The tail is covered with profuse feathering. When judging the Samoyed, the judge must see the tail over the back at least once. The profuse, dense, double coat of the Samoyed was essential to this breed's ability to live and work in the harshest arctic environment. The outer coat is long, straight and coarse, standing away from the body, while the undercoat is short, dense, and soft. The hair on the neck and shoulders forms a protective ruff.
Males generally carry longer, harsher coats than females and a more profuse ruff.
A coat of the correct weather-resistant texture glistens with a silver sheen. The weather-resistant quality of the coat is more important than quantity of coat when evaluating this breed. Hair on the skull and the front parts of the legs is shorter than the body coat. Hair on the brisket, backs of thighs, and tail is longer. Any color other than those listed.