Here are some helpful tips for the prospective Pomeranian owner searching for a new puppy.  First and foremost, you get what you pay for.  Pomeranians are very hard to breed and have small litters, usually only 1-3 puppies.  There are tremendous costs to whelping a litter.  Females may have to be c-sectioned or taken to emergency vets in the middle of the night due to whelping complications.  Be prepared for the cost of owning a breed that will need trips to the groomer and the vet.  If you are searching for a show quality dog, buy the best you can afford.  Be prepared to pay $500-$1000 for a pet and $1000 and up for show quality.  Puppies being sold as show quality cannot possess any faults that would prevent them from being shown according to the AKC standard.  Pets typically possess a fault, or a subtle fault such as large ears, or low tail sets that would prevent them from being competitive in the show ring.  My prices start at $800 for pet males, $1000 for pet females.  Show quality puppies start at $1500 for males and $2000 for females.  Show puppies are sold near 6 months of age to ensure they do not possess any faults.  I am firm on my prices because I want to be sure that the prospective owner can handle the financial responsibility of owning a pom.  Also my puppies come from Champion parents, with long lineages of Champion bloodlines behind them.  

Second, do your research.  Use the internet to browse breeders' websites.  Search for National Breed Club websites like the APC (American Pomeranian Club), which provides a list of nationwide breeders that show and breed poms.  This is the best way for you to see pictures of the parents, and what they have produced in the past.   All puppies are cute at 8 weeks! But Pomeranians are notorious for changing into squirrel and monkey look-alikes when they change coats and turn into adults.  The best way to ensure that you get what you pay for in a puppy is to look at the parents.  Contact the local breeders first and seek farther breeders if you can't find what you want.  If you are searching for a show quality dog, research the pedigrees of dogs that are most pleasing to you, and stick to puppies that were line-bred on those pedigrees.  Also, in order for the puppy to be show quality the parents must be show quality too.  Make sure at least one of the parents has competed in the conformation ring and succeeded.  The more they have accomplished in the ring the better. 

Third, see the dogs in person.  When possible, try to see the puppy in person.  If it's not possible to visit the breeder's home, then ask to meet them at a dog show.  The best place to find breeders is at dog shows (pet owners this is a good place to find a quality pet).  To look up dog shows in your area, go to infodog.com, or just search for dog shows on the internet.  The websites also provide schedules, so be sure to arrive at the show when your breed is showing.  If you are going to approach a breeder to talk about puppies, it is best to approach them after the breed has competed.  The shows are almost always on the weekends and it's a great place to bring your family, but leave your pets at home since only dogs competing are allowed in. 

Fourth, be picky but don't be too picky. The most common mistake a buyer can make is asking a breeder for a puppy with very specific characteristics.  If you are more inclined to a specific sex, it is easier to find a male puppy for sale than a female.  Since breeders are more likely to part with a male than a female, most often you will find better quality male pets than female pets.  Pomeranians come in all colors, but some colors are more rare than others.  Two of the most uncommon colors among poms are white and wolfsable.  So if you really want a white Pomeranian, be prepared to pay through the nose, and wait for a long time or else you will end up with something that looks very far from the standard.  If it's the color you are most concerned about, then research other breeds like the Japanese Spitz or the Keeshond which come in those colors naturally.  

Fifth, be patient.  A puppy is not something you want to buy on an impulse!  Be prepared for the breeder to put you on a waiting list and ask for a deposit.  Since poms are typically bred once a year, and have small litters, it is not unusual to wait up to six months for a puppy.  The alternatives are to buy a breed that is easier to locate puppies for, or contact Pomeranian breeders outside your area and have the puppy shipped to you. It's hard to find a puppy just in time for Christmas!  Don't fall into the trap of scrambling for this impossible gift around the holidays.

Now that you are ready to contact a breeder about a puppy, take the following initiatives.  As a breeder, I'm always more inclined to respond to people who put effort into their inquiries rather than the ones who just ask me if I have any puppies available and if I do, how much.  So be sure to include some information about yourself, your current pet situation, and the reason you want to buy a puppy.  Next, be persistent with a follow up email, or a conversation over the phone.  Lastly, try to meet the breeder in person at a show and get answers to your questions in person.