Samoyed

This breed dates as far back as 1 thousand years before Christ, setting it among the world's oldest known breeds.


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Samoyed Breed

Photo courtesy of
Allevamento Poggio della Rena

In the vast frozen wasteland of the Arctic (Northern Russia and Siberia), there dwelt a good-natured people called Nentzi—also known as Samoyede—and their wonderful Bjelkier white dogs. The Samoyedes were unique among Eskimo people in that they had a close personal relationship with their dogs, as well as a working one. The natives often refused to sell their dogs when explorers and traders began to move into the territory, and dogs were often "spirited" away.

Through this constant close relationship with man over the centuries, there evolved a rugged breed that would work toe-to-toe with man and fight fiercely in battle. The Samoyed will never take orders subserviently. He is a great fun-loving animal.

The wonderful personality of the Samoyed has evoloved from untold centuries of close contact with man. Grace, dignity, and strength, all wrapped up in a glistening spikey white outer coat and a softer undercoat define the general appearance of the Samoyed. That double coat acts as a good insulator, retaining warmth and keeping heat out in summer. The Northern breeds have the best "air-conditioning" system off all breeds. They can withstand the drastic sub-zero temperatures of the Arctic winters as well as the heat of the Tropics.

Samoyeds have been used for ski-joring, freight hauling, weight pulling, long distance racing, as well as sprint racing.

Samoyed Breed Outline

Country of Origin:Northern Russia and Siberia
PATRONAGE : Nordic Kennel Union (NKU)
FCI Classification FCI: Group 5 - Spitz and primitive types; Section 1 - Nordic sledge dogs (without working trial)
Utilization: Sledge and companion dog
AKC Classification: Working Group
Personality:Intelligent and eager to please; friendly, open, alert and lively; the hunting instinct is very slight; never shy nor aggressive.
Size:Medium
Height:22-20 inches at shoulders (±1.2 inches tolerance)
Colors: Pure white, cream or white with biscuit (the basic color has to be white with a few biscuit markings.)
Other Names:Sammy; Sam; Samoiedskaïa Sabaka
Average Litter Size:5-8
Life Span:10-15
Grooming Requirements: Brush daily. When brushing the tail, take care not to rip the fur. A shedding Sammy can develop mats, especially behind the ears; along the neck, back, tail and the leg feathering; and underneath the belly. These can be worked out with your fingers.
Shedding:The male will shed, usually once a year and the female twice.
Social skills: Very social and cannot be used as guard dog
Suitability for Children:Playful and loving by nature, the Samoyed has a special affinity for children.
Exercise Needs:The Sammy's exercise needs, borne of thousands of years of tireless athletic activity for survival in the Arctic, should not be ignored. 1 - 1.5 hours of daily exercise ( long walks, jogging, running free) will prevent boredom, destructiveness and incessant barking.
Train Ability:Training the Samoyed to run is done differently than training any other northern breed of dog. A good age to begin training when your Samoyed is still a puppy (sometime between the age of 8 and 12 weeks). Weight should always be added gradually; training should always be in cool weather. A young dog of a year and a half is capable of racing with two others in the three-dog class for three miles, with the proper training.
Health & Behavioral Issues:
Most important:
Hip dysplasia

Other disorders seen in this breed that may be inherited:

Aortic stenosis
Acral lick dermatitis
Atrial septal defect
Cataracts
Corneal dystrophy
Deafness
Familial renal disease
Glaucoma
Growth hormone-responsive and adrenal sex-hormone dermatoses
Hemophilia A (factor VIII)
Hypo-/dysmyelinogenesis
Osteochondrodysplasia
Progressive retinal atrophy
Pulmonic stenosis
Retinal dysplasia
Sebaceous adenitis
Spongiform leukodystrophy
von Willebrand's disease
X-linked muscular dystrophy
Zinc- sponsive dermatosis

These diseases have occasionally been seen in Samoyed breed and may be inherited:

Cerebellar abiotrophy
Microphthalmia
Myasthenia gravis
Spina bifida





 





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Samoyed