Samoyeds

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.

Samoyed Puppies

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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.

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.

Grooming

Grooming of the Samoyed is rated as being high. It is important to note that when grooming the Samoyed puppy that it can be very difficult. They tend to want to play with the brush and the owner more than they want to sit still. The puppy should be trained to adjust to grooming by making it an enjoyable and consistent experience. Divide the grooming into sections. Brush some and then play for a while and then brush some more and then play some more. If you are grooming an adult dog that is not well adjusted to grooming it can be a scary experience and therefore you should be patient but firm and also reward the dog for being well behaved and calm.

Samoyed's should be combed first before they are brushed. When combing the dog, the hair should be held against the growth with one hand and then using the other hand to comb the hair downwards in the direction of hair growth. Keep going each section until no more hair comes out. If spots are found where the dog is shedding more than others, those sections can be done twice. The undercoat is what tangles and mats and so it is important to comb it well. When each section has been combed thoroughly it is important for each section to then be brushed. The hair will stick into the brush better, so this will ensure that all the loose and dead hairs are removed. The distinct look of the dog is to have the outer coat stand out from the body. To achieve this, after the dog has been brushed, run the brush through the hair in the opposite direction from its direction of growth.

Shaving or clipping the coat of the Samoyed is not recommended. It is important that their coat remains its natural length because it keeps them cool from the heat, warm from the cold, and also keeps their light pink skin from getting sun burnt. The dog can be trimmed a little in order to keep the dog clean. Using scissors when trimming the Samoyed can be difficult because they are a little rowdy. It is important to be as cautious and safe as possible and always know where the whole length of the scissors is. The other areas that need to be trimmed are the tops of the feet and the bottoms of the feet in between the pads. There is also the "bikini cut." This means under the anus needs to be trimmed to keep the dog clean. Be very careful when trimming this area.

Exercise

The Samoyed must receive adequate exercise so they can vent their energy. When they are bored, they become very rambunctious and rowdy and even destructive. Their destructive behaviors are not only associated with separation anxiety but also with their boredom.

Training

The Samoyed because of their intelligent and independent nature can be somewhat difficult to train, but will respond to patient and persistent training. Voice commands are all that is really necessary. The commands should be given with enthusiasm and this will make training a little more fun. The Samoyed is eager to please and therefore will respond better to training when they are praised for following a command. Samoyeds are not easy to train because they do become bored and distracted. It is important to make it fun and energetic for them. They are known to be somewhat resistant to obedience training. When training Samoyeds it is important for the owner to establish a difference between words of appreciation and reward and words of correction.

Respect training is definitely an option for the Samoyed owner. If you can train your Samoyed from a young age to be respectful, it can make living with your Samoyed much more pleasant. This can include training in the areas of, barking, chewing, jumping up, nipping, hanging onto objects, and so many other things. This is an excellent way to establish a leader and follower role relationship with your dog. Follower dogs are said to be happier because they are secure. They can trust that you have everything under control. They are also happier because they are going to be appreciated and complimented by people in public. They can also be confident that they know what the consequences of their actions are. They are going to be happier and healthier because they are using their brains and are spending time with the family they crave attention from.