THE NAME

Samoyed is pronounced SAM-O-YED (accent on the last syllable). This name was chosen by Mr. E. Kilburn-Scott, who was the pioneer of the breed in England. It is the same name as that of the nomadic tribes of Siberia from whom the Samoyed came. Literally translated 'Samoyed' means 'living off themselves' hence implying the tribes' and the dogs' self-sufficiency.

ORIGIN

The Samoyed is a breed of dog that has evolved through natural selection, i.e., suiting the environment in which it lived. Many other breeds have the stamp of man in their make-up. The only characteristic of the present day Samoyed, which has been brought about by man's careful selection breeding, is the beautiful dark points. Not all the original Samoyeds possessed the dark eyes, lips and nose that we see today. It was Frdtjoj Nansen, the Norwegian explorer, who first brought the Samoyed to the attention of the Western world, and it was Mr. and Mrs. E. Kilburn-Scott who imported and furthered the breed in England.

CHARACTERISTICS

The first thing one notices about the Samoyed is his beauty. His shining coat, unparalleled in the canine world is his glory. It is of double thickness, comprising a short dense undercoat, with a longer coat growing through the hair of which is harsh, dirt resisting and which glistens silver in strong light. The coat acts as insulation to the cold and is weather resisting.

The Samoyed today has inherited the strength of his ancestors. Strong bones, jaw and back, sturdy legs, shoulders and hindquarters give the strong, striding movement, which is his peculiar 'gait', so essential in his native habitat for covering the snow when herding or travelling long distances. His head has the unique expression very often called the 'Sammy Smile'. The alert, dark eyes slightly tilted in the face, the dark nose and black eye rims and lips all add together to give the true Samoyed face.

The Samoyed's size could be described as medium. He stands between 18 and 22 inches at the shoulder and so fits easily into either the home or outside accommodation, although following his natural instincts, even if he lives outside the house, he prefers, and very often demands, the company of humans.

Throughout his being in existence, the Samoyed has had a close companionship with man. He usually conforms to the habits in any home and is utterly dependable with children. It is important that if he is to live outside he is kept dry and is not allowed to sleep in damp places.

It is strange that two extremes can be present in one animal, but one will often find that a Samoyed puppy (or even an adult) will be most mischievous and ALWAYS full of spirit. It is essential, therefore, that we understand him and teach him with patience. A Samoyed can be very successfully trained and taught in the correct manner, and will bring the owner great rewards and pride.

TRAINING AND CARE

The care of a Samoyed from puppyhood is basically common sense. He must at all times he kept clean, sufficiently fed, moderately exercised and most of all loved.

A Samoyed puppy, when you buy him at about 8 weeks old, needs four square meals a day. Some breeders prefer to rear their puppies on raw meat, which should be mixed with puppy biscuits, babies' rusks or brown bread. Nowadays there are some excellent commercial puppy foods on the market, of which manufacturers will supply their own feeding charts. Given the correct food there should be no need to supplement a puppy's diet other than by adding a calcium and vitamin D compound to help formation of strong bones. 'Calcidee'(r) tablets or 'Stress'(r) are fine. Once the dog is fully grown and developed, a complete dry food or meat and biscuit should be quite sufficient for his needs, these days most vets will recommend complete dry foods. It is essential that plenty of fresh water is always available, for this is his natural tonic.

Daily grooming of a puppy and adult is essential. A few minutes are all that are needed to keep the coat free from knots and tangles and to ensure that no parasites may be present. First of all it is a good idea to brush the coat from the head to the tail. This removes any dust and dirt which may have collected. The hair should then be brushed from the tail towards the head so as to give the 'stand off' plushy finish, which gives the Samoyed its shape. Special attention should be paid to the elbows, hocks and ears to ensure that the hair does not become matted at these points.

Any good dog shampoo can be used for bathing. Good rinsing is essential to remove all traces of soap and so leave the hair free. Plenty of towels are needed for removing surplus water, and dry your Samoyed as quickly as possible. Always ensure that he is dried well underneath and around the armpits etc. There is nothing to beat a clean shining Samoyed. He looks beautiful and probably knows and definitely feels it. It is best not to bath a puppy until it is absolutely necessary, and bathing of the adult dog is only necessary to keep him clean and should not be done too often, although showing always demands a bath beforehand. Possibly the only harm that very frequent bathing can do is to soften the coat a little.

A Samoyed puppy should not be over-exercised. If he prefers to sleep he should be allowed to and he will get sufficient exercise just by running around and playing. Do put a collar and lead on him as early as possible so that he will become used to it, but do not attempt to take him for long walks until he is fully developed. Over-exercise is bad for a youngster and can cause great harm.

