Ch. Zamoyski Lucky Casanova at Roybridge Breed Record Holder

ABOUT THE SAMOYED

Breathtakingly beautiful, the Samoyed is one of the world's most spectacular canines. It is known world wide as the white dog with the smiling face, who carries the Spirit of Christmas in his heart all year round.

A true extrovert with a magnetic personality and steady temperament, the Samoyed bestows the gift of love and happiness to all he meets and greets.

HISTORY

The breed takes it's name from a group of nomadic people known as the Samoyeds who lived in Northern Russia. The dogs lived very closely with these people being allowed to sleep in the "chooms" and were used for herding reindeer and sometimes pulling the canoes along the riverbank. The Samoyeds coming from the Kara and White Sea areas were always white, cream or biscuit shaded. A tribe name "Bjelkier" means white animal that breeds white and this might have been a good alternative name for the breed.

Ch. Snowmyth Mivara Bitch CC Record Holder

The early explorers were the first to use Samoyeds for pulling heavy loads. Samoyeds were used on the 1984 Jackson-Harmsworth expedition to the North Pole and C.E. Borchgrevinck used the dogs in Antarctica. The dogs were also used by the Russian Tax Collectors or "Yassak" men, who used dog teams to collect taxes from people living in the snowy waste lands.

In 1889, Mr. Kilburn Scott, a member of the Royal Geographical Society, was on a boat bound for the White Sea. The port became ice bound during the winter months. In order to pass some time, he and some Russian friends visited a tribe of Eskimo looking people known as the Samoyed tribe. They were found in an encampment in the tundras some miles away. There were many dogs running about and eventually one little plump puppy dog of a colour described as deep biscuit was brought back to England. He was named "Sabarka". A bitch, Whitey Petchora was later purchased, allegedly, from a sailor in London. Thus, in 1896 the Kilburn-Scott's started a breeding programme.

FACTS

Appearance: The Samoyed can be described as a medium-sized dog, strong and active. The famous feature is the smiling expression so characteristic of the breed.

The coat: This needs a five minute brush each day to keep in condition and an overall thorough groom each week of about an hour. Teeth need also to be brushed.
Bath as necessary, usually infrequently if not being shown as brushing will get rid of dry dirt.
For showing purposes, should be presented in pristine condition.