The Poshie is a cute cross between the Pomeranian and the Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie) dog breeds. These small-sized wonderful dogs are known for their zealous disposition and are great lap dogs.
They are considered a Designer Dog and likely originated in the U.S. in the 1980s when breeders first began crossing pure-bred dogs in order to create smaller, hypo-allergenic or gentler variations of some of the more popular breeds.
Pomeranian X Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie) = Poshie
Appearance
The Poshie is a small to medium sized dog who brings together the outgoing personality of the Pomeranian and the playful character of the Sheltie (Shetland Sheepdog). A full-grown Poshie may grow up to 7-16inches and weight 5-25 lbs.
They have an adorable face with a well-shaped body covered with a thick double fluffy coat just like the Pom. The Poshie has small black eyes and a long muzzle ending in a dark nose and a curled tail all of which compliments to its beautiful personality.
The double coat is long, dense, and sheds seasonally twice a year. The color of their coat may vary from brown, black, sable, tan, sable, red, fawn, cream, brindle or a combination of any two.
Poshie Pictures
Quick Information
| Characteristics | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Poshie |
| Other Names | Pomeranian Sheltie Mix, Pom Sheltie Mix, Pomeranian Shetland Sheepdog Mix |
| Color | Black, blue, brindle, cream, orange, sable, red, white, combinations with white, tricolor |
| Coat | Long, straight, double, silky |
| Breed Type | Crossbreed |
| Breed Group | Companion Dog, lap Dog, Watchdog |
| Size | Small - Medium |
| Hieght | 9-15 inches |
| Weight | 5-25 Lbs |
| Life Span/Life Expentancy | 12-16 Years |
| Temperament | Intelligent, affectionate, alert, loving, loyal, independent, energetic. |
| Shedding | Seasonal (Twice) |
| Hypoallergenic | No |
| Barking Level | Yes (Occasionally) |
| Energy Level | Active |
| Good with Children | Yes |
| Good with Other Dogs | No |
| Litter Size | N.A |
| Competitive Registration/Qualification Information | DBR, IDCR, ACHC, DDKC, DRA |
Temperament
These dogs have an adorable personality and are cute, loving and affectionate towards the family, making a great companion and lap dogs. Pochies are energetic, enthusiastic and get the herding gene from their parents, making them suitable for a rural and urban lifestyle. This breed is intelligent, sharp and gifted with an alert mind, thus make expert guard dogs who raise an alarm or bark if he spots a stranger around the house.
Their playful nature and loving eyes will always catch your attention. They are good with kids and other pets in the family and are excellent companions to them. They love to cuddle and play and are very loyal to their families. Owing to their Pomeranian side they may be a little temperamental at times, but proper training and socialization from a young age will sort this out.
Care ~ Exercise
The Porchie is a high-energy canine breed and needs a lot of exercise and activities to burn his energy and keep him mentally and physically stimulated. If we dog does not exercise well, then they tend to be bored, which at times leads to destructive behavior including barking tendencies, chewing household items or breaking things.
A 30-40 minute walk or jog in the park or fenced yard will keep him physically fit. These pooches love to play and activities like, Frisbee, hide and seek, dead dog or fetch play will keep them happy. Since these dogs have a tendency to herd, its best to keep them leashed when out to have control on them.
Grooming
The Sheltie Pomeranian Mix has a long-haired coat which shed twice a year. Brush them 3-4 times a week to keep their hair shiny and natural oils well distributed. They have a silky coat which needs to be combed regularly to keep them tangle free, neat, and avoid matting of the fur.
Bathing them once in two months is fine to keep their fur dirt free and clean. Apart from this, regular grooming requirements including, trimming of the nails, brushing their teeth regularly and cleaning their ears to avoid wax build-up and free from infection is recommended.
Health Problems
This crossbreed is a fairly healthy dog with an average life-span of 12-16 years. Like all other cross breeds, they may suffer from diseases which their parents, the Pomeranian and the Sheltie were prone to. Some of the common diseases they are prone to are;
- Patellar luxation
- Cataracts
- Entropion
- Hip dysplasia
Be sure to get its proper vaccination before you get it from a trusted breeder. Regular visits to the Vet for its tests and a healthy diet is recommended.
Training
The Poshie is intelligent dog breeds and is quick learners who are easy to train. They have strong herding instincts due to their parent’s lineage and will require early training and socialization to break their preying and hunting habits.
Positive Reinforcement: Taking a positive and fun, rewards-based approach is the best way to encourage your dog. Lots of verbal encouragement and treats of your choice to get the best results from them.
Obedience Training: Obedience training always comes prior to socialization training, especially to herding dogs. Since herding dogs have a natural instinct to hunt other animals, it is important to train them the basic obedience commands like ‘freeze’, ‘back’, ‘halt’. ‘stop’, and etc. to keep them even-tempered and well-rounded dogs.
Socialization: Taking your young puppies to parks to play and meet other people and animals will make them comfortable with strangers and help them come out of their shyness.
Feeding/Diet
As they are a high energy breed, Poshies need a quality dry kibble diet according to the dog ‘s age and weight. A protein and the high carb-rich food is best for this breed.
Choose a nutrient-rich balanced diet without a lot of fillers (carbs) that will cause him to over-eat to feel full. Always keep his weight in check so that they don’t overeat and gain weight. Gaining excess weight may result in joint pain later in life.
Poshie Puppy Images
