A tiny, spirited cross between a Pomeranian and a Chihuahua, with a spitz sparkle and a very big sense of self.
Designer crosstoy breedPomeranian and ChihuahuaParent profiles checked
About this profile: the Pomchi is a cross, also known as the Chi-Pom, not a recognized breed with a standard. Size, lifespan and care figures here are estimates drawn from our full profiles of the two parent breeds, the Pomeranian and the Chihuahua, and individual dogs vary more than purebreds do. That variation is normal for a cross and is stated plainly rather than hidden.
The Pomchi is not recognized by the AKC and has no breed standard, no registry and no guarantee of traits. The AKC recognizes the parent breeds, the Pomeranian and the Chihuahua, but not their cross. Coat, size, temperament and health vary more in crosses than in purebreds, and two puppies from one litter can grow into noticeably different dogs. Any breeder who promises an exact adult size, a non shedding coat or a fixed temperament for a Pomchi is promising something no one can deliver. Judge litters by the actual parents: their health testing, their temperaments and how they are raised.
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The Pomchi mixes two confident toy breeds: the Pomeranian, a miniature spitz with a huge coat and personality, and the Chihuahua, the world smallest breed and one of its most devoted. The result is a very small, alert, affectionate companion that bonds intensely, performs for its people and supervises the household from a lap or a cushion. It suits adults and calm homes that will treat a tiny dog as a real dog, with training and boundaries.
Pomchis are a product of the designer cross era in the United States. Coats split between the Pomeranian profuse double coat and the Chihuahua smooth or long coat, and many puppies land in between with a fluffy, medium coat. There is no standard and no registry, adult size follows the parents closely because both are tiny, and the Pomeranian puppy coat change can happen in this cross too.
Bright, bold and devoted, with a watchdog voice inherited from both sides. Pomchis learn routines fast, love being the center of attention and can be possessive of a favorite person if boundaries are not set early. Early socialization with people and with bigger dogs matters, so confidence does not turn into reactivity. In a settled home, a Pomchi is a funny, portable and very long lived companion.
Energy (3/5)
Trainability (3/5)
Grooming needs (4/5)
Shedding (3/5)
Barking (5/5)
Good with children: Better with older children
With other dogs: Usually good with dogs
With strangers: Alert with strangers
Apartment life: Well suited
Coat: Fluffy and variable: a medium to long coat with a plumed tail is common, sometimes approaching the full Pomeranian double coat, sometimes finer and Chihuahua like.
Colors: Orange, red, cream, sable, black, white and parti colors all appear, from the wide palettes of both parents.
Brush to the skin two or three times a week to stop the undercoat packing down. Teeth are the big care item, because toy mouths crowd badly and both parents are prone to dental disease. Use a harness rather than a collar to protect a delicate windpipe, and measure meals carefully: one extra pound is a large share of this dog.
Twenty to forty minutes a day of short walks and play. Pomchis are busy rather than athletic, and mental games tire them as well as walking does. Coats in cold weather are practical, and play should be scaled to very small joints.
Regular combing, a tidy clip for longer coats if you prefer one, ear checks and nail trims. During the puppy coat change, brush more often and expect a scruffy phase. Dental care matters more than coat work in this cross; start it in the first week home.
Clever and food motivated, Pomchis learn cues and tricks quickly with rewards. The essential projects are a quiet cue for the barking, calm greetings, being handled without fuss, and being left alone briefly without panic. Harsh handling creates exactly the snappy dog people fear, so kind consistency is the whole method.
A flat friendly, portable companion for adult households and homes with older children. Pomchis are fragile around toddlers and boisterous big dogs, and their barking needs training in thin walled homes. Given company and gentle handling, they are undemanding and cheerful company.
About $5 per month for a typical 6 lb adult eating roughly 0.4 cups a day of a standard quality food ($1.60 per lb). Full breakdown in our food expense calculator.
Plan 20 to 40 minutes a day of walks, play and training. Under exercised dogs of most breeds invent their own projects, and they rarely pick good ones.
Estimated US range $25 to $48 per month for accident and illness cover, estimated from the parent breeds' published ranges on this site; see the insurance estimator and the insurance guide.
On the monthly figures above, a typical adult year runs to about $60 for food and $300 to $576 for insurance, before routine vet care, grooming and gear. Year one costs more: vaccinations, spay or neuter surgery, a crate, bedding and training all land at once.
How weight typically builds with age for this cross, estimated from the parent breeds sizes.
| Stage | Age | Typical weight |
|---|---|---|
| Puppy | 8 weeks | about 1 to 2 lb |
| Puppy | 4 months | about 1 to 3 lb |
| Puppy | 6 months | about 2 to 5 lb |
| Young | 9 months | about 2 to 7 lb |
| Young | 12 months | about 3 to 8 lb |
| Adult | Full grown | 3 to 9 lb (typical range) |
| Senior | From about 8 years | Healthy weight stays in the adult range; watch for slow gain or loss |
Growth figures are estimates interpolated from the adult weight ranges of the two parent breeds, following the size class growth pattern used across this site. Cross puppies vary more than purebred puppies; steady growth matters more than hitting any single number, and your vet's growth checks come first.
Puppies are exceptionally small and need protection from falls, big dogs and over handling, with frequent small meals. Adults are lively, settled companions. Seniors keep their sparkle late, needing dental care, heart checks, warmth and weight control, and often live well into their teens.
Both parents share the toy breed risk list, so ask for patella and heart screening from both sides, and ask about trachea history and the Pomeranian coat condition alopecia X as well.
Health notes summarise the conditions the two parent breeds profiles and breed guidance most often flag. They are general information for choosing and caring, not a diagnosis or a substitute for your vet. Parent profiles: Pomeranian and Chihuahua.
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A typical lifespan is 12 to 16 years. That range is an estimate drawn from the two parent breeds, and weight control, dental care and buying from health tested parents give a dog the best chance of reaching the top of it.
Food for a typical adult runs about $5 a month at a standard quality tier, and accident and illness insurance is estimated between $25 and $48 a month in the US, based on the parent breeds' ranges. Try the full cost calculator for a complete year one and yearly picture.
Better with older children. As with every breed and cross, supervise dogs and children together and teach children to respect the dog's space and rest.
Plan on 20 to 40 minutes a day, split between walks, play and training games. Puppies and seniors need gentler, shorter sessions.
Moderately to lightly, depending on the coat. Puppies leaning Pomeranian shed seasonally and noticeably; those leaning Chihuahua shed less. No breeder can honestly guarantee which coat a young puppy will finish with.
The Pomeranian profile The Chihuahua profile All breeds Compare breeds
This page is general information drawn from the published guidance of the organizations listed under Sources below. It is not veterinary advice, and it does not replace your own veterinarian, who knows your dog. If your dog is unwell or has eaten something toxic, contact your veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435, or the Pet Poison Helpline on (855) 764-7661 straight away. A consultation fee may apply on the helplines.
Last updated: November 2026. Cross figures on this page are estimates drawn from the two parent breed profiles and are labeled as estimates wherever they appear. How we work: our methodology.