FEDERATION CYNOLOGIQUE INTERNATIONALE (AISBL)
SECRETARIAT GENERAL: 13, Place Albert 1er B – 6530 Thuin (Belgique)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

07.10.2019/ EN_______________________________________________________________

FCI-Standard N° 212

SAMOIEDSKAÏA SABAKA(Samoyed)

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Last amendment by the FCI Head Office.
ORIGIN: Northern Russia and Siberia.
PATRONAGE: Nordic Kennel Union (NKU).
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE OFFICIAL VALID
STANDARD: 04.09.2019.
UTILIZATION: Sledge- and companion dog.
FCI-CLASSIFICATION:

Group 5 Spitz and primitive types.
Section 1 Nordic sledge dogs.
Without working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY: The name Samoyed derives
from the Samoyed Tribes in Northern Russia and Siberia. In
Southern parts of the area they used white, black and brown particoloured dogs as reindeer herders; in the northern parts the dogs
were pure white, had a mild temperament and were used as huntingand sledge dogs. The Samoyed dogs lived close to their owners, theyeven slept within the shelters and were used as heaters. The Britishzoologist Ernest Kilburn Scott spent three months among Samoyed
Tribes in 1889. Returning to England he brought with him a brownmale puppy called « Sabarka ». Later he imported a cream coloured
bitch called « Whitey Petchora » from the western side of the Urals
and a snow white male called « Musti » from Siberia. These few
dogs and those brought by the explorers are the base for the western
Samoyed. The first standard was written in England in 1909.
GENERAL APPEARANCE: Medium in size, elegant, a white
Arctic Spitz. In appearance gives the impression of power,endurance, charm, suppleness, dignity and self-confidence.
The expression, the so called « Samoyed Smile », is made up of acombination of eye shape and position, and the slightly curved up
corners of the mouth. The sex should be clearly stamped.

FCI-St. N° 212 / 07.10.2019

3IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS: The length of the body isapproximately 5% more than the height at the withers. The depth ofthe body is slightly less than the half of the height at the withers.
The muzzle is approximately as long as the skull.
BEHAVIOUR AND TEMPERAMENT: Friendly, open, alert andlively. The hunting instinct is very slight. Never shy nor aggressive.
Very social and cannot be used as guard dog.
HEAD: Powerful and wedge-shaped.
CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: viewed from the front and in profile only slightly convex.
Broadest between the ears. Slightly visible furrow between the eyes.
Stop: Clearly defined but not too prominent.
FACIAL REGION:
Nose: Well developed, preferably black. During some periods of theyear the pigment of the nose can fade to a so called « winter nose »;there must however always be dark pigment at the edges of the nose.
Muzzle: Strong and deep, approximately as long as the skull,
gradually tapering towards the nose, neither snipey nor heavy andsquare. The bridge of the nose is straight.
Lips: Close fitting, black and rather full. The corners of the mouth
are slightly curved forming the characteristic « Samoyed Smile ».
Jaws/Teeth: Regular and complete scissor bite. The teeth and thejaws are strong. Normal dentition.
EYES: Dark brown in colour, well-set in the sockets, placed ratherapart, somewhat slanting and almond-shaped. The expression is« smiling », kind, alert and intelligent. The eyerims are black.
EARS: Erect, rather small, thick, triangular and slightly rounded at

the tips. They should be mobile, set high; due to the broad skull wellapart.

FCI-St. N° 212 / 07.10.2019

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NECK: Strong and of medium length with a proud carriage.
BODY: Slightly longer than the height at the withers, deep andcompact but supple.
Withers: Clearly defined.
Back: Of medium length, muscular and straight; in females slightly
longer than in males.
Loin: Short, very strong and defined.
Croup: Full, strong, muscular and slightly sloping.
Chest: Broad, deep and long, reaching almost to the elbows. The
ribs are well sprung.
Underline: Moderate tuck-up.
TAIL: Set rather high. When the dog is alert and in motion the tailis carried bent from the root forward over the back or side, but may
be hanging at rest, then reaching to the hocks.
LIMBS
FOREQUARTERS:General appearance: Well placed and muscular with strong bones.
Viewed from the front straight and parallel.
Shoulder: Long, firm and sloping.
Upper arm: Oblique and close to the body. Approximately as longas the shoulder.
Elbow: Close to the body.
Carpus: Strong but supple.
Metacarpus (Pastern): Slightly oblique.
Fore Feet: Oval with long toes, flexible and pointing straightforward. Toes arched and not too tightly knit. Elastics pads.
HINDQUARTERS:General appearance: Viewed from behind straight and parallel withvery strong muscles.
Upper thigh: Of medium length, rather broad and muscular.
Stifle: Well angulated.
Hocks: Rather low and well angulated.
FCI-St. N° 212 / 07.10.2019

5Metatarsus: Short, strong, vertical and parallel.
Hindfeet: As front feet. The dewclaws should be removed (except incountries where it is forbidden by law).
GAIT: Powerful, free and tireless in appearance with long stride.
Good reach in the forequarters and good driving power in thehindquarters.
COAT
Hair: Profuse, thick, flexible and dense polar coat. The Samoyed is adouble coated dog with short, soft and dense undercoat and longer,
harsher and straight outer coat. The coat should form a ruff aroundthe neck and shoulders framing the head, especially in males. On
head and on front of legs, hair is short and smooth; on outside of ears
short, standing off and smooth. Inside the ears should be well furred.
On back of the thighs the hair forms trousers. There should be aprotective growth of hair between the toes. The tail should be
profusely covered with hair. The coat of the female is often shorterand softer in texture than that of the male. The correct coat texture
should always have a special glistening sheen.
Colour: Pure white, cream or white with biscuit. (The basic colour tobe white with a few biscuit markings.) Should never give theimpression of being pale brown.
SIZE:
Height at withers: Ideal height: male 57 cm with a tolerance of  3
cm and females 53 cm with a tolerance of  3 cm.
FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should beconsidered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should beregarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effectupon the health and welfare of the dog.
• Visible faults in structure.
• Light bone.
• Males not masculine and females not feminine.
• Pincer bite.
FCI-St. N° 212 / 07.10.2019

6••
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Yellow eyes.
Soft ears.
Barrel ribcage.
Double twisted tail.
Low on the legs.
Badly bow-legged or cow hocked.
Wavy or short coated throughout, long, soft or coat hanging
down.
Aloofness.

SERIOUS FAULTS :• Clearly unpigmented areas on eyerims or lips.
ELIMINATING FAULTS :• Aggressive or overly shy dogs.
• Any dog clearly showing physical or behaviouralabnormalities.
• Eyes blue or of different colours.
• Overshot or undershot bite.
• Ears not erect.
• Coat colour other than permitted in the standard.
N.B.:• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles
fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed
typical conformation should be used for breeding.

The latest amendments are in bold characters.

FCI-St. N° 212 / 07.10.2019