The Samoyed
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 SnowWhite Kennels |
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The Samoyed is most nearly akin to the primitive dog. No mixture of wolf or fox in the Samoyed background. The Arctic sun and snow have bleached the coat of this breed.
The Samoyed has a disposition unique in the canine world-always a protector, never a killer, and they have an almost uncanny "human" understanding.
Originally from the north of Russia and Siberia, the Samoyed pulled sleds and herded reindeer for the Samoyed tribes, those responsible for the breed’s formation. Although not known for its hunting skill, by working in a pack, the Samoyed could frighten and contain animals as large as the polar bear.
They were introduced in England less than a hundred years ago, practically every show sees Samoyeds in the forefront. Queen Alexandra was an ardent fancier, and the descendants of her dogs are found today in many English and American kennels.
The Samoyed is known as "the dog with the Christmas face". They also have dark intelligent eyes, very strong body, and legs built for speed. The Samoyed needs to be doing some form of work, whether it’s as simple as playing with the kids, as strenuous as sledding or agility competitions, or something in between. A bored dog will find his own tasks. Unfortunately, it usually is something which us humans call destructive, such as chewing furniture, collecting belongings carefully in the middle of the living room, constant barking or howling, digging an escape route from the backyard or hassling the cat. This breed needs to have something to do!
Males should be 21 to 23 inches tall, females 19 to 21 inches at the withers.
Many people don’t realize the incredible amount of hair a shedding dog can leave all over the house and clothes. Frequent brushing and combing can keep it to a minimum, but you still need a high tolerance for dog hair being around. While the major amount of shedding may happen only once a year, most dogs will shed to some extent year round. A good lint brush, lint roller and heavy-duty vacuum are a necessity. Grooming is fairly easy once you learn the technique but does take time. How much depends on your dog’s coat type. A small female with a short coat may take only a half hour two or three times a week. A big male with a heavy coat may take a couple hours every other day. Baths are necessary for a pet about every three months, depending on coat and activity level of the dog. Dogs who are always into something such as digging, swimming, etc., will need more baths than those who don't participate in those activities. Having the Samoyed professionally groomed will be expensive and there will still be a great deal of work for you to do as well. If you work on his coat on a regular basis, professional grooming wont be quite as expensive.
They are excellent watchdogs, very loyal, never a troublemaker, though they are able to hold their own ground in a conflict.
Grooming a Samoyed must be done on a regular basis since they have such a thick coat. Matting tends to come easy to these dogs, and should be groomed at least every 5 weeks by a professional groomer to help keep down on the undercoat.
The most common is Canine Hip Dysplasia. CHD is an inherited malformation of the hip joint. Reputable breeders will have their breeding stock cleared of these problems prior to breeding them, which will make your pet much less likely to develop this problem. Hip dysplasia is not curable, however the hip joint can be replaced, which costs around $1500 per hip. It's best to purchase a dog from a reputable breeder in order to avoid this issue. It's not only very painful to the dog, but painful to your pocketbook.
Another inherited problem is Progressive Retinal Atrophy. This disease is a gradual (progressive) degeneration of the cells of the retina. This is not curable and not treatable. Reputable breeders will have their dogs eyes certified, so that you will not be likely to have to deal with this issue.
A recently discovered genetic defect present in some Samoyeds, Siberian Huskies, and Alaskan Malamutes causes impaired zinc absorption. The result is Zinc-Responsive Dermatosis, most often seen as a thin coat and scaly, crusty skin. While unsightly, it is easily treated with zinc sulfate supplements and high quality feed containing zinc. A similar (non-genetic) problem can result from feeding poor quality generic food.
Diabetes and hypothyroidism are also present in the Samoyed.
