Do Pomeranians Kill Small Animals (How To Train Your Dog)

We’ve all had that dog or cat that’s proudly brought home their wild kill and left it for you at your doorstep. For some animals, it’s more of an expected behavior than for others. Do Pomeranians kill small animals?

Pomeranians have a low prey drive and are very unlikely to kill a small animal. Although dogs are descendants of grey wolves with pack instincts, some breeds like the Pomeranian have been bred for other characteristics. Beyond predatory aggression, a dog may demonstrate signs of inter-dog or inter-species aggression.

Will Pomeranians Attack Small Animals

There are many reasons why dogs attack with many of those coming from natural instincts.

Let’s look at the three types of aggression that dogs can express that may cause them to attack.

What Is Predatory Aggression

All dogs have some level of predatory aggression. Hunting and killing used to be a way of life for their ancestors, it was their only way to survive.

Predatory aggression follows a sequence of behaviors that starts with searching, stalking, chasing, biting, killing, then eating.

Dogs that have been bred for hunting or sporting will have a higher prey drive than dogs that were bred for other traits.

What Is Inter-Dog Aggression

Inter-dog aggression is a natural social behavior that happens among dogs. It’s a dog’s natural right or wrong reaction to what they perceive as threats during social situations.

What Is Inter-Species Aggression

An inter-species altercation is when two animals that are not of the same species like a dog and a cat that live in the same home that happens do not get along or have an aggressive altercation.

At my home, my cats and dogs have an interesting relationship. My 13lb tuxedo cat is the alpha of the house. The Pomeranians enjoy trying to get a rise out of him. He puts up with a lot but, sometimes scares the dogs away with a swat and chase.

Reasons Why Pomeranians Won’t Kill Small Animals

Pomeranians Do Not Have A Strong Prey Drive

Pomeranians have a low to average prey drive. The majority of the time they would not be interested in chasing or attacking small animals.

That being said my dogs love to get a reaction out of our cats. They will bark and chase them occasionally. In my house the cats have the upper hand, all they need to do is jump higher than the dogs can reach or swat at them and they run off to something else.

Do Pomeranians Get Along With Cats?

Pomeranians Are Usually Well Socialized

Many negative behaviors that we see in dogs start with a lack of socialization.

Pomeranians tend to be well-socialized pets. Due to their small size, many people bring them everywhere with them in fancy purse-like carriers or strollers. Yes, we may look a little crazy but, our dogs are happy and so are we.

A dog that is exposed to many situations, noises people, and animals will be more adjusted and less likely to get nervous and attack.

Pomeranians Don’t Have A Strong Drive To Retrieve

Some dogs have that burning desire to fetch and retrieve. This trait is very strong in bird hunting dogs like the German Shorthaired Pointer.

This desire may cause these dogs to chase after and kill a small animal to retrieve it and return it to its owner.

Pomeranians do not have a strong desire to retrieve. My dog Murphy will play fetch with a ball for a few minutes for fun but, that’s as long as that lasts. I also need to initiate the game of fetch, he would never bring the ball to me asking to play. My dog Willow shows no interest in playing fetch.

Pomeranians Don’t Have A Strong Desire To Play Rough

Yes, my Pomeranians enjoy wrestling with each other but, it doesn’t escalate more than gentle play.

Overall, Pomeranians do not play too rough.

Pomeranians Are Not High Energy Dogs

The majority of dog breeds that are hunting dogs or are aggressive tend to have a lot more energy to burn compared to our fluffy Pomeranian.

Pomeranians Do Not Have Strong Herding Drive

Even though Pomeranians were once much larger dogs that used to assist their owners with pulling sleds, hunting, and herding animals. The breed today is a true companion dog.

Through time the breeding characteristics that breeders have selected for their dogs have leaned towards a small, cuddly dog that makes a great companion.

I have had many dogs in my life at this point and I have to say my Pomeranians are the best companions of them all. The next closest was my Norweigan Elkhound who also belongs to the Spitz category.

Reasons Why A Pomeranian Would Kill A Small Animal

Pomeraniains Can Be Domineering

They may be small in stature but, these little fluffy dogs have egos the size of a giant.

