Description

The Samoyed is naturally a working dog and should exhibit qualities of strength and alertness while remaining to be elegant and beautiful. The Samoyed cannot be long in the back because the length makes the back weak and therefore the Samoyed is useless to perform its necessary tasks. However, the females may be slightly longer in the back than the males. The body should be muscular with a deep chest and well sprung ribs.

The bone structure of the Samoyed is much heavier than expected for a dog of this size, but it should not be so heavy as to take away from the dog\'s ability to be agile and perform tasks. The upper thighs should be well developed and the legs should be parallel when viewed from behind. The front legs should be powerful and straight to the pasterns. The pasterns should have some spring while remaining strong, sturdy, and straight. The shoulders should be long and sloping. The feet of the Samoyed are large, long, and flattish. They are slightly spread but not played and there is hair growth between toes for protection. The feathers on the feet are more common found on the females, but are not too essential.

The skull is to be wedge shaped and form an equal lateral triangle on lines between the inner ears and the central point of the stop. The skull should not be round or apple-headed. The muzzle should be of medium length and medium width. The whiskers are not to be removed. The lips should be curved up at the corners to give the smiley appearance. Their expression is one of the most distinctive characteristics of the Samoyed. This "Samoyed expression" is illustrated by the sparkling of the eyes and the lighting up of the face. The ears should be alert. The expression is a combination of the eyes, ears, and mouth.

Coat Description

The Samoyed has a very thick and dense double coat that is generally shed twice a year. The over coat is made up of long, course, and straight guard hairs. This keeps the undercoat clean and free of debris. The undercoat is a soft and dense short fur designed to keep the dog warm. The males typically have a larger ruff than the females. The coat should be weather resistant and should also be more about quality than quantity.

History

There is an ancient Siberian tribe known as the Samoyedes. The Siberian terrain is known to be one of the harshest and most difficult terrains to live in on the planet. The Samoyede people were nomads and moved around frequently carrying all of their things with them as well as their herds of reindeer. They were hunters and fisherman. They used a beautiful and robust dog to pull their sleds as well as several other jobs. The dog had to be able to perform several tasks. Not only did the dogs pull sleds and herd reindeer, but they also hunted animals for food and clothing. They were even known to hunt polar bears. This dog was later named the Samoyed after the name of the tribe.

In 1889 the explorer Robert Scott brought several of these dogs back to Europe. It was from Europe that the dog was bred and spread throughout the world. The first Samoyed came to America arrived in 1904 when the Princess de Montyglyon brought it as her companion. The Samoyed was given to her by the Czar\'s brother, the Grand Duke of Russia. Today the Samoyed is mostly used as a companion for the average household, but still does maintain some qualities that indicate its origins.

Temperament

The Samoyed is a very lovable and people oriented dog. They are excellent family pets because they crave human attention and affection and are also wonderful with children. They will be your friend for life. They want to be involved in the family activities as much as possible. They do not do well being left alone for long periods of time.

Samoyeds are prone to separation anxiety. When left alone for long periods of time they are known to destructively chew and bark. Destructive chewing can be very aggravating for the owner and family so if the dog is going to be left alone for more than a few hours, perhaps this is not the right dog. They have been known to rip the stuffing out of sofas, eat through drywall, and even dig up the entire backyard. The excessive barking can be very aggravating for neighbors so it is essential that the dog is not left alone for several hours, especially outdoors. The bark of the Samoyed can be very intense and high pitched, making it more obnoxious than that bark of other breeds.

Samoyed puppies are very rowdy and rambunctious. They will remain a little rowdy until they reach about two years old. They tend to jump up and run around. If there are young children in the home with a young Samoyed, it should be watched carefully as to make sure that the children are not accidentally being knocked over or injured. Samoyeds are very active indoor dogs. They are also prone to nipping and rough play with young children. So families with small children should definitely be cautious.

The Samoyeds were naturally hunters and working dogs and they do have a strong instinct to chase and sometimes grab. They will chase deer, livestock, cats, and several other small creatures. This is derived from their history as hunting dogs for the Samoyedes tribe.

The Samoyed also can have a very independent and manipulative personality. This can make them a difficult dog to train. It is essential for the owner or family to train the dog with consistency so that the Samoyed can know who is in control. It is important that the dog knows that you mean what you say. It is important for the dog to understand that there are consequences for their actions. They want to make their families happy they will not be pleased to know they are disappointing.