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Samoyed breed guide
AKC calls the Samoyed a substantial but graceful dog, powerful and tireless with a thick all-white coat impervious to cold, perfectly handsome but highly functional.
Even its most delightful feature, a perpetual smile, has a practical function: the upturned corners of the mouth keep Samoyeds from drooling and prevent icicles forming on the face.
- Height
- 21 to 23.5 inches male, 19 to 21 inches female
- Weight
- 45 to 65 pounds male, 35 to 50 pounds female
- AKC group
- Working Group
Samoyed temperament
Samoyeds enjoy being with their people and joining family activities. AKC says the Samoyede people huddled with their dogs for warmth on brutal Arctic nights, an unusual closeness that forged a tight bond between Samoyeds and humans.
A Samoyed sentenced to solitary confinement in the backyard is a miserable and destructive creature.
Samoyed lifespan
Samoyeds live 12 to 14 years. AKC says breeders test their stock for hip dysplasia and eye and cardiac disorders and the teeth need regular brushing.
Samoyed care
The thick double coat has a longer outer layer of harsh hair and a soft, thick, woolly undercoat. Samoyeds shed quite a bit all the time and more in shedding season, so daily brushing removes dirt and loose hair.
Samoyeds need some daily exercise and enjoy play sessions in a safely fenced yard or long walks on leash. The breed has a strong urge to roam and a loose Samoyed might travel for miles, putting itself at risk.
Samoyed history
The name comes from the Samoyede, a semi-nomadic people from Asia who migrated to Siberia a thousand years ago and bred dogs for hard work in some of the coldest places on earth. In the Siberian town of Oymyakon, temperatures of minus 60 degrees are common.
When not hauling heavy loads across Siberia, Samoyeds earned their feed as watchdogs and hunters.
AKC trait ratings
| Trait | AKC rating | Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Level | 4 of 5 | Couch Potato to High Energy |
| Trainability Level | 4 of 5 | Self-Willed to Eager to Please |
| Shedding Level | 3 of 5 | No Shedding to Hair Everywhere |
| Barking Level | 5 of 5 | Only To Alert to Very Vocal |
| Adaptability Level | 4 of 5 | Lives For Routine to Highly Adaptable |
| Good With Young Children | 5 of 5 | Not Recommended to Good With Children |
| Good With Other Dogs | 3 of 5 | Not Recommended to Good With Other Dogs |
| Watchdog/Protective Nature | 4 of 5 | What's Mine Is Yours to Vigilant |
More Working Group guides
Sources
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Samoyed by Dllu, CC BY-SA 4.0
