Some fans call the Pomeranian Labrador to mix with the Pomador. Other people prefer the term, Librarian. Still, others call this unique hybrid dog breed “very cute!”
Regardless of where you fall in the naming debate, the Pomeranian Labrador mix dog breed offers much to the right individual or family. Several advantages come when you choose a hybrid dog breed, but there are also some cautions to consider.
In this article, learn everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the Pomeranian Labrador mix dog breed and decide whether this might be the right next companion canine for you.
What Is the Pomeranian Labrador Mix Dog?
The short answer is that a Pomeranian Labrador mix dog has one purebred Pomeranian dog parent and one purebred Labrador Retriever dog parent.
This is the case in the earliest breedings. The puppies might come from two Pomeranian Labrador hybrid parent dogs in later breedings.
See a Pomeranian Labrador Mix Dog
If you are wondering what the puppies might look like if you crossed a Pomeranian dog with a Labrador Retriever dog, this breeder’s YouTube video answers that question.
One of the first things to notice is that the two puppies in the video look different in many ways than alike!
Even though both puppies have one Labrador Retriever parent dog and one Pomeranian parent dog, one puppy has more of the Pomeranian face and body style, and the other has more of the Labrador face and body style.
This is more likely to occur in earlier breedings, which we will get into later.
The History of the Pomeranian and the Labrador Retriever
But to start with, let’s take a closer look at each parent dog so you can learn about the breed history and background of each. This will give you a much better appreciation of what your new Pomador puppy might be like!
Pomeranian history
The Pomeranian is the 23rd most popular (out of 195 American Kennel Club registered dog breeds) purebred dog breed in America today.
These dogs might look like they are built for laps and little else, but they are descended from ancient spitz-type dogs bred to pull sleds in the coldest regions on Earth!
Pomeranians first became wildly popular when Queen Victoria fell in love with the breed and decided to breed her own Pom’s bad home in England.
The rest, as they say, is canine history.
Labrador Retriever History
The Labrador Retriever is the most popular (out of 195 American Kennel Club registered dog breeds) purebred dog in America today.
The Labrador Retriever is just one of a handful of dog breeds on Earth that rarely needs any introduction. These dogs have never met a stranger. They are lovable, easygoing, and get along well with everyone (regardless of species).
Every year when the American Kennel Club (AKC) releases its “annual most popular dogs” survey, the Lab is at the top yet again – for 26 years in a row!
Pomeranian Labrador Retriever Mix: Personality and Temperament
So what might a Pomeranian Labrador Retriever mix dog be like in terms of their overall personality and temperament?
The best way to consider this question is to return to each parent dog breed’s basic personality and temperament.
Pomeranian personality and temperament
The Pomeranian is known to be intelligent, lively, keen to entertain, and absolutely devoted to being with people.
This might be where the Pomeranian and the Labrador Retriever are the most alike!
Labrador Retriever personality and temperament
The Labrador Retriever is known to have a huge and friendly personality. These dogs are famously playful and love to be with people.
Labs are also brilliant and can be taught to do tricks with ease.
Pomeranian Labrador Retriever personality and temperament
Looking at the personality and temperament traits between the Pomeranian and the Labrador Retriever makes it a lot easier to see why breeders might have thought to combine these two rather unlikely looking, canine parents.
No matter which dog breed your Pomador puppy takes after, you will likely have a brilliant, friendly, people-loving dog.
Pomeranian Labrador Retriever Mix: Size, Height, and Weight
If two dogs looked more different outside, the Pomeranian and the Labrador Retriever might be those two.
It can be harder to predict how big your puppy will be in adulthood.
Pomeranian size, height, and weight
The Pomeranian is a toy breed dog and typically weighs between three and seven pounds as an adult. At its tallest, a Pomeranian may stand seven inches tall (paw pads to shoulder girdle).
Labrador Retriever size, height, and weight
Contrast what you just read with the Labrador Retriever, a large breed dog that typically weighs between 55 and 80 pounds and stands nearly 25 inches tall (paw pads to shoulder girdle).
Pomeranian Labrador Retriever size, height, and weight
You will read more here later on about different hybrid breeding programs. The type of program you work with will give you other options for predicting your Pomador puppy’s adult size and height.
As you can see, there will be a lot of variation – but typically, you will see Pomador puppies in the middleweight range, between 25 and 65 pounds. The same holds for height – expect somewhere in the 10 to 17-inch tall range.
Pomeranian Labrador Retriever Mix: Training and Exercise Needs
One area where your Pomeranian Labrador Retriever mix dog can be hard to predict in advance is training and exercise needs.
Pomeranian training and exercise needs
Because Pomeranian dogs are so very little and petite, they can be easily injured even though they are naturally athletic.
They also have a thick Arctic spitz-style coat that can cause them to overheat too quickly in hot weather.
Your Pom will appreciate a short daily walk and a chance to get some sunshine and fresh air. But mostly, your dog will be content with inside play and training time.
