The
Samoyed dog takes its name from the Samoyedic peoples of Siberia. An
alternate name for the breed, especially in Europe, is Bjelkier. These nomadic
reindeer herders bred the fluffy, white, smiling dogs to help with the herding,
to pull sleds when they moved, and to keep their owners warm at night by
sleeping on top of them.
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History
The Samoyed name quickly became obsolete for the Nenets people after the
Russian Revolution (perceived as derogatory).
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 [1], along with Siberian Huskies,
Alaskan Malamutes, the Chow Chow, and 10 others of a diverse geographic
background. The first Samoyed was brought to United States by fur traders in
1906. The Samoyeds have been bred and trained for at least 3,000 years.
Appearance
Males typically weigh 20-32.5 kg (44-65 lb), while females typically weigh
17-25 kg (37-55 lb).
Eyes
Samoyed eyes are usually black or brown, and are almond in shape. Blue or
other colour eyes can occur but are not allowed in the show ring.
New Zealand Standard: Eyes: Almond shaped, medium to dark brown in colour,
set well apart with alert and intelligent expression. Eye rims should be black
and unbroken.
Ears
Samoyed ears are thick and covered with fur, triangular in shape, and erect.
NZKC Standard: Ears: Thick, not too long and slightly rounded at the tips,
set well apart and well covered inside with hair. The ears should be fully erect
in the grown Samoyed.
Tail
The Samoyed tail is one of the breed's more distinguishing features. Like
their Siberian Husky cousins, their tail is carried curled over their backs;
however, unlike the Husky, the Samoyed tail is held actually touching the back
in a tight curl. In cold weather, Samoyeds may sleep with their tails over their
noses to provide additional warmth. Some Samoyeds have tails that fall straight
down the backside, like many other breeds, but this prevents them from being
show quality. However, almost all Samoyeds will allow their tails to fall when
they are relaxed and at ease, as when being stroked, but will return their tails
to a curl when more alert.
NZKC Standard: Tail: Long and profuse, carried over the back when alert;
sometimes dropped when at rest.
Coat
Samoyeds have a dense, double layer coat that is typically shed twice a year,
although some shed only once a year. The top layer contains long, coarse, and
straight guard hairs, which appear white but have a hint of silver coloring.
This top layer keeps the undercoat relatively clean and free of debris. The
under layer, or undercoat, consists of a dense, soft, and short fur that keeps
the dog warm. The standard Samoyed may come in a mixture of biscuit and white
colouring, although pure white and all biscuit dogs aren't uncommon. Males
typically have larger ruffs than females.
Samoyeds are typically very good about grooming themselves, and upkeep as far
as bathing is minimal. Dirt typically falls from the outer layer of fur with
little work, making the dog deceptively easy to keep very clean looking. Puppy
fur is more porous and will tend to take on the color of grass or mud if the dog
spends a lot of time in appropriate environments.
An interesting characteristic of the breed is that these dogs have virtually
no smell or "doggy odour" about them, making them especially well-suited to
living indoors. The dense coat can make summer temperatures uncomfortable for
them in warmer climates, and they prefer to be indoors where the air is cooled.
The coat also acts as a natural repellent to fleas and ticks.
Temperament
Samoyeds' friendly disposition makes them poor guard dogs, but excellent
companions, especially for small children or even other dogs, and they remain
playful into old age. Samoyeds are also known to be stubborn at times and
difficult to train, due to unwillingness rather than lack of intelligence; they
must be persuaded to obey commands. With their sled dog heritage, a Samoyed is
not averse to pulling things, and an untrained Samoyed has no problem pulling
its owner on a leash rather than walking alongside. They will instinctively act
as herd dogs, and when playing with children, especially, will often attempt to
turn and move them in a different direction. The breed is characterized by an
alert and happy expression which has earned the nickname "Sammy smile."
Health
Samoyeds are typically a hardy dog, but do have their share of health
concerns.
