Samoyed dog

TheSamoyed(/ˈsæməjɛd/SAM-ə-yedor/səˈmɔɪ.ɛd/sə-MOY-ed;Russian:самое́дская соба́ка,romanized:samoyédskaya sobáka, orсамое́д,samoyéd) is a breed of medium-sizedherding dogswith thick, white, double-layer coats. They arespitz-typedogs which take their name from theSamoyedic peoplesofSiberia. Descending from theNenets Herding Laika, they are domesticated animals that assist in herding,hunting, protection and sled-pulling.
Samoyed dogs are most often white, and can have a brown tint to their double-layer coat which is naturally dirt-repellent. They are known to be used in expeditions in bothArcticandAntarcticregions and have a friendly and agreeable disposition.
The progenitor of the Samoyeds was theNenets Herding Laika, a reindeer herding spitz commonly used throughout northern Siberia, especially theNenetspeople who were pejoratively referred to as Samoyeds at that time.DNA evidence confirms that Samoyeds are abasal breedthat predates the emergence of the modern breeds in the 19th century.A genomic study of two dog specimens that are nearly 100 years old and obtained from theNenets peopleon theYamal Peninsulafound that these are related to two specimens dated 2,000 years old and 850 years old, which suggests continuity of the lineage in this region. The two 100 year old dogs were closely related with the Samoyed breed, which indicates that the ancient arctic lineage lives on in the modern Samoyed dog.
During preparation for theFram expeditionto the North Pole in 1893–1896, 33 dogs were purchased from the Nenets people. While 28 of these dogs would go to the North Pole, none of them survived. The remaining dogs, including pups born during the voyage, were left aboard the ship. In April 1893 the bitch had another litter, most of them white. According to Nansen's notes "...all the dogs were strong, tough and excellent at pulling sleds; they worked very well in hunting Polar bears [as well]." These dogs would become the original Samoyeds.
British Zoologist Ernest Kilburn-Scott is widely considered the founder of Samoyed breed. In 1889, he returned to England with a puppy he had purchased from a Samoyed encampment nearArkhangelsk.In the early days, imported dogs were a wide array of colors. However, it was widely believed that the "true Samoyeds," as originally bred in Siberia, were predominantly white.In 1909, the first official breed standard for the Samoyed was developed in England.
In 1898-1900,Carsten Borchgrevinkbrought 90 Samoyeds to the southern hemisphere during theSouthern CrossExpedition. In his book "To the South Polar Regions," expedition memberLouis Bernacchiwrote:
On the return trip, the dogs were left onNative Island, New Zealand. Due to quarantine requirements, many of the dogs were killed but a few remained. 9 of the remaining dogs were bought byErnest Shackleton.
Robert Falcon Scottbrought twentySamoyedswith him during his 1902 journey. The dogs struggled under the conditions Scott placed them in, with four dogs pulling heavily loaded sleds through 45 cm (18 in) of snow with bleeding feet. Scott blamed their failure on rotten dried fish.
TheAKCStandard requires 45–65 pounds (20–29 kg) and 21–23.5 inches (53–60 cm) at the shoulder for males, and 35–50 pounds (16–23 kg) and 19–21 inches (48–53 cm)  for females.TheUK Kennel ClubStandard requires 51–56 centimetres (20–22 in) for males, and 46–51 centimetres (18–20 in) for females.
Samoyed ears are thick and covered with fur, triangular in shape, and erect. They are almost always white but have a light to dark brown tint (known as "biscuit") to a greater or lesser extent. The tint is usually on the ears but can be visible on the whole body.
The Samoyed tail is one of the breed's distinguishing features. Like theAlaskan Malamute, the tail is carried curled over the back; however, unlike the Alaskan Malamute, the Samoyed tail is held actually touching the back. It is not usually held in a tight curl, or held flag-like; it is usually carried lying over the back and to one side. In cold weather, Samoyeds may sleep with their tails over their noses to provide additional warmth. Almost all Samoyeds will allow their tails to fall when they are relaxed and at ease, as when being stroked or while eating, but will return their tails to a curl when more alert.
