Why would anyone want a Samoyed

The Coat – What attracts most people to the Samoyed is the pleasure of stroking such a lavish coat. It can be pure white, white and biscuit or cream.

The outer coat or guard hairs are silver tipped, tough, soil resistant and water repellent. The undercoat is woolly and can become very dense in the winter months. This double layer acts as an effective insulator in both hot and cold climates.

Once or twice a year the Samoyed “blows” this coat, losing most of the undercoat. The coat itself has no odor; the only natural scent on the Samoyed comes from the musk exuded between the toe pads which are used for marking scent.

The face – If the coat doesn’t win you over, the facial characteristics will. The Samoyed has a wedge-shaped head with small heavily furred, not too long and slightly rounded ears. Medium to dark brown eyes are set behind almond-shaped black eyelids which form an effective barrier to the glare of sun or snow. The leathery nose tip is almost pure black when young and fades to shades of brown in the aging dog. The lips are black and the tongue a rich pink.  The mouth curves upward at the corners forming a smile that is never far away.

The body – The outward beauty of the Samoyed belies the strength beneath.  The Samoyed has strong musculature supported by a deep but not too broad chest and heavy skeleton which is atypical for a dog of this size. In spite of this structural strength the Samoyed is graceful, agile and elegant in movement.

Safety – While aggression is not unknown, it is rare and it is not innate. For hundreds of years aggressive traits have been bred out of these dogs; living as they did so intimately with the Samoyed people.

Humor – Watch closely and you will see the comic element in a Samoyeds reaction to everyday situations. The smile, the tilt of the head, the backward turn of the head with an impish look, the prancing gait; all indicative of the Samoyeds celebration of life.

Companionship – The Samoyed is alert, expressive, intelligent and full of affection. Get into a routine at home and the Samoyed will match your movements and keep time for you.

If lunch is at midday your Samoyed will never let you forget. The Samoyed will remember it is time for a walk or a nap. He will constantly communicate with you by paw and nose as well as voice. Many an owner will tell of a cup of coffee being bounced out of hand by a nudging nose when a Samoyed is left out of the conversation. The Samoyed rejoices in being part of your life.

The one, true Samoyed – Finally, the Samoyed is a breed like no other.  It should never be aligned with the breed sometimes referred to as Japanese Spitz. The Samoyed is unique and relatively untouched by human breeding practices.

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