All About Pomskies

What is a Pomsky? The short answer is a Siberian Husky and Pomeranian hybrid...
But you came here for a little more info than that, right?
Below you'll find a brief history on this still quite new breed.

It all started with a viral photo...

not a pomskyTequila - a Finnish Lapphund puppy
There are many conflicting stories on the exact origins of pomskies. However the early rumors and unreliable details are less important than when the idea actually took hold. You may or may not remember way back in 2011 when BuzzFeed posted an article titled, " Pomskies - The Pomeranian + Siberian Husky Mix: the cutest designer dog breed ever ?" It was inspired by several photos of cute puppies, all claiming to be a "pomsky", however none of the photos circling the internet at the time were actually real pomskies. The most famous and recognizable was a photo taken by Tommie Ohlson.

Unfortunately the viral photo so many were enamored with was actually a Finnish Lapphund puppy, not a full grown Pomsky as was being purported. At the time this photo was making its rounds a real Pomsky was merely a myth. No matter how in love the public may have been with the idea of such an adorable dog, they may as well have been longing for a unicorn...and a miniature one at that.

The First Intentional Pomsky Litter

On March 5th 2012 a myth was turned into reality. Two friends in Arizona, Tressa Peterson ( Apex Pomskies) and Joline Phillips ( Arctic Design Pomskies ) hatched a plan to bring the infamous pomsky into existence. The very first intentional litter was created by artificial insemination of a Pomeranian sire and Siberian Husky Dam. Although there are claims of accidental pomsky litters prior to 2012, without verification, its impossible to know if the rumors are true, or what the exact mix entailed.

Pomskies Gain Traction

Pomsky Club of Americawww.pomskyclubofamerica.org
With the elusive and highly desirable pomsky finally becoming real, both breeders and the demand for puppies exploded. Within the span of a year, the number of legitimate breeders rose from almost none to over 30 in the United States in 2014.

Due to the fact that demand was so high and seemingly impossible to attain for many would-be owners, scams and unethical practices began to emerge. Irresponsible breeders simply saw profits to be made and quickly began poorly breeding dogs without verification of DNA. Often times out-right lying about a litter's parentage. It became apparent that some sort of association would be necessary to hold breeders responsible and ensure the development of the breed continued on its intended course.

The first to come on the scene was "The Pomsky Club of America", formed by Tressa Peterson, owner of Apex Pomskies, and co-creator of the very first pomsky litter. The organization consisted of breeders who were all required to adhere to the same comprehensive code of ethics. Each breeder was carefully selected and the group was exclusive. They shared goals that completely focused on the development of the breed as opposed to gaining as many members as possible. This exclusivity prompted some outside of the club to be critical on occasion and in turn more clubs and associations were formed.

Clubs, associations, registrations and communities deserve to be scrutinized. Unfortunately "accreditation", "approval", and "registration" don't always hold as much weight as they may appear to. No matter how official any recommendation may seem, its your responsibility to investigate each individual breeder before ever deciding where to get your new puppy. This is a good idea with any breed, but especially with one as new and as in demand as the Pomsky.

Pomskies in the Media

Norman the PomskyNorman the Pomsky
Pomskies started off viral and they continue on that path. It isn't difficult to see why. Pomskies stop people in their tracks in public and their social media accounts continue to grow.

The most famous Pomsky in the world is undoubtedly our past puppy, Norman the Pomsky. Bred by us, Northern California Pomskies in 2016 from a litter between our Siberian Husky Dam, Tippi, and Pomeranian Stud, Nucky. Norman began his new life of fame in Los Angeles CA on May 6th 2016 with his very first Instagram post. His family has been instrumental in making him a glowing public figure participating in charities, promoting canine products with his undeniably adorable face, and evening appearing in a movie!
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More and more pomsky social media accounts pop up everyday. Its a fun and exciting community to be a part of, celebrating the most vibrant and joy inducing breed out there.

The Future of Pomskies

Pomskies have made short work of becoming one of the most popular breeds around. Despite criticism from opponents who claim the development of the breed to be irresponsible, Pomskies have become widely accepted. Many of these detractors are anti-breeder in general or blatantly disregard how all breeds, AKC recognized or not, came into existence. This controversy has done little to slow the growing number of Pomsky breeders.

Such a fast growth has unfortunately led to a fractured idea of where the breed is headed. With no stated standard or agreed upon traits to breed for, each breeder has begun to develop their own look within their lines. The variety is not necessarily a bad thing, as the varied genetics promote healthier dogs. However it is difficult for a potential owner to know what to expect from their developing puppy unless they have closely followed their selected breeder over time. The nice thing about Pomskies is that many of the breeders are very active on social media and its easy to see how their puppies grow and change into adulthood.

The important thing is to recognize which breeders have a plan. The way to tell this is to see who is getting consistently good results and appears to be improving their puppies in appearance over time. The reason this is so important is because it is often indicative as to what kind of breeders they are (responsible vs. irresponsible). The breeder who does not improve their lines cares only about one thing ($$$). They do not invest the time and money it takes to make progress as a breeder. Their breeding stock likely consists of the cheapest and easiest dogs they could find to produce puppies they could sell. These are not breeders you want to work with or support. When owners accept responsibility before they even get their Pomsky, they will work hard to choose the best breeder possible.

We believe the future of Pomskies to be very bright. With responsible breeders and responsible owners working together to promote the breed in a positive way, Pomskies can be established as the outstanding family and companion dog they were intended to be. Its hard to say how, when, or if Pomskies will ever be accepted into the traditional ranks of the AKC world, but one thing is for sure, the breed has already achieved a great level of acceptance and popularity than most breeds do in decades. Our goal is to see this breed flourish. We support the breed wholeheartedly believing Pomskies to be the ideal family and companion dogs.