Hello, my name is Lucy Zambrano, and I'm excited to share my journey with the Pomeranian breed. When I was 11 years old, I visited Pets Mart in Palos Verde, CA, where I saw an Asian lady holding a stunning Orange Sable Pomeranian. Intrigued, I asked her about the breed, and she told me it was a Pomeranian. I was instantly in love and hooked on this breed! Growing up, my family lived in apartments that had a no-dogs-allowed policy, so I always dreamed of owning my own Pomeranian. Fast forward to when I was 20, I got married and thought I could finally get one, but once again, I had to wait due to our apartment situation. My husband encouraged me to wait until we had our own house. In 1997, we moved to Hesperia, CA, and bought our first home. Three months after moving in, I began my search for a Pomeranian dog. I looked everywhere—in the LA Times, The Penny Saver, and The Daily Press in Victorville, CA—but I was unsure what to look for in terms of breed quality. I found a Pomeranian listed for $75.00 in the Penny Saver, and despite knowing little about Pomeranian breeders in California, I went to get him. His name was Tommy, a 3-year-old neutered Pomeranian. Though I had no idea about coat quality, I just wanted a Pomeranian. The seller mentioned that Tommy was out of coat due to summertime, but after six months and then a year, I still hadn’t seen a thick coat on him. He ended up being a poor-quality Pomeranian, weighing 9 pounds with a flat, silky coat. Regardless, I loved him for his awesome personality, especially with my kids! This experience inspired me to search for another Pomeranian. In 1998, I bought my second Pom from a breeder in Lake Perris, CA, from Falcon Crest Pomeranians, paying $200.00 for a stunning orange Sable puppy with full AKC breeding rights. At 8 weeks, he was only 3 pounds but ended up growing to a whopping 14 pounds! We named him Yogi Bear. I even advertised his stud service, but potential clients were deterred by his size, leaving me questioning the breed standards. So, I sought out a female Pomeranian to match my little stud, Yogi Bear. I found a perfect match from a breeder in Riverside, CA, named Pombreden Pomeranians. She was a white girl weighing 22 pounds, with a beautiful temperament and impressive pedigree. She produced large litters with Yogi. I later attended my first dog show in 1998 at the Apple Valley Kennel Club, where I fell in love with the breed even more. It became clear that I needed to focus on breeding Pomeranians that conformed to breed standards. I eventually placed Yogi in a pet home. During this time, I met a wonderful lady in Hesperia who had a kennel with various toy breeds. She informed me that Yogi was too large for breeding but admired his beauty. I learned so much from her about Pomeranian qualities and confirmation, including what to look for in a breeding dog—like color, coat texture, head shape, and body style. She even taught me how to groom my dogs myself, which was a huge help! One day, we went shopping for Pomeranians together, and she showed me how to select high-quality Pomeranians, which ultimately led to the start of my kennel. Now that I am deeply invested in this breed, I continue to learn more about Pomeranians every day. You never stop learning when you own a dog, especially a Pomeranian!