The Washington times., 1924-02-23
SAMOYEDE DOG
|SBECOM|NG
POPULAR
Type Is Believed to Be Very
Like It's Prehistoric
Ancestors.

NEW YORK, Feb. 2S.--A large
showing Of snow-white Samoyedes
ut the last dog show was the center
Of considerable interest as rarely Is
q single representative OF this breed
seen on the streets Of New York.
The Eamoyede's admirers say that
he Is one Of the Oldest domesticated
dogs In existence and by virtue Of
centuries OF 1aiItimate and helpful
association with man one of II not
the most reliable and friendly for q
family pet.
Originally introduced into England
from Siberia for use on Arctic and
Antarctic expeditions. their other
qualities soon enabled them to find
Q place in home life. It Is said
that under no circumstances will
they attack a human being, and in
this they depart to a certain extent
from q conventional watchdog type.
Alarm for Strangers.
The Samoyede, however, win never
tail to give the alarm at the Ap.
Qr0ach OF q stranger. Unfailing
devotion to their own people, intel.
Iigence, affectionate dispositions and
q truly remarkable amenability to
discipline-these are some of the
points which are claimed for them
and which make them Of value.
The Samoyede pup is like snow
white Teddy Bear, with soft fluffy
coat and short nose. It passes
through the usual leggy phase Of
young 'dogdom, but when about a
year old is very handsome, with a
strong, full coat Of long white fur,
which stands out straight from the
body, and each hair Of which seems
to have a peculiar icy sheen or gilt
ter. The Samoyede Is something
like chow In general shape, except
that the body Is longer and the tail
is not coiled tightly like that Of a
cnow' but Is more of a spreading
plume. The eyes are dark and ex.
pressive; the ears pricked slightly
forward. The Samoyede's feet are
hairy and well let down." as Is
common with all northern dogs who
walk much on snow.
While the Samoyede came orig
inally from Siberia, and is able to
endure great cold, privation and
hardship in the native state, it
should not be confused with the
Eskimo or hustle, nor yet with
the Spitz. The admirers of the
Samoyede point out that he is not
vicious like the huslxie, which is
Iargel; wolf: r or snappy and irrit-
able Ike the smaller and less pow
Otful Spitz.
Is Good Sled Dog.
In fact, it is said, the Samoyede
often takes the place of the Eskimo
dog on those polar expeditions
which have started from England
and other European countries, hav-
Ing proved himself more intelligent,
hardy and willing, and more easily
trained and more in sympathy with
Its master. The work of the sled
dogs on the expeditions of Nansen,
Shackleton, Johannsen, Jackson,
Duke Of Abruzzi and others is said
to have been largely the work of
Samoyedes.
Their claim to be recognized as
one OF the Oldest domesticated
types Of dog, despite the fact that
the breed has not been generaIiv
known to the civilized world until
comparatively recently, is based on
the fact that they have been used
for centuries for herding reindeer
and for other useful purposes by
the Samoyede people, nomadic
Finnish tribe inhabiting the Yalmal
or Samoyede Peninsula in Western
Siberia.
Some scientists, investigating pre-
historic and archaic records and
drawings, think that the first dom
esticated dog was a dog of medium
size, not as large as the great Dane,
mastiff or Eskimo. The admirer
OF the Samoyede feels that, in type
and lineage, he is nearest to the
nrehiafnric dog.