Samoyed

All you need to know about the breed

What’s not to love about the Samoyed? The breed’s bright and distinctive expression resembling a smile, thick snowy white coat, and playful personality have made them a favourite among families with young children. The nomadic breed may have once been accustomed to long-hauls through the arctic but today, it gets their kicks from jauntily running, strolling, and playing with you (even better when that includes getting to pull the occasional sled!).

Highly social, good-humoured, and full of energy, the Samoyed is an ideal companion for experienced dog owners. They need someone with the time to devote to them and the space at home for their activity needs. Intelligent with a stubborn streak, the breed requires a tough but patient (and loving) guide for training and responds well to food or game-based rewards (however, treats should always be taken out of a dog’s daily food portion to prevent obesity).

Whilst barking outbursts and trouble-making antics are infrequent, they do happen. And if they do, you’ll want to ask yourself: Was my Sammie, as they’re nicknamed, left alone for too long? Were they bored? The breed is independent to a degree but thrives in your company and when mentally stimulated by games.

As for maintaining that all abundant, beautiful fur: It does require regular care. Consider brushing your Samoyed on a daily basis as another form of bonding—it’s good for you both!

Among the world’s oldest dog breeds, the Samoyed gets its name from the indigenous and nomadic Samoyedic people of northern Russia and Siberia who bred the dog to pull sleds, herd reindeer and protect them against predators. When they weren’t sledging through arctic climates, Samoyeds could be found following their owners everywhere and providing the tribe warmth on cold nights as they slept in tents.

Much later, the breed earned the attention of Queen Alexandra of Denmark who received one of the first Samoyeds imported to England in 1889. It wasn’t until 1906, however, that the Samoyed landed in America when the Russian Grand Duke Nicholas offered a Samoyed named Moustan of Argentaeu as a gift to the nation (who also happened to be the first Samoyed registered with the American Kennel Club).

By the time the breed became a fixture in the U.S. and Europe, their outdoor role had shifted to hauling supplies. Samoyeds’ great strength and adaptability to cold and hard conditions made them the perfect companions for polar expeditions such as those led by Shackleton, Scott, and Amundsen—the first team to reach the South Pole. Their loyalty, combined with that snuggling reputation, has remained an enduring characteristic of the breed’s modern popularity.