Samoyed Dog Breed: What You Need to Know

samoyed

Gentle and loving, very laid-back and very friendly, the Samoyed makes a great dog. Unless, of course, you’re looking for a dog that is ferocious looking, loud and very big so that people judge him by his cover and run away in fear before they come to your front door. If that’s the case, the Samoyed is not the dog for you. However, if you want a friend, a companion and a dog that will spend its time loving your attention and giving it right back to you, you are going to love this breed. If you know little about the Samoyed, you will not be disappointed to learn more about this beautiful breed.

As with any dog breed, the Samoyed is one that has a lot of expectation. We believe that you should never enter into a relationship with any animal before you know as much as possible about the animal. It’s not a good idea to have a dog if you are not familiar with the dog, if you do not know what to expect, and you do not know quite what you are getting into. You might believe that the Samoyed is the dog for you, but it might not be the dog for you. Furthermore, you might not be the right fit for this breed, so let’s get to know the Samoyed together. Hopefully it’s the breed for you but if it is not, then there are always other breeds you can choose from that will make a better fit in your family.

Personality and Temperament

The Samoyed is a dog owner’s dream. He is gentle and loving, kind and sweet. He is highly intelligent, which makes it easy to teach him new tricks, to love him and to train him. He is very easy-going, which means he fits right in with all families and all family types. He loves kids, is gentle with them, and he is just a loving and wonderful dog all the way around. The Samoyed is not a watch dog, though. He is too friendly and too inviting of strangers to trust to take care of them if they are breaking into the house. And he certainly won’t stand up to them; he’d much rather play with them. However, he will bark when strangers or friends approach – because he is excited. If you just need a bit of an alarm, he’s going to be the perfect dog for that aspect.

One thing that all Samoyed owners must understand is that they need a pack leader. That’s you; you have to be the strong one who is able to lead the dog to good behavior and what it needs. This is a dog that requires a job, too. It is smart, and it needs something to keep it occupied or it will become destructive. It’s known as a chewer, so you will need to keep this dog occupied and stimulated or risk losing your furniture, shoes, clothes and anything else the Sammy can reach when he’s bored and in a chewing mood.

A great family dog that loves kids, the Samoyed is going to make a wonderful addition to your family if you love to relax and enjoy affection, and if you are not looking for a watchdog.

Lifestyle and Expectation

Not a large dog, you will find that the Samoyed is a lovely dog to keep at home with a family. This darling breed only grows to around 23-24 inches tall and weighs around 65 pounds. Female Samoyed dogs are a bit smaller reaching more like 21 inches tall and 50 pounds at the most. It’s not a big dog but it’s not a lap dog, either. With a lifespan that encompasses the better part of 12 to 15 years, the Samoyed is the kind of dog you can expect to have in your life for a long time. Health wise, the Samoyed is a generally healthy breed. However, it’s not uncommon for the breed to suffer from hip dysplasia and even diabetes. Some suffer extensively from skin allergies, but nothing that cannot be handled easily with visits to a trusted vet. The downside to this lovely breed is that it does have a very long coat and it does require ample grooming. They shed quite heavily, so they need to be brushed regularly.

If you live in a small home or apartment, you will find that the Samoyed does all right so long as you ensure he exercises as often as possible. He does like to live an active lifestyle inside, so you will need to be able to ensure he is walked daily. One more issue that might affect your desire to have a dog of this nature is that he has a very heavy coat. This makes him very unlikely to do well in very hot climates. He needs moderate temperatures to stay healthy and live his life to the fullest.

Breed History

Centuries old, the Samoyed is a working dog through and through. This breed is one that worked for a long time in places such as Siberia. It worked with fishermen and hunters called Samoyeds. It is where the dog breed got its name, and it’s a dog that spent a lot of time pulling sleds and working to herd, since it’s a natural instinct of the breed. For many years before modern technology was invented, the Samoyed was also used at night to keep their people warm when they slept. They were all around useful dogs, and this is probably why they are so god with people, so loving and so friendly. The dog was brought by an explorer to England in the late 19th century, and it began to develop as a more popular breed across the world after that. A wonderful breed through and through, the Samoyed is a dog that everyone loves and it does make a wonderful pet for anyone looking for a loyal, loving breed with a lot of affection and good nature to give.

Photo by Getty Images

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