The forerunners of today's Pomeranian breed were large working dogs from the Arctic regions. These dogs are commonly known as the Wolfspitz or Spitz type, which is German for "sharp point" which was the term originally used by Count Eberhard zu Sayn in the 16th century as a reference to the features of the dog's nose and muzzle. The Pomeranian is considered to be descended from the German Spitz.[25]