Pomeranians make themselves known in the pack. They can be loud and pushy.

Pomeranians Can Be Protective

Pomeranians are known to become very attached to their owners.

They are very loyal dogs, and wouldn’t hesitate to show their loyalty as protection.

Most of the time a Pomeranian would put on a big show of barking, if they or their owners were in danger I would not put it past them to protect their pack.

Your Pomeranian Is Part Of A Large Pack

All dogs have a strong drive to be part of a pack. Being descendants from wolves the pack instinct has been bred into canines for hundreds of years.

Often when there is a dog attack it happens to be multiple dogs that are involved in the attack. The pack behaviors take over and the dogs feed off the energy and behaviors of the other dogs. It’s easy for a situation to escalate.

In a pack situation, it is possible for a Pomeranian to be involved in a fatal attack on a small animal. The pack could also be a dangerous environment for the Pomeranian depending on the size and temperament of the other dogs.

Your Dog Has A Serious Cause Of Food Possession

Food aggression is a form of resource guarding. it’s a natural instinct to protect what is theirs to survive.

Food possession aggression can extend to their beds, toys, or anything special they may have.

There are three levels of food aggression.

Mild- the dog growls and may show it’s teeth
Moderate- the dog snaps or lunges
Severe- the dog bites

If a dog has strong food aggression it may be more likely to attack a small animal.

What Animals Are Most Often Attacked By Dogs

Squirrels
Moles
Possums
Birds
Snakes
Mice
Groundhogs
Raccoons
Rabbits
Chickens
Chipmunks
Cats
Dogs

What Dog Breeds Are Most Likely To Kill Small Animals

The most common dog breeds to be involved in attacks are.

Pit Bull Terrier
Terriers (Terriers have strong prey drives)
Labrador Retrievers
German Shepherds
Rototillers
Chow Chows
American Bull Dog
Bull Mastiff
Siberian Husky
Mixed Breeds

How To Train Your Dog Not To Kill Small Animals

It can be extremely difficult if you have a dog that wants to kill small animals. Although it’s their natural instinct, it’s not a good behavior for your dog to be expressing.

Killing small animals can escalate into a more serious aggression problem.

I do understand that there are dogs whose purpose is to assist in hunting expeditions. These dogs need and exhibit strong prey drives. From my experience, those with hunting or sporting dogs go through a high level of training and fine-tune their skills as dogs and handlers.

There are some must-have tools for training your dog.

Training treats
Muzzle (if needed)
Long Leash
Quite Space Outside
15 Minutes A Day

There are many different strategies for training your dog to no longer act on their instincts to kill small animals. Some include introducing small animals to the dog in cages. This may end up being the method that works best for you but, I suggest trying methods that don’t involve other animals.

Focus Training Method

Step 1

Take your dog out to a large outdoor space with a bunch of treats. The idea is to train your dog to respond to you and stop in their tracks if instructed to instead of going after a small animal.

Step 2

Make a sound for your dog to hear it can be a whistle or a clicking sound. The sound will be the cue for your dog to look towards and to come running to you. Make sure to pick a sound that you can easily use at any time.

Step 3

Reward your dog when it returns to you. Give your dog a treat and lots of praise. It’s important to give your dog the treat as soon as it looks at you so it associates that behavior as being positive. Be patient it may take your dog time to learn.

Step 4

Make sure to practice daily for roughly 15 minutes. It is very important to practice daily. Eventually, your dog will become a pro. At first, you may need to use a long leash and a muzzle to ensure the safety of anyone or creature that happens to be around.

Step 5

The last step is to slowly cut back on the treats your dog is being offered as a reward.

Final Thoughts

Pomeranians are canines and descendants of wolves but, they have a very weak prey drive at this point and would rather get love and attention from their owners than kill small animals.

It’s highly unlikely that a Pomeranian would kill a small animal.

Of course, every dog is different and Pomeranians have the physical ability to kill a small animal. If your Pomeranian is showing signs of aggression towards animals or people it’s best to see your vet to look for any health issues and consult a professional trainer.