Discover the 7 Rarest Pomeranian Colors (#1 Costs $4,000!)

When it comes to Pomeranians, there are so many different colors and pattern combinations, it’s hard to keep track of them all! In fact, the American Kennel Club (AKC) accepts at least 18 standard colors and nine different markings, patterns, and coat color variations. And those are just the ones accepted by the AKC — there are even more nonstandard Pomeranian colors! Of course, some colors are much rarer than others. Let’s dive in and take a closer look at the rarest Pomeranian colors — including one that can cost $4,000 dollars or more! 

Intro to Pomeranian Colors

The color and markings of your Pomeranian’s hair depend on their individual and unique genetic makeup. Each hair follicle in the dog’s coat is surrounded by specialized cells called melanocytes, which are responsible for producing either eumelanin or phaeomelanin. Eumelanin gives off a black coloring while phaeomelanin produces a reddish hue, giving each Pom pup their unique and distinctive coloring. And if you’re hoping for a Pomeranian with a rare coat color, be prepared to dig deeper into your wallet. Some of the rare Pomeranian colors can fetch prices as high as $4,000 or even $5,000!

Important Note: The impressive plethora of Pomeranian colors is fascinating, but it’s also important to remember that it has no bearing on the dog’s temperament, personality, or health. The only Pomeranian color that affects a Pomeranian’s health is a double merle, but we’ll get to that a bit later. For now, let’s take a closer look at the rarest Pomeranian colors!

1. Lavender

They’re actually several different names for the extremely rare lavender Pomeranian. You may hear it referred to as a lilac Pomeranian, a lilac merle Pomeranian, an Isabella Pomeranian, a diluted blue Pomeranian, or a diluted chocolate Pomeranian. Whatever name you use, these unique Pomeranians are the rarest color you will find, although these little puffballs do not always look all that “purple”. They may appear light chocolate, light gray, dark gray, pale lilac, pinkish or purplish gray, or silvery purple. However, even if you can’t see them, there are hints of lavender in their fluffy fur coats, especially when the light hits their hair just right!

Lavender Pomeranians have two rare dilution genes — these essentially “dilute” their normal chocolate coloring, making it appear lighter and lavender in hue. Dilute genes are recessive, which is why this color is so unusual. In fact, lavender Pomeranians can cost $4,000 or more because they are so rare!

2. Brindle

Technically, brindle isn’t exactly a color, but rather an extraordinarily beautiful pattern of dark stripes. Bindle Pomeranians have black stripes running throughout their coats — either all over or just in certain sections. These brindle stripes usually appear over tan or brown fur and show up as darker “tiger stripes” or mottling over the dog’s base coat. In addition, the black stripes also show up pretty clearly on their paws, backs, and foreheads. Some lucky brindle pups even get a dark brindle stripe running down the middle of their backs!

3. Blue

Another very rare Pomeranian color is blue. These elusive and unique dogs have spectacular solid-colored coats without any additional markings. While their name may bring to mind a bright blue hue, blue Pomeranians are actually more of a gray tone. Blue Pomeranians are very rare and have enchanting fur coats of various shades ranging from dark gray to silver or grayish blue, which sets them apart from other Pomeranians. 

Breeding two black Pomeranians is how breeders produce these rare blue beauties. However, their fascinating blue coloration is the result of a dilute recessive gene, which dilutes the black pigment to a striking blue shade — so blue Pomeranians are very rare. Interestingly enough, some blue Pomeranians can even look so dark that they are mistaken for black Pomeranians! However, if you look closely, their eye rims, nose, and paw pads are always a beautiful shade of blue or blueish gray.

4. Wolf Sable

A wolf sable Pomeranian has a solid base color combined with darker-tipped hairs. Wolf sable Pomeranians can all appear slightly different, depending on just how much sabling they have in their hair. For example, a dog with a lot of sabling, or lots of these dark-tipped hairs, can appear to have a more gray-colored coat. On the other hand, a dog with less sabling, or even sabling in only a few parts of their coat, may appear more cream-colored overall. This also makes wolf sable Pomeranians difficult to identify. 

In fact, the only way to guarantee that your Pom pup is a wolf sable is to have them genetically tested. While “sable” refers to the dark-tipped hairs, “wolf” refers to a very rare gene that creates the unique wolf sable coloring. These mesmerizing pups have a specific genetic code that is responsible for the striking color pattern of their coat, which mimics that of a wild wolf. 

5. White

Once upon a time, dazzling white Pomeranians were actually very common, but ever since the Victorian era, these beautiful snow-white pups have become quite rare. During the 1800s, Queen Victoria of England acquired four Pomeranians from Italy: three were red, and only one was white. Ultimately, Queen Victoria decided to keep only the red Pomeranians, causing the red variety to quickly become the most sought-after and admired Pomeranian color. And of course, white Pomeranian colors became more and more rare.

Although today true white Pomeranians are highly coveted, they are difficult to acquire. Producing a brilliant white Pomeranian is no easy feat — the gene responsible for this beautifully icy coat is recessive. In addition, there is an overwhelming prevalence of dominant-colored genes present in the Pomeranian bloodline. In fact, in order for a Pomeranian to be born with a true white coat, there typically must be a complete absence of pigmentation or colored genes for up to five generations! 

6. Beaver

Beaver Pomeranians are completely devoid of any black pigment in their hair or anywhere else on their bodies. The captivating beaver coat color is a unique dilute form of brown or chocolate that ranges from a gorgeous cream-beige color to an alluring orange-brown. Previously, the color was referred to as “biscuit”, as it is somewhat reminiscent of the color of cookies. 

While at first glance a beaver Pomeranian may look similar to an orange one, the dog actually possesses a distinguishing feature that sets it apart from its fruity counterpart. Beaver Pomeranians have liver or beige-brown noses, eye rims, lips, and paw pads, whereas orange Poms do not. 

7. Merle and Double Merle

With their Jackson Pollock-like markings, merle Pomeranians look like living works of art! The merle color pattern is a stunning phenomenon that creates complex patterns on the dog’s eyes, coat, and nose. Merle coloring is extremely versatile and can actually appear on any base color of a Pomeranian, resulting in an infinite range of stunning and distinctive variations.

Although the merle gene is naturally present in the Pomeranian lineage, merle Pomeranian colors are rare. It is not very common to actually find a dog that carries — and expresses — this distinctive gene. In addition, many breeders avoid merle-colored dogs because, while the recessive merle gene is totally fine and harmless on its own, if you breed two merle Pomeranians together it can result in double merle puppies. And double merle pups are prone to a myriad of issues.

Double Merle Pomeranians

Many double merle Pomeranians have no coloring in their fur, so they look almost completely white. However, their coloring is not the problem — it’s the two merle genes that are the issue. Double merles are prone to severe ocular and auditory problems, so they can be deaf, blind, or suffer from other health complications. 

Merle Pomeranians are rarer than many other colors, partly because of their complex genetics and breeding. Responsible breeders often avoid merle-colored dogs because it’s challenging to track their lineage and ensure healthy litters. In addition, light-colored Pomeranians can carry a recessive merle gene (even though they are not merle themselves), so most breeders only breed chocolate or black Pomeranians with merle Pomeranians to avoid producing a double merle puppy.

Summary of the 7 Rarest Pomeranian Colors