Samoyeds have a dense,double layer coat. Thetopcoatcontains long, coarse, and straightguard hairs, which appear white but have a hint of silver coloring. This top layer keeps theundercoatrelatively clean and free of debris. The under layer, or undercoat, consists of a dense, soft, and short fur that keeps the dog warm. The undercoat typically sheds heavily once or twice a year, and this seasonal process is sometimes referred to as "blowing coat". This does not mean the Samoyed will shed only during that time however; fine hairs (versus the dense clumps shed during seasonal shedding) will be shed all year round, and have a tendency to stick to cloth and float in the air. The standard Samoyed may come in a mixture of biscuit and white coloring, although pure white and all biscuit dogs are common. Males typically have larger ruffs than females. While this breed is touted as "hypoallergenic", it does shed a fair amount and needs frequent grooming. While the breed may produce fewer allergens, care should be taken for severe allergies.
Shed Samoyed fur is sometimes used as an alternative to wool inknitting, with a texture similar toangora. The fur is sometimes also used for the creation ofartificial fliesforfly fishing.
Life expectancy for the breed is about 12–13 years.
Samoyeds' friendly and affable disposition makes them poor guard dogs; an aggressive Samoyed is rare. The breed is characterized by an alert and happy expression which has earned the nicknames "Sammie smile" and "smiley dog".With their tendency to bark, however, they can  be diligent watch dogs, barking whenever something approaches their territory. Samoyeds are excellent companions, especially for small children or even other dogs, and they remain playful into old age. According to the Samoyed Club of America, when Samoyeds become bored, they may become destructive or start to dig.
Samoyeds can compete indog agilitytrials,carting,obedience,showmanship,flyball,tracking,mushingandherdingevents.Herdinginstincts and trainability can be measured at non-competitive herding tests. Samoyeds exhibiting basic herding instincts can be trained to compete in herding trials.
A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 13.1 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 forcrossbreeds.
The breed can be affected by a genetic disease known as Samoyed hereditary glomerulopathy, akidneydisease. The disease is known to be caused by anX-linkedrecessive faultyalleleand therefore the disease is more severe in male Samoyeds.Also known as hereditarynephritis, it is caused by anonsense mutationin codon 1027 of the COL4A5 gene on theX chromosome(glycinetostop codon), which is similar toAlport's syndromein humans.
Carrier females do develop mild symptoms after 2–3 months of age, but mostlydo not go on to developkidney failure. The disease is caused by a defect in the structure of thetype-IV collagenfibrils of theglomerular basement membrane. As a consequence, the collagen fibrils of the glomerular basement membrane are unable to form cross-links, so the structural integrity is weakened and the membrane is more susceptible to "wear-and-tear" damage. As the structure of the basement membrane begins to degenerate,plasma proteinsare lost in the urine and symptoms begin to appear. Affected males appear healthy for the first three months of life, but then symptoms start to appear and worsen as the disease progresses: the dog becomes lethargic and muscle wastage occurs, as a result ofproteinuria. From three months of age onwards, a reducedglomerular filtration rateis detected, indicative of progressive kidney failure.
Clinically,proteinuriais found in both sexes from the age of three to four months; in dogs older than this, kidney failure in combination with more or less pronounced hearing loss occurs swiftly and death at the age of 8 to 15 months is expected. Inheterozygousfemales, the disease develops slowly. The disease can be treated to slow down the development by use ofcyclosporine AandACE inhibitors, but not stopped.
If a carrier female is mated with a healthystud dog, the female offspring have a 50% chance of being carriers for the disease, and any male offspring have a 50% chance of being affected by the disease. A genetic test is available for this disease.
For the Samoyeds several breed-specific hereditary diseases are described in the veterinary literature: