk a day plus play, so a Pomapoo suits an apartment as well as a house. It is a good match for adults, retirees and families with older, gentle children; the AKC suggests Pom homes have children old enough to know the difference between a toy dog and a toy. It suits people out all day poorly, because both parents bond closely.

Which health tests should a Pomapoo puppy's parents have?

There is no Pomapoo test list, so ask for what each parent's breed club recommends. Results are kept in the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) database, which also accepts mixed-breed dogs, so you can look up both parents by registered name.

• Kneecaps: the Pomeranian club calls slipping kneecaps the most common problem in Poms, and the American College of Veterinary Surgeons says dogs diagnosed with patellar luxation should not be bred.
• Legg-Calve-Perthes disease: PetMD says it mostly affects Toy Poodle puppies under 18 months; ask whether any relative has had it.
• Tracheal collapse: a weak windpipe that causes a goose-honk cough, seen in both toy breeds; ask whether either parent honks.
• No-test problems: MetLife's list for the cross includes epilepsy, Addison's disease, cataracts and dental disease, and Poms can have alopecia X, a coat loss with no screening test. Ask about relatives.

Why should you avoid teacup Pomapoos?

Teacup, micro and pocket are sales labels, not sizes. Writing for PetMD, veterinarian Jennifer Coates explains that teacup breeders pair the smallest dogs to produce tiny puppies that sell for high prices, and lists risks that include low blood sugar, liver shunts, crowded teeth and bones fragile enough to break in a jump off a bed.

Scammers use the word too. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) lists teacup in an ad as a warning sign, and an earlier BBB study counted 77 fake websites selling Pomeranians in six weeks. A breeder who promises a Pomapoo will stay under 4 pounds is selling smallness, not health.

Where can you find Pomapoo puppies for sale, and what should you ask?

• Small home breeders who own the mother, raise the litter indoors and can show both parents' results.
• Listings: you can browse Pomapoo puppies for sale, filter by location and save the search to get alerts when a new litter is listed.
• An adult instead: owners and rescues place grown Pomapoos whose size and coat are known; see taking in a rehomed Pomapoo.

1. Can I see the puppy with its mother, in person or on a live video call?
2. How tall and heavy are both parents, and is the Poodle a Toy?
3. Can I see both parents' patella and eye results, the Pom's heart exam and the Poodle's PRA-prcd result?
4. Has any relative had a honking cough, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, seizures or coat loss?
5. How many meals a day does the puppy eat, and has it had low blood sugar?
6. Which vaccines and deworming has it had, and is it microchipped?
7. Does the contract include a health guarantee and a promise to take the dog back at any age?

How much does a Pomapoo puppy cost?

We found no reliable published price for Pomapoos, so use the parents as a yardstick and be wary of a cross priced above health-tested purebreds.

Ask your groomer to brush and trim rather than shave a plush, Pom-type coat: VCA Animal Hospitals notes a problem in plush-coated breeds like the Pomeranian where clipped hair can take up to two years to regrow. Budget for teeth too; the Merck Veterinary Manual names Toy Poodles as particularly prone to retained baby teeth.

How do you avoid scams and keep a new Pomapoo puppy safe?

• Never pay by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency or a cash app; the Federal Trade Commission says a credit card gives the most protection.
• Distrust imported young puppies: the CDC requires dogs entering the US to be at least six months old and microchipped.
• Feed small, regular meals; the AKC says toy puppies under 12 weeks can run low on blood sugar when cold, active or stressed. Trembling, weakness or extreme sleepiness needs a vet at once.
• Use a harness, not a collar, to protect the windpipe, and stop jumps off sofas and beds.
• Stay outside with your puppy; the AKC warns that Poms slip through small gaps and can be taken by hawks and owls.

About 22 states have puppy lemon laws, and many set a minimum sale age; Pennsylvania, for example, bans selling a dog under eight weeks. Get a written contract, see your vet within days, register the microchip in your name and use the Report Scam button on any listing that looks wrong. Owners who later need to place a dog can read how to rehome your Pomapoo responsibly.