A medium sized dog with erect, pricked ears and a tail curling over its back. They are white in colour with a weather resistant coat. Their feet are flat and have an abundance of hair between the toes and on the pads making them like snowshoes. Their unique feet prevent snow from forming ‘snowballs’ between the toes and hampering their working ability in their native lands.
A herding dog in northern Russia, the Samoyed acquired the name after the nomadic tribe it served. They were also used to guard the reindeer that they herded. They worked closely with the tribe and shared their tents, so has a great love of family life. On occasion they were used to pull sleds or boats, but this work was usually reserved for the reindeer. Many explorers used these dogs at the turn of the century when there was an increase in polar exploration. After the expeditions many of these dogs returned home with the explorers.
Mr and Mrs Kilburn-Scott first introduced the Samoyed into the UK at the beginning of the last century after they saw them in their native country in 1889. They became popular very quickly and are still so to this day. This can be a difficult dog to train, as they are known to be quite wilful and independent, so patience is a must if they are not to go off and do their own thing. They are vocal and so must be trained to curtail this on command. As puppies these dogs should be properly socialised, especially with cats and other household pets. (PetPlanet)