POMERANIANS IN ITALY

ByStefano Scullino ( Doublesse )


Italy is a member of the Federation Cynologique Internationale ( FCI ) and shares the same breed standards with all the other FCI member countries. Pomeranians, better known as the smallest varieties of the German Spitz, are bred and judged according to the German standard which is the same for all the five sizes: Wolfspitz (Keeshond), Grand Spitz ( black, white and brown ), Mittelspitz, Kleinspitz and Zwergspitz. Our standard doesen’t state weight for the Spitz but the different varieties are divided by their height at the shoulder. Zwergspitzes (dwarfspitz) are up to 22 centimetres at the shoulder (about nine inches); Kleinspitzes are up to 28 centimetres at the shoulder (about eleven inches). The smaller poms are considered as Zwergspitz and the slightly bigger ones will go into the kleinspitz category.
When we import a pomeranian we have to get it measured at a dog show in order to know which size it belongs to. We have had both British and American imported poms that fell into one variety or the other.
In Italy we are not allowed to mate pomeranians of different sizes and different colours. However, if we get an oversized zwergspitz or an undersized kleinspitz, we can have it measured after the age of one year and transfered into the proper variety.

We start showing our dogs at six months of age but the winners of the six to nine months classes cannot challange for BOB with the winners of the other classes. Then we have the youth class ( for dogs from nine to eighteen months of age), the open class (for dogs from fifteen months of age that are not Italian champions) and the champion class (compulsory for the Italian champions).
Each dog receives a written critique and is graded, according to the judge’s opinion, GOOD ENOUGH, GOOD, VERY GOOD and EXCELLENT. Only dogs that are placed first in open class and are graded excellent can win the CAC – the certificate for the Italian title.
The CACIB, which is the certificate for the International championship, can be awarded either to the winner of the open class or to the winner of the champion class and you can win it only at International shows.
In Italy there is no club for Pomeranians, hence we do not have specialty shows nor the specialty wins which are compulsory for the breeds that have a club in order to achieve the Italian title.
To become an Italian Champion a pomeranian has to win six CACs from no less than five different judges and no less than two of these CACs must be won at International shows.

Pomeranians are not a popular breed in Italy and, although there are a few that raise poms for the pet market, the breeders/exhibitors have never been too numerous. I think that, at any given time, there have been no more than ten breeders of quality poms that regularly attend dog shows.

During the Seventies and the Eighties almost all the Pomeranians exhibited at our shows were bred from Italian bloodlines or British ones and it was almost impossible to see dogs other than brilliant orange in colour at Italian shows.
Among the kennels of those years the “MILLY” and the “DEL BIDENTE” need a special mention as they produced some lovely poms that did a lot of winning not only in Italy but also abroad.
For example, MILLY SAMUEL was a multi champion as well as a World Winner.
Mr Casadei, owner of “Del Bidente” kennel had some outstanding pomeranians and imported a male directly from the world famous Hadleigh kennel. This dog, “Hadleigh Red Robin”, was very influential in his breeding programme.
Mr Casadei gave some of his Pomeranians to the Monti family, “Del Santerno” kennel.
The Montis bred some lovely poms using Mr Casadei’s bloodlines and their British imports from the Speranza kennel of Mrs Maria Holder. Some of their top winning dogs have been Ch. Buffo Del Santerno, Ch. Sbirulino, Ch. Speranza Red Robin and Ch. Speranza Bandito. Bandito needs a special mention as he was a wolf/sable Grandson of Ch. Hadleigh Stardust.
The Montis started the new trend of importing Poms from America when they bought a lovely male from the Stolanne kennel.
“Ch. Pippo” was a truly beautiful son of the famous “Thor” and had a very good show career. Unfortunately he died at a young age. Two more Stolanne imports followed before the Montis retired from competitions.

Since the beginning of the Nineties several American poms have been imported and a few have made their mark in the show rings. Some of these dogs fell into the Dwarfspitz variety, whereas the slightly bigger ones have been shown as Kleinspitzes.

At present, apart from myself, there are just five or six breeders that actively show their Poms with a certain degree of success.
Among these exhibitors, I feel that the following Pom lovers deserve a special mention as they have achieved some very important results with both their imports and their homebred dogs in the last five years.

Mrs Nadya Papa, “Maliusinkys kennel”, has imported some lovely Poms from America that have been succesfully shown all over Europe. The most famous of these dogs is Multi Champion Sungold’s Lil John, a Pomeranian that I have handled to his Junior World Winner title and to a puppy group placement at the World Show 2000 in Milan.

Mr Claudio Masi, “Of Poms Forever” kennel, has imported good Poms from different countries and is now successfully showing his own homebred dogs. His top winning Pomeranian is, probably, Ch. Chrisden Contender Of Gee Wiz who is a multi group winner.

Mr Gianni Micozzi has imported, among others, a dog that has won several BIS and many group placements. His name was “Primetime Have It My Way” and the highlight of his show career was the second place at the Contest Of Champions.

Mr William Panciroli has been breeding and showing Poms for many years. Recently he did a lot of winning with two American imported Pomeranians both shown as Kleinspitz and both multi group winners: Ch. Elan’s Kid Twist and Ch. HHH Just Do It. William is now winning well with a Son of HHH Just Do It named GREY SILVER STAR, who is a BIS winner at an International show.

I apologize if I have forgotten some other pomeranian exhibitor whose dogs have achieved big results.

Thanks to those breeders who sent us some good dogs, our top quality Italian Pomeranians can hold their own in any competition and we still hope for better things to come.

Stefano Scullino
(Doublesse)

This Article appeared in the POM READER Nov 2004.

(2296 reads)
[ Return to Pomeranians Worldwide ]