Labrador Retriever training and exercise needs
Many people who choose Labrador Retrievers are looking for a very active, athletic, and “outdoorsy” dog with which to enjoy an active lifestyle.
Labs tend to have very high energy levels, especially in puppyhood, which can be extended for some breed lines. So you will need to be prepared to do a lot of training and play in puppyhood, longer walks, and exercise in adulthood.
Pomeranian Labrador Retriever training and exercise needs
As you will see, if your puppy grows up to inherit more Labrador traits, you may be looking at quite a lot of daily exercise and training to keep your pup happy and avoid destructive behaviors.
On the other hand, if your pup takes more after the Pomeranian dog parent, you are looking at more of an inside dog that will be happy with some interactive play and short daily walks daily.
Pomeranian Labrador Retriever Mix: Shedding, Grooming, and Coat Care
One trait that many prospective dog owners are particularly interested in is the coat type their dog will grow up to have. How much brushing and grooming is required? Will the dog shed?
The answers are quite different for the Pomeranian and the Labrador, as you will see!
Pomeranian shedding, grooming, and coat care
Because the Pomeranian has a Spitz genetic background, this tiny dog has a double coat – giving the appearance of a giant cotton puff!
These dogs need a lot of brushing to avoid tangles and mats. They also shed seasonally and year-round.
Labrador Retriever shedding, grooming, and coat care
The Labrador Retriever also has a thick double-layer coat, typical of working dog breeds.
The Labrador is sometimes nicknamed a “Shedador” because of how profusely the coat can shed during the “coat blow” seasons twice a year. These dogs also shed year-round.
Happily, you don’t have to do as much brushing and grooming with the Lab’s short, neat coat.
Pomeranian Labrador Retriever shedding, grooming, and coat care
You will be looking at shedding year-round and seasonally with a Pomador because both parent dogs contribute a similar coat trait in these respects.
In terms of grooming, however, you will have much more to do if your dog inherits more of the Pomeranian’s long and tangle-prone coat type.
Pomeranian Labrador Retriever Mix: Longevity and Health
Pomeranians are in the toy dog breed group – the smallest in terms of body size. Often, tiny dogs tend to live longer than their larger breed cousins. This is certainly true of the Pomeranian.
The typical life expectancy for a Pomeranian is between 12 to 16 years old.
Pomeranian longevity and health
Here, depending on which parent dog your Pomador puppy takes after genetically, your dog might live anywhere from 10 to 16 years.
According to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals Canine Health Information Center (OFA-CHIC) database, the Pomeranian has several main genetic (heritable) health issues.
Responsible breeders should pre-test parent dogs for the following:
- Patellar luxation.
- Cardiac issues.
- Hip dysplasia.
- Eye examination.
- Legg Calve-Perthes disease.
- Autoimmune thyroiditis.
Labrador Retriever longevity and health
Like many large breed dogs, the Labrador Retriever’s lifespan is inversely proportional to body size.
The typical life expectancy for a Lab is around 10 to 12 years old.
According to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals Canine Health Information Center (OFA-CHIC) database, the Labrador Retriever has several known genetic (heritable) health issues.
Reputable breeders should be sure to pre-test their parent dogs for these conditions:
- Hip and elbow dysplasia.
- Exercise-induced collapse (EIC).
- Eye issues.
- Centronuclear myopathy.
- Cardiac issues.
- Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA vision test).
- D Locus Dilute test.
Pomeranian Labrador Retriever longevity and health
While modern dog hybrid breeding programs have their critics, the premise behind them is sound. And, at some level, nearly every purebred dog breed in existence today was brought about by a hybrid dog breeding program.
This is because there are two prime advantages of combining dog breeds – combining desirable traits and introducing genetic diversity.
It is this second advantage that is most important when it comes to choosing a Pomeranian Labrador versus choosing either a Pomeranian or a Labrador purebred dog.
Statistically, a Pomador is likelier to be a healthy pet dog because greater genetic diversity reduces the risk of heritable health issues.
Pomeranian Labrador Mix Price
Depending on the breeder and availability, prices for these mixed-breed puppies can vary between $600 and $900.
Pomeranian Labrador Retriever Mix: Choosing a Hybrid Puppy
As Breeding Business explains, there are several different tiers of hybrid puppy breeders.
Different breeders may specialize in hybrid puppies based on their interests and background.
Generally speaking, hybrid puppies fall into the following tiers: F1, F1b, F2, F3, F4, and so on. Sometimes these are further subdivided into F2b, F3b, et al. The reference is to the parent dogs.
F1 litters have one purebred Pomeranian dog parent and one purebred Labrador Retriever parent. F1b Pomadors have one purebred dog parent and one F1 hybrid dog parent. F2 Pomadors have two mixed dog parents, usually from an F1b litter, and so forth.
With later generation litter, you get more uniformity in all traits, from appearance to personality. So hopefully, this will help if you have your heart set on a puppy with a specific coat type, appearance, or some other trait.
Will you be welcoming a Pomador puppy into your home? These are great dogs for the proper household and lifestyle choice.