It is not difficult to train a Samoyed for showing. As soon as you have him, teach him to stand and to walk. The best way to do this is to teach him to stand just for a few seconds before each meal. If he is hungry, and he surely will be, he will soon get the idea that he has to stand still before receiving his rewards. The same method can be adopted for walking. Take him up and down the garden path or hall with the meal in your hand. Walk him up and down a couple of times and then make him stand. As he gets older, increase the time slightly. He will learn very quickly and will come to enjoy the 'game'. It is a good idea to join the local Canine Society and attend the matches, which are often held once a month. This is excellent training for the show ring. Do not be disappointed if your puppy does everything correctly at home and then appears to have forgotten it all the first time you take him to a match. He will soon become used to the other dogs around him and eventually respond to you. It is usual to hold a tit-bit of some kind in your hand to attract his attention. Again patience is needed and as much practice as you can give him.

A guide to all the shows can be found in the weekly dog press. 'Our Dogs' and 'Dog World' are both good canine papers and can be obtained from your newsagent. When entering for shows do not be afraid to ask the help of any regular showgoer. They are always willing to give advice and many new friends can be made.

PREPARATION FOR SHOWING

It is best to bath your Samoyed at least three days before a show, followed by a good brush when dry, then leave the remaining preparation until your arrival at the show, taking care to keep him clean in the meantime. Leave ample time before your class to groom your dog and let him rest afterwards. Avoid entering a class straight from the grooming table as this will seem like a rush to the dog and he may not show so well.

Take along a sponge and water to rub over his coat to remove surplus dust, then give him a brush to tone up the coat and finish off with a comb around the ears, hocks and featherings etc.

Remember, when entering the ring to 'Keep Calm'. If you appear so, it will help the dog not to become nervous. Remember also to watch the Judge at all times and be ready to make your dog show then the Judge wishes to look at him. Do not bother about other exhibitors, you are in there to win!!!

ADVICE ON BREEDING

CHOOSING A STUD DOG

It is impossible in a short space to enumerate all the factors to be taken into account when deciding on a stud dog for your bitch. Your problem is not necessarily solved by deciding, as so many do, to use the latest Champion.

The first thing to do is to study your bitch's pedigree and then, if possible, to see the bitch's parents and grandparents. From the information so gained you may be able to find out from which ancestors your bitch has derived her good points, and her faults. You therefore look for dogs related to those ancestors from whom your bitch seems to have derived her good points, then keep an eye open for progeny sired by any dog whom you have in mind, at the same time the type of bitch who was the dam of the progeny. All this means attending as many breed shows as possible and studying the catalogues.

You should have in view the mating of a bitch in the next generation. You must certainly not mate your bitch to a dog that has the same faults as herself. Avoid also a dog with a fault that seems to be deeply implanted in his line. In choosing your stud dog seek one that is sound, whose action is good and with a good temperament.

Do not expect a perfect litter to result from your first mating, but choose from the litter the one nearest to the type you are aiming at and take care to make her to a suitable dog in the hope that the second litter will produce something nearer to type that the first. So go on from generation to generation and with the knowledge and experience you have gained you should be able to affect a steady improvement in your stock, founding eventually your own line.

CARE OF THE BITCH IN WHELP

After the mating the bitch should be kept quiet for a day or two. It should be possible four or five weeks after mating to tell if she is in whelp. Then her food should be gradually increased the increase can be significant if she looks likely to be having a large litter.

At six weeks divide her daily meal into two, giving half in the morning and the other half in the evening and give her a drink of milk mid-day, adding a beaten up raw egg to the milk twice a week. Groom carefully, and cut away any soiled or stained fur from the back.

Allow her to go for a walk if she wishes to, but no forced exercise. Worm her between four and five weeks after mating. About a week or so before she is due to whelp introduce her, and get her accustomed to, the place where you propose the whelping should take place.

CARE OF THE PUPPIES UP TO 8 WEEKS

Assuming that there has been a normal whelping, there will to begin with, be little to do. The bitch will feed and clean up the puppies. You should check from time to time that the milk is coming freely and that all the puppies are sucking properly. The puppies should be kept warm and the temperature to begin with should be 70oF, but as the puppies grow on the temperature can be gradually lowered.

The bitch's bedding should be changed as often as necessary. Nowadays Polyester fur of a 'Vetbed' type is one of the most favoured items of bedding for whelping boxes. It is warm and comfortable and allows wetness to pass through onto newspaper. It can be put in the washer and easily washed and dried.

The puppies should not be handled more than necessary. Weaning the puppies should begin at between 3 and 4 weeks, depending on the size of the litter and the amount of milk the bitch has. Breeders now have much more choice on which food to wean with and eventually raise their puppies.

If feeding commercial preparations, follow full weaning procedures on feeding charts. Powdered milk should be given rather than bottled milk. The puppies should be wormed at four weeks with some preparation supplied by your Vet.