Medium
15 Years
30 Kg
Pastoral Dogs
Cheerful, Energetic, Lively, Social, Stubborn
The Samoyed is a medium-sized dog belonging to the pastoral group with well-balanced proportion coupled with a strong and graceful appearance. It has a powerful head shaped like a wedge with broad skull and medium length muzzle. Featuring tapering forehead, black lips, short, smooth hair on the face and a black nose. It has almond-shaped eyes which come in medium to dark brown that offers an intelligent expression. The long, thick ears which are slightly rounded at the tips are carried fully erect. It has strong jaws with regular and complete scissor bite and a strong and medium-sized neck to support a well-balanced head. The body of the Samoyed features a broad and very muscular back and a deep chest, supported efficiently by muscular, straight front legs with good bone and evenly muscular back legs bolstered by long, flat and hairy feet. The tail is long and coated profusely, carried over the back and to the side when the dog is excited or it can also be carried dropped when at rest. The coat is made of wiry, weather-proof outer coat with a thick, close undercoat that comes in pure white, white and biscuit and cream with the outer coat tipped in silver.
All dog breeds have different levels of intellect. Some dog breeds; working dogs in particular, are very independent thinkers and have been evolved to be very intelligent. Typically, a highly intelligent dog does well in obedience training and other activities. A highly intelligent dog can be very demanding and do require lots of physical and mental stimulation. If you’re looking for a relatively laid-back dog, that doesn’t require lots of mental and physical stimulation, then you must fully understand the level of intelligence of your dog breed of choice.
Before committing to a certain dog breed, you must fully understand their intellect levels and their specific levels of energy. To keep your dog well-balanced and happy, their needs must be met and maintained.
All dog breeds have different needs when it comes to the level of exercise they require. For the high energy dogs; which are your typical working dogs, they have a lot of energy and require lots of daily exercise along with plenty of mental stimulation. A highly energetic dog breed would suit an individual or family that is equally as active and loves the outdoors. There are also breeds that have relatively low exercise needs, such as toy dog breeds. Although they require daily exercise and mental stimulation, they’re just as happy chilling at home with their loved ones. This type of dog breed would suit an individual or family that prefers the peace and quiet and relaxation.
Before deciding on your chosen dog breed, Mypetzilla recommends that you research the exercise needs and whether you’re well equipped before committing to buying or adopting a particular dog breed.
There are several dog breeds that are known and potentially predisposed to developing health related conditions. Sensible breeding can help prevent the onset of health related conditions and this should always be taken into condition when researching your dog breed of choice. Before committing to a dog, you should speak to the breeder about any health related conditions that may affect the dog you’re looking to buy or adopt. You can also request to see any test results from genetic testing.
There are many dog breeds that tolerate children really well and are not affected by the constant noise and need for play-time. However, there are some dog breeds that don’t do very well with children and can become frustrated and snappy. That being said, all children should be shown how to handle and care for a dog in their home and should always be supervised when playing. As much as a dog can become annoyed and snappy with a younger child, the child can also become less tolerant and misbehaved towards the dog.
Mypetzilla recommends that you always supervise play-time between your children and dog. Children need to respect the boundaries and feeding time for the dog and likewise for the child. We also strongly advise that play-time doesn’t get out of control and too rough which can cause injury to both child and dog.
There are lots of dog breeds that are well suited to living in an apartment. It’s worthwhile noting that you need to check that you’re allowed dogs in your building before committing to bringing one home. If you do decide to own a dog and are living in an apartment, then you must make sure that they have plenty of room to roam around and frequent walks outside to prevent them from becoming bored and depressed.
Mypetzilla recommends that you check as to whether you’re allowed dogs in your apartment building and to fully ensure your apartment is dog proof before committing fully to bringing a dog home.
All dog breeds shed to some extent, some more than others. With this, all potential dog owners should be aware of this, as it will be a matter of putting up with some hair or lots of hair being left around the house. Depending on the dog breed, there are certain times during the year where some dog breeds shed the most and this is typically around spring and autumn. However, there are some dog breeds that shed all year round.
If you’re very house-proud, they you may want to choose a dog breed that sheds very little. Mypetzilla strongly recommends that you fully research your dog breed of choice and their shedding levels before committing.
All dog breeds require different levels of grooming. Some dog breeds are easier to maintain than others and only require a weekly brush to help keep their coat in good condition. There are some dog breeds that require regular trips to the grooming parlour and this can come at a huge cost. Either way, all dog breeds require their coat and nails to be maintained and cared for.
Mypetzilla strongly advices that potential owners research the grooming needs and associated costs with their desired dog breed before fully committing.
Barking is a necessity for your dog to communicate. However, it can also be a nuisance to yourself and fellow neighbours if it’s not kept under control. If you live in an apartment, then you’re better off choosing a dog breed that doesn’t bark as much. If you live further out and far from civilisation, then it’s worthwhile looking into a dog breed that does bark and will bark to alert you of any other company on your property.
Mypetzilla advices that you research the behaviours of your dog breed of choice and whether this would work for you and your family. It’s worth noting that dogs can be trained to bark less and this will take a lot of effort and training from the owner.