Samoyed Herediatry Glomerulopathy
Samoyeds can be affected by a genetic disease known as "Samoyed Hereditary
Glomerulopathy", a renal disease. The disease is known to be caused by an
X-linked recessive faulty allele and therefore the disease is more severe in
male Samoyeds. Carrier females do develop mild symptoms after 2-3 months of age,
but do not go on to develop renal failure. The disease is caused by a defect in
the structure of the type-IV collagen fibrils of the glomerular basement
membrane. As a consequence, the collagen fibrils of the glomerular basement
membrane are unable to form cross-links, so the structural integrity is weakened
and the membrane is more susceptible to "wear-and-tear" damage. As the structure
of the basement membrane begins to degenerate, plasma proteins are lost in the
urine and symptoms begin to appear. Affected males appear healthy for the first
3 months of life, but then symptoms start to appear and worsen as the disease
progresses: the dog becomes lethargic and muscle wastage occurs, as a result of
proteinuria. From 3 months of age onwards, a reduced glomerular filtration rate
is detected, indicative of progressive renal failure. Death from renal failure
usually occurs by 15 months of age.
As yet there is no genetic screening test available for Samoyed Hereditary
Glomerulopathy. Therefore, female Samoyeds known or suspected of being carriers
of the disease should not be bred from. If a carrier female is mated with a
healthy stud dog, the female offspring have a 50% chance of being carriers for
the disease, and any male offspring have a 50% chance of being affected by the
disease. The litter-mates of any affected Samoyeds should not be bred from in
order to prevent the disease being passed on to future generations.
Other Health Concerns
Hip dysplasia is also a concern for Samoyeds as are eye problems such as
cataracts and glaucoma and other retinal problems. Like other purebred dogs,
Samoyeds are prone to diabetes and other diseases if their owners are not
careful.
Care
When a Samoyed "blows" their coat, the majority of the undercoat sheds and is
renewed; the old coat can come out in large clumps, leading to bald spots in
some extreme cases. 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. Frequent combing during a blow will be a great help in preventing
matting. Giving a Samoyed a bath is a somewhat time consuming process as the
coat is semi-weatherproof and will take some time to get completely wet, then
completely rinsed. The Samoyed coat should be dried with cool, forced air (which
can be done with a canister dryer, shop vacuum or blow or kennel dryer) as water
can be trapped in the very thick undercoat, has difficulty evaporating and may
remain in the fur for some time, possibly leading to a "hot spot." Drying the
Samoyed coat will also reduce matting caused by dampness in the undercoat. It is
important to rinse well, as any shampoo or soap left in the coat after bathing
can lead to a "hot spot" or a fungal infection, which is difficult to cure
without shaving the affected location. To keep the Samoyed's coat gleaming,
dedicated grooming and a healthy diet cannot be overlooked.
Miscellaneous
- The breed is sometimes nicknamed "The Smiley Dog" because they usually have
a permanent smiling look that makes them appear pleased to see everyone.
- While Samoyed are still used to pull sleds, they are seldom used for herding
anymore. They also are usually not used for dogsled racing because of the
emergence of breeds created specifically for the sport such as the Alaskan
Husky.
- Samoyed fur is sometimes used as an alternative to wool in knitting and in
flies for fly fishing.
Famous Samoyeds
- Kaifas and Suggen, the lead dogs for Fridtjof Nansen's North Pole
expedition.
- Etah, the lead dog for Roald Amundsen's expedition to the South Pole, the
first to reach the pole.
- Soichiro is the name of a Samoyed that belonged to one of the main
characters in the popular Japanese anime, Maison Ikkoku. He was featured
prominently throughout most of the series, and became a major character in his
own right, often serving as comic relief.
- Kenny the Samoyed Comic Strips funnies in The Dogs of C Kennel
- A Samoyed cross, Laika, was the first dog sent into space to see how an
animal, eventually a human, would react under such conditions, like no gravity.
Whilst she survived her time in space, Laika died on re-entry to the earth's
atmosphere.
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