SAMOYED Breed Standards
Long associated with cold, unforgiving climates, the Samoyed was introduced to Siberia from Mongolia long ago. The Samoyed people, for whom the dog is named, were nomadic and relied heavily on their herds of reindeer for food, clothing and tools. The Samoyed people used their dogs to guide the movement of the reindeer as they went from place to place in search of food. The dogs were used to guard the reindeer flocks and Samoyed camps, and were also put to work as draft animals.
The Samoyed was introduced to England at the end of the 19th century, and was a favorite of Queen Alexandria. In 1906 Russia’s Grand Duke Nicholas presented one of the dogs as a gift to the United States; the Samoyed was recognized by the American Kennel Club the very same year. During this time, the dog’s popularity as a polar draft animal exploded, and teams of Samoyeds were successfully used in several Antarctic expeditions. Today the Samoyed is still used as sled dog and herder, though it is more commonly seen as a loving pet.
SKILLS: The Samoyed, should present a picture of beauty, alertness and strength, with agility, dignity and grace. As his work lies in cold climates, his coat should be heavy and weather-resistant, well groomed, and of good quality rather then quantity. The male carries more of a "ruff" than the female. He should not be long in the back as a weak back would make him practically useless for his legitimate work, but at the same time, a close-coupled body would also place him at a great disadvantage as a draft dog. Breeders should aim for the happy medium, a body not long but muscular, allowing liberty, with a deep chest and well-sprung ribs, strong neck, straight front and especially strong loins. Males should be masculine in appearance and deportment without unwarranted aggressiveness; bitches feminine without weakness of structure or apparent softness of temperament. Bitches may be slightly longer in back than males.
SIZE: Height - Males--21 to 23½ inches; females--19 to 21 inches at the withers. An oversized or undersized Samoyed is to be penalized according to the extent of the deviation.
COAT: Coat (Texture and Condition) - The Samoyed is a doublecoated dog. The body should be well covered with an undercoat of soft, short, thick, close wool with longer and harsh hair growing through it to form the outer coat, which stands straight out from the body and should be free from curl. The coat should form a ruff around the neck and shoulders, framing the head (more on males than on females). Quality of coat should be weather resistant and considered more than quantity. A droopy coat is undesirable. The coat should glisten with a silver sheen. The female does not usually carry as long a coat as most males and it is softer in texture. Color - Samoyeds should be pure white, white and biscuit, cream, or all biscuit. Any other colors disqualify.
CARE REQUIRED: Extensive grooming is needed. They are seasonally heavy shedders. The fluffy double coat needs frequent brushing, but tends to stay white without bathing.
CHARACTER: Samoyeds are gentle dogs. Peaceable and dignified. Very devoted, they tend to favor one person, but love everyone. They are easy-going, friendly and quite playful. It will gladly be friendly to all, including intruders.
EXERCISE: Needs a reasonable amount of exercise, but take it easy during warm weather because the woolly undercoat inhibits loss of the heat built up during exercise.
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR: They are too friendly to be of much use as a watchdog, although its bark will alert you to the presence of strangers. It willingly adapts to family life and gets along well with children. They are highly intelligent, but often willfully resistant to formal obedience training. It eventually responds to firm, patient training, which should be started at an early age. Since it is accustomed to working in teams, its outstanding qualities often do not have the opportunity to be expressed. However when it becomes attached to a single master, it proves itself an outstanding, good-natured, lively, and sociable dog.
TRAINING: It never seeks trouble but can handle an adversary if necessary. They have a reputation of being chewers and may become very destructive if left alone for many hours at a stretch. Samoyeds should not be trusted with small non-canine pets, however there are plenty of them that live and get along with family cats. This breed tends to bark a lot.
