Queen Victoria was known for her dedication to breeding Pomeranians (and 14 other dog breeds). Victoria inherited this devotion from her grandmother Queen Charlotte, who decisively shaped the breeding of the Pomeranian.
In the 18th century, the forerunners of today's Pomeranians were imported in large numbers to England, as small dogs were particularly popular there.
Sketches of various dogs at the Agricultural Association in Berry (Feb. 1892, Louis Wain)
In the time of Queen Charlotte, the Pomeranians were still significantly larger, compared to today's Pomeranian.
Queen Victoria exhibited a small Pomeranian weighing just 11 pounds, which instantly increased the popularity and demand for Pomeranians. The breeders bowed to the demand and bred smaller Spitz.
Victoria also imported small Pomeranians in different colors from different European countries to improve the genetics of the breed as a whole. Last but not least, the first English breeding club was founded in 1891 and shortly thereafter a breed standard was established. The breed was recognized in the USA in 1900, and in 1998 the Pomeranian was included in the breed standard for German Spitz of the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale).
Queen Victoria is reported to have had 35-40 Pomeranians in her kennel. The relatively small red-brown Marco from Italy, the white bitch Gina and the white male Turi, who stayed at her side until her death, particularly stood out.
It's little wonder that Victoria's son, King Edward VII, Prince of Wales, also had a great passion for dogs. There are some depictions of Edward VII with his expensive fox terrier "Caesar". Like his mother, Edward was always surrounded by dogs. A few pictures show him with greyhounds and a spitz-like white dog.
This white dog is reported to have been a gift from German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck in 1886. On the internet, the dog is often referred to as a Samoyed. Today's breed, which we know as the Samoyed, did not exist in Germany at that time. Samoyeds themselves were not registered in England until around 1913 and had a different evolution.
So it may be a Pomeranian shepherd dog or shepherd dog or something similar if it came from Germany. Unfortunately, at the current time it is not possible to understand the name of this dog.
Edward and his wife are said to have become very attached to the breed and acquired several more.
Edward was playing lawn tennis at a club in Baden-Baden, Germany, 1883. (Contemporary English wood engraving after a drawing by Constantine de Grimm)
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