Quick Links: Table of Contents
- Samoyed Breed Overview
- History of the Samoyed Breed. Where Samoyeds came from
- What the Samoyed Looks Like
- How Much is the Samoyed Puppy?
- Best Samoyed Breeders
- Adopting or Rescuing the Samoyed
- Samoyed Growth
- What Colors do Samoyeds Have?
- The Temperament of the Samoyed
- How Long Samoyeds Live
- Samoyed Litter Size
- How Fast Samoyeds Can Run
- Good Names for Samoyeds
- How Intelligent are Samoyeds?
- How Popular are Samoyeds with New Dog Owners?
- Health Problems in Samoyeds and How to Prevent Them
- How to Take Care of Samoyed
- Dog Breeds That Are Similar to Samoyeds
- Other Things to Know About Samoyeds
Samoyed Breed Overview
The Samoyed is a medium-sized dog.
The adult Samoyed stands 1 foot, 7 inches to 2 feet tall at the shoulder.
The Samoyed belongs to the Working Dogs group.
Dogs in the Working Dogs group, like the Samoyed, were developed to assist humans in some capacity – including pulling sleds and carts, guarding flocks, guarding homes, and protecting their families.
Breeds in the Working Group are known for their imposing stature, strength, intelligence, and fearless.
Because of their size and strength, working dogs require a structured home life and firm, fair, consistent training by someone who can provide leadership without resorting to anger or physical force.
The fact that the Samoyed belongs to the Working Dogs group is one of the reasons why Samoyeds have the personality and temperament that they have.
The temperament of the Samoyed is generally described as:
- Alert
- Friendly
- Lively
- Playful
- Sociable
- Stubborn
History of the Samoyed Breed. Where Samoyeds came from
Samoyed is an ancient breed of dog that has its origins in the Samoyedic peoples of Siberia.
These nomadic people used Samoyeds as working dogs, for tasks such as herding reindeer and pulling sleds.
Samoyeds were also valued as companions and protectors, and were often given as gifts to tribal chiefs.
In the 19th century, Samoyeds began to be exported to Europe and North America, where they quickly became popular as pets and show dogs.
Today, Samoyeds are still treasured as loyal companions and beloved family members.
They are also widely used in sledding and racing competitions, and continue to play an important role in the lives of the Samoyedic peoples.
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What the Samoyed Looks Like
Samoyeds are a type of dog that originated in Siberia.
They are heavyset and muscular, with a thick coat of white fur.
Samoyeds have a wedge-shaped head and erect, triangular ears.
Their tail is long and curled, and they have webbed feet, which helps them to swim well.
Samoyeds are friendly and good with children, but they need a lot of exercise.
They are also known for being escape artists, so it is important to keep them in a secure area.
Samoyeds are a popular breed of dog, and they make great pets for families who are active and enjoy the outdoors.
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How Much is the Samoyed Puppy?
The average price of a Samoyed puppy is $2460. The price of a Samoyed puppy ranges from $1500 to $3000.
A lot of factors determine the price of the Samoyed. These factors include what health records the Samoyed puppy has, the lineage of the Samoyed puppy, the US state the breeder is located in, etc.
To estimate how much you can expect to pay for a puppy Samoyed based on the many factors that determine the price of the Samoyed puppy, check out our calculator that lets you estimate how much you should expect to pay for the Samoyed puppy based on what you want in the puppy.
When looking to buy a puppy, look at buying a puppy only from well-established breeders that breed puppies primarily for the love of the Samoyed breed, and secondarily for profit. Do not buy a puppy from a puppy mill. Puppy mills mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.
You may also consider adopting instead of buying a puppy. Adoption costs are very low compared to the price of a puppy.
Best Samoyed Breeders
We have researched reputable Samoyed breeders that you can buy a puppy.
Go to this page for our complete list of reputable Samoyed breeders in various states in the United States.
On this page, you will see how much these breeders sell their puppies for, and how many puppies they have available.
A few of these breeders are listed below.
Trails End Samoyeds
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Fyr`N Ice Samoyