Pomeranian Australian Shepherd Mix: The Cutest Friendship Dog

Pomeranians are incredibly cute little balls of fluff and love, the perfect house companion. Australian Shepherds are highly intelligent working dogs, perfect for outdoor adventures and herding animals…but also perfect as family companions. 

But what about mixing both of these dog breeds together? It might sound weird at first, a Pomeranian and an Australian Shepherd, how does the merge of that go?

But the result is a super cute crossbreed that is actually recognized as a designer dog, as it is specifically bred and highly sought out. 

Commonly, this crossbreed of Pomeranian and Australian Shepherd is known as the Aussiepom, combining both names.

And if you ever see one, you will see why they are so sought after and VIP, they are incredibly cute. It’s like getting a gorgeous Australian Shepherd, turning it into a miniature version, and enhancing cuteness. 

But appearance isn’t everything. Before you decide to have an Aussiepom, you need to know everything about them, from the breed disposition to the temperament, to their physical needs and training…

But don’t worry, we can tell you about all that and more. Let’s get right into it! 

Pomeranian and Australian Shepherd: History of the breed

Most dogs have been either specifically bred for a purpose, or they have been bred in modern days as designer dogs to be as cute as possible with the best traits.

Crossbreeds are usually designer dogs, bred to mix both parent breeds into one.

But it’s important to know the history of the parent breeds, as those original purposes can be inherited by the crossbreed, affecting not only the appearance but also the temperament. 

History of the Pomeranian Breed:

The Pomeranian dog is descended from the German Spitz, and the name comes from its association with the region known as Pomerania, from Northern Poland and Germany, along the Baltic Sea, where the dog was most popular. 

Originally, Pomeranians were bred as working dogs, and they were in charge of pulling sleds, guarding houses, and protecting livestock.

However, they soon began to be bred as family and house companions, so they slowly became smaller and less capable of doing all that hard work. 

In fact, Pomeranians became well known because they were favored by royals of many different countries that had them as pets.

They became associated with royalty, and as high-class pets, so this further resulted in them becoming small and cute, with almost no trace of their working days. 

Nowadays, they remain popular as cute house pets and family companions, and most Pomeranians seem to have an inherent memory of when they were considered royalty, as they can be divas! 

History of the Australian Shepherd breed:

Australian Shepherds were bred as working dogs, specifically, as herding dogs. Truth is, they are still used as working dogs, especially herding, nowadays, they’ve just also become hugely popular house pets and family companions! 

They first appeared in California, during the 19th century. The name, therefore, comes not from their place of origin, but from the breeds they were developed from as these were imported from Australia and New Zealand. 

They are known for being active, loyal, and very obedient. Super easy to train, and always eager to perform their tasks.

History of the Aussiepom breed:

The crossbreed between Australian Shepherds and Pomeranians, the Aussiepom, is considered to be a designer dog, as it is bred purposefully.

This intentional breeding became popular during the 2000s, in order to combine the cuteness of Pomeranians with the intelligence of Australian Shepherds, amongst other traits. 

Crossbreeds are also popular because they reduce the individual health risks of each parent breed, and because they add something new and visually appealing to the world of dogs.

And Aussipoms are certainly sought after and considered to be of high value! 

Personality and Temperament of a Pomeranian and Australian Shepherd Mix:

Each dog is unique in its personality and temperament, with different quirks that make them special.

But different dog breeds will have tendencies and dispositions to different kinds of personalities and temperaments, so it’s pretty easy to predict, more or less, how a dog will behave in general, depending on its breed. 

With crossbreeds, it can depend on which parent breed the dog takes after, or it could be a combination and mixture of both. It kinda depends! The best assurance is to check with the breeder to see how the parents of the dog behave. 

Personality and temperament of the Pomeranian:

Pomeranians are often described as being small dogs with very big personalities, and that pretty much sums them up.

They are very friendly and affectionate, and despite being small, they are full of energy and think of themselves to be the bosses of everything.

In fact, they will usually be quite sassy at bigger dogs, by tackling them or barking at them, as if unaware that the larger dog could literally sit on them! 

They are pretty intelligent dogs and they are very good at learning obedience tricks, which is why they excel at obedience competitions.

However, training them can take quite a bit of patience, as they tend to have a streak of independence and stubbornness.

It’s their royal diva showing! 

They’re good with children and great as lap dogs. The only issue is that they are very prone to excessive barking, which is great if you need a guard dog, but not so much if you need a quiet house pet.  

Personality and temperament of the Australian Shepherd:

Australian Shepherds are the poster dogs of herding. They are incredibly intelligent, highly obedient, loyal to the extreme, and super active, and high-energy.

They are friendly and playful, and they are great with children, families, other dogs, and even strangers. 

The only downside to this is that they require a lot of exercises and a lot of interaction and focused attention, as they require a lot of mental and physical stimulation.

You have to have the time and dedication to train them regularly and to keep them engaged with tasks, or else they will become restless and hyperactive. 

