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.
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.
History
The Samoyed name quickly become obsolete for the Nenets people after the Russian Revolution (perceived as derogatory; see Nenets article). However, by then, Arctic explorers (for example, Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen) had brought enough of the dogs back to Europe to keep the name and to establish the breed both there and in the US.
Fridtjof Nansen believed that the use of sled dogs was the only effective way to explore the north and used Samoyeds on his polar expeditions. Unfortunately, his plan was disastrous to the animals, as he planned to feed the weaker dogs to the stronger ones as they died during the expedition. In the end, he lost almost all of his dogs due to his plan.
Roald Amundsen used a team of sled dogs led by a Samoyed named Etah on the first expedition to reach the South Pole.
Recent DNA analysis of the breed has led to the Samoyed being included amongst the fourteen most ancient dog breeds, along with Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes, the Chow Chow, and 10 others of a diverse geographic background.
Health
Samoyeds are typically a hearty dog, but do have their share of health concerns. Hip dysplasia is a concern as are eye problems like cataracts and glaucoma and other retinal problems. Samoyeds will typically live 10 to 15 years.
Care
In spring and autumn when moulting, the undercoat is renewed; then the old coat comes out in tufts. One can comb it deeply, with a metal comb, which will speed up the shedding process and allow the Samoyed to regain its usual appearance more quickly (without this he may walk about for several days with a hard bald back). Giving a bath itself has several disadvantages, soap or shampoo destroy the skin suint (an oily secretion which makes the coat shine) and remove the dog's own natural protection.
Furthermore, water, trapped in the very thick undercoat, has difficulty evaporating and may remain in the fur. They have to be groomed at least twice a week, more in the spring and autumn when they moult. To keep the Samoyed's coat gleaming, their diet must be looked after carefully and contain a good amount of meat and fish.
Height and Weight
Height: Male: 21 to 23½ inches.
Female: 19 to 21 inches.
Female: 19 to 21 inches.
Weight: Male: 45-65 lbs
Female: 35-50 lbs
Female: 35-50 lbs
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