Majority dog breeds form very close relationships with their owners and as a result can become very stressed when left alone for a period of time. If a dog is suffering with separation anxiety then they’re very likely to become destructive around the home as a way of dealing with their anxieties. Dog breeds that do form strong bonds with their owners are better accustomed to a household where one member of the family remains home, whilst the others are out, this is to help avoid further anxieties and destructive behaviours.
Mypetzilla recommends that all potential owners research their dog breed of choice on their bonding abilities and how well-adjusted they are to being left alone at home. It’s also worth noting that you should never leave your dog for longer than 4 hours alone at home.
There are certain dogs breeds that have very high intellect and therefore easier to train than other dog breeds. There is also a downside to this; as fast as they learn the new trick or command, they can easily pick up bad habits just as quick. Other dog breeds that don’t rank as high on the intellect scale require patience and plenty of reward treats from their owners during training.
Before committing to a certain dog breed, Mypetzilla advices you to fully research your dog breed of choice and their level of training needs.
All dog breeds have different energy levels. The working dog breed has one of the highest energy levels in comparison to the low-energy dog’s breeds such as the Toy dog breed group. To keep a dog truly happy, healthy and well-balanced, their energy levels must be met.
High-energy dog breeds need lots of exercise and mental stimulation. High energy dog breeds would suit an active family or person. Dog breeds that are considered as low-energy, love to spend the majority of their time relaxing and sleeping in their favourite, comfy spot. A low-energy dog breed would suit an individual that equally loves the quiet life and relaxing lifestyle. Of course, low-energy dogs still need their daily walks and mental stimulation, just not as much as a high-energy dog breed.
Mypetzilla recommends that potential owner research fully on the type of dog breed that would suit their existing lifestyle and to also take into consideration the dog breeds energy levels and exercise requirements.
Before you decide on what dog breed would be suitable for you and your family, you must consider whether they’re a friendly dog breed and if you already have other pets within the household. For homes that already have dogs and other domestic pets, then it’s wise to choose a dog breed that has a friendly personality and temperament.
There are some dog breeds that mix well with other dog breeds and there are others that don’t suit one another and this could potentially cause issues later on down the line.
Another important point to consider is whether the dog breed of choice is friendly towards people and children.
Mypetzilla recommends to research fully on the right dog breed for your family and to also consider their temperament and characteristics.
The Samoyed is a native of Siberia and was named after the Samoyedes people, a tribe of nomadic reindeer herders who bred the Samoyed for herding reindeer and caribou, sled pulling, boat towing, guarding and bed warmer. It was both a pet and a working dog, often sleeping with the children to keep them warm in the harsh, biting cold of the Siberian weather. It is included among the fourteen most ancient dog breeds as evidenced by recent DNA analysis of the breed and was brought to England during the late 1800s, although those early breeds were not pure white in colour. Queen Alexandria is credited for promoting the Samoyed after receiving one as a gift. In fact, the dogs bred by the Queen are known to be the ancestors of the modern pedigrees. Between 1910 and 1912, Road Amundsen, a Norwegian explorer of polar regions led the first successful Antarctic expedition to the South Pole by using a team of sled dogs led by a Samoyed named Etah. Kaifas and Suggen, the lead dogs for Fridtjof Nansen’s first North Pole expedition were also Samoyed dogs. While the breed is still being used to pull sleds, nowadays, they are seldom utilized for herding and are far more known as household pets.
This friendly and playful disposition coupled with an attitude that is never distrustful or shy makes it a poor candidate for a guard dog. It is a loyal breed that is happy to please its master. An instinctive herding behaviour can sometimes manifest when it is playing with children, often attempting to move them in a different direction. One of the distinguishing characteristics of the Samoyed is its alert and happy expression which has earned for itself the nickname “smiling dog.” In general, the breed is very inactive indoors but it has a tendency to dig and bark a lot especially if it gets bored.
However, the Samoyed can be quite difficult to train and is known to have a stubborn streak. Training is an absolute requirement and should be started at an early age by a consistent and gentle handler, as the Samoyed can be quite difficult to train due to its stubbornness.
This thick coat sheds semi-annually which requires daily attention during this period. On normal occasions, it only needs brushing or combing twice a week and along with proper diet will keep the coat in excellent condition. It should only be bathed when necessary.
The Samoyed is a hardy dog with very little health concerns. This robust breed can live between the ages of 12 to 14 on average. Like other large breeds, canine hip dysplasia is the most prevalent medical concerns with the Samoyed, along with eye problems such as cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy and glaucoma. It is also prone to diabetes and bloat or gastric torsion.
An ideal base diet for the Samoyed should be a blend of horse meat, poultry, and fish with wheat and potatoes. Suggested feeding should be several small meals a day instead of one large heavy meal. Moreover, avoid taking the dog for an exercise after a meal.
As a typical working breed, the Samoyed requires a lot of exercise in order to stay healthy and vigorous. Daily workouts in the form of long walks on leash, jogging or a session of play in the park are ideal physical stimulation. It enjoys doing work and will typically get enough exercise out of doing physical activities such as pulling or herding. This breed thrives in cold weather conditions and can live outside the house in temperate to cold weather. Conversely, it is not recommended for hot, arid climates because its thick coat will cause it to suffer from heat stroke.
The Samoyed is a friendly breed and an excellent companion for small children and other household pets including dogs, always playful even into old age.
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