Personality and temperament of the Aussiepom:

Both Pomeranians and Australian Shepherds are active and high-energy dogs, so you can expect your Aussiepom to be equally as active and full of energy.

They are often described as being fluffballs of love, as they love snuggling with their owners, and they love affection and playing. 

If they have inherited more traits from the Pomeranian, Aussipoms can get possessive of their owners and can become quite territorial and mistrustful of strangers, something you will have to train. 

If they have inherited more traits from the Australian Shepherd, Aussipoms will need a lot of extra mental stimulation, such as regular training, learning new tricks, and being engaged with tasks or activities.

Otherwise, they will become quite restless and even destructive, out of boredom. 

But overall, Aussiepoms are intelligent, loving, friendly, and full of energy when it comes to playing. 

Physical traits of a Pomeranian and Australian Shepherd Mix:

The crossbreed between a Pomeranian and an Australian Shepherd results in one of the cutest dogs ever. The Pomeranian is a small dog, and the Australian Shepherd is middle-sized, so the result is a mixture of both, somewhere in between. 

As a general rule, an Aussipom will be between 11 to 17 inches tall, and will weigh between 10 to 30 pounds, it can really depend on which parent it takes after the most. 

With both the Pomeranian and the Australian Shepherd having fluffy long coatings of hair, the Aussiepom has a fluffy coating of luscious and soft hair. (This might not be ideal for those with allergies, but it makes them super ideal for snuggling!) 

Usually, Aussipoms will showcase colorings and patterns similar to the Australian Shepherd, with red merle, blue merle, and tri-color patterns. 

They essentially look like a miniature Australian Shepherd that has the fox-like facial features of a Pomeranian, a perfect combination! 

Training and Exercise Needs of a Pomeranian and Australian Shepherd Mix:

Aussiepoms are really cute and on a smaller size compared to other dogs, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t active. After all, one of their halves comes from Australian Shepherds, which are renowned for needing a lot of daily exercises.

And even Pomeranians are small but active, with heaps of energy. 

So basically, Aussiepoms require daily exercise, even if it’s just a few walks and a few games and activities. The exact amount they need will depend on whether they take more after the Pomeranian parent or the Australian Shepherd. 

They will also need a lot of mental stimulation, in order to avoid getting bored. When bored, they might become restless and destructive.

And as Pomeranians have a tendency towards excessive barking, they might have also inherited a bit of that loudness. 

As for training, Aussiepoms are generally really obedient and easy to train, thanks to the ease of disposition from their Australian Shepherd side, and their eagerness to be involved in tricks from their Pomeranian side.

However, they might sometimes inherit a bit of a stubborn or independent streak from their Pomeranian parent. After all, that breed is known for being a bit of a diva! 

Grooming Needs of a Pomeranian and Australian Shepherd Mix:

Both the Pomeranian and the Australian Shepherd have long coatings of hair. This is great for fluffy and warm snuggles, but it’s less ideal for those with allergies as they shed quite a lot of hair on a regular basis.

So basically, expect dog hairs to get everywhere. 

This can be reduced with regular grooming and brushing, as well as regular bathing. This will usually be the biggest part of their grooming needs. 

Apart from that, you should be wary of their dental health. Pomeranians are prone to having dental issues, so it’s recommended to brush their teeth regularly, every day if possible.

You should also ensure they have a well-balanced diet paired with exercise, as they can be prone to gaining weight quite quickly! 

Longevity and Health of a Pomeranian and Australian Shepherd Mix:

There are many different factors that affect the average lifespan of a dog. The quality of the life they live, the amount of exercise and type of food, their health disposition…and of course, their type of breed. 

Pomeranians will usually live between 12 to 15 years. Australian Shepherds have an average closer to between 13 to 15 years, but overall it’s pretty similar.

As a result, the cross between both breeds has a lifespan of between 12 to 15 years, essentially the full extent of the lifespan of both parent breeds combined. 

The good news is that, as a crossbreed, Aussiepoms will not have as high a risk of suffering the health conditions that are common amongst the parent breeds.

Nevertheless, they might inherit some health dispositions from both the Pomeranian and the Australian Shepherd. Mainly, these issues will relate to dental problems, hearing problems, and possible blindness in old age. 

Pomeranian and Australian Shepherd Mix: is this the right dog for you? 

Now that we’ve pretty much talked about all the basics and everything you need to know about Aussiepoms, aka the crossbreed between a Pomeranian and an Australian Shepherd, it’s time to get to the important question: is this the right dog for you? 

As Aussiepoms are middle to small in size, they are pretty convenient to keep at home, and not a lot of space is required, plus they are great lap dogs for snuggling!

However, it’s important that you make sure you are able to provide them with the necessary amount of daily exercise, as they are active dogs that require physical and mental activity on a regular basis in order to thrive and not get bored.

Having your Aussiepom get bored is something to avoid, especially because they will tend to get restless, hyperactive, destructive, or loud, when not properly engaged in enough activities and tasks.

Not to mention that Aussipoms are friendly and playful dogs that crave attention, and that have a streak of believing themselves to be royalty.

So you have to be sure to have enough time for them!