Our Story
It All Started With Pepper
Pepper’s Pomeranians really did start with just one puppy — Miss Pepper herself.
I had always wanted a Pomeranian, and when Pepper came home, I fell completely in love with the breed. She was friendly, funny, full of personality, and convinced that just about any available lap belonged to her.
Pepper had this way of making everyone she met smile. She was my introduction to everything I love about Pomeranians, and ultimately, she’s the reason Pepper’s Pomeranians exists today.
Then Came Teddy Bear
A little while later, I brought Teddy Bear home as a companion for Pepper — and, admittedly, because I was already thinking that breeding might be somewhere in our future.
Teddy was about four or five months old when he came home, which meant he arrived right in the middle of the infamous Pomeranian “puppy uglies.” His puppy coat had shed, his adult coat hadn't come in yet, and his particular version was... impressive. I actually had people ask if I was sure I'd gotten a Pomeranian.
Having never experienced a true Pomeranian coat blow before, watching it happen was a little alarming. Thankfully, Teddy was exactly what he was supposed to be, and that scraggly little puppy grew his coat back better than ever.
Pepper & Teddy
Pepper and Teddy were both CKC registered, and together they became the very beginning of what would eventually grow into Pepper’s Pomeranians.
More importantly, they absolutely adored each other. They became best friends almost immediately, and life quickly turned into two little Pomeranians permanently attached to us — usually somewhere on the couch.
Pepper especially loved sleeping perched behind my head on the back of the couch. Years later, some things never change.
The Litter That Started It All
When Pepper was about two years old, I decided it was finally time for our first litter — and she made sure I got quite the introduction to breeding.
Her X-ray showed six puppies. Six! I remember looking at tiny Pepper and wondering how on earth she had managed to grow that many puppies, let alone how she was going to deliver them. I was terrified for her and for those babies.
Pepper, meanwhile, apparently didn't share my concern. She handled the entire delivery beautifully. She didn't need any help from me; I mostly sat beside her, encouraged her, and worried enough for both of us. Even our tiniest puppy made it, and all six eventually went on to wonderful homes.
Saying goodbye to that first litter was harder than I expected. I had absolutely fallen in love with raising them. We kept Pepper's firstborn daughter, Daphne, and despite the nerves and the very abrupt introduction to everything breeding entails, I realized I'd found something I genuinely loved doing.
From That First Litter to Today
A lot has changed since that first litter. Pepper’s Pomeranians has grown, our breeding program has evolved, and years of experience have changed the way I look at everything from genetics and pedigrees to temperament, structure and how we raise our puppies.
One thing I’m especially proud of is that Pepper’s story didn’t end when she retired. We kept her firstborn daughter, Daphne, and I’ve continued her line through the generations that followed. At the same time, we’ve brought in new bloodlines and expanded into both AKC and CKC lines, allowing the program to grow while making thoughtful decisions about each generation.
There’s always more to learn with dogs, genetics and breeding, and I don’t think that part ever stops. The goal is simply to keep doing better with what we learn — raising healthy, happy Pomeranians with wonderful temperaments and helping them find families who will love them as much as we do.
It’s pretty wild to look back at that first picture of Pepper and realize how much came from one little dog I just really wanted to bring home.
