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Samoyed

Samoyed Dog Breed

Aliases: Samoiedskaya Sobaka, Nenetskaya Laika, Smiling Sammy, Bjelkier

Life Span: between 12 and 15 years.
Litter Size: between 4 and 6 puppies.
Group: Spitz, Working Dog
Recognized By: CKC, FCI, AKC, UKC, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, APRI, ACR
Color: Typical colors for the Samoyed are a mixture of white and biscuit coloring. However, all white and all biscuit colored dogs are not uncommon. The white of the overcoat does appear to have some silver.
Hair Length: Long
Size: Medium
Shedding: Heavy Shed
Male Height: 21 - 23 1/2 inches
Male Weight: 44 - 65 lbs
Female Height: 19 - 21 1/2 lbs
Female Weight: 37 - 55 lbs
General info courtesy of terrificpets.com. Additional information about this breed can be found on theirwebsite.

Thyroid Disease - Medium Risk

The Samoyed ranks #38 among all breeds for autoimmune thyroiditis prevalence. While this is not a high risk breed, there is still a good chance of disease transmission through breeding. Therefore, all dogs intended for breeding should be tested first. 

 Rank Among Breeds  Number of Dogs Tested  Percent of Dogs With Disease
 #38  1,808  9%

You can download the full report (on all breeds) by the Michigan State University Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health. Here

Other Health Problems

  • Hip Dysplasia: Ball and joint problem of the hip that causes arthritic like symptoms and pain.
  • Cataracts: Condition of the eye that causes vision loss and can cause blindness if left untreated. 
  • Glaucoma: Condition of the eye that causes damage to the optic nerve. This leads to vision loss and can result in blindness.
  • Diabetes: Treatable condition that will not necessarily reduce the lifespan of the animal. However, it can cause blindness if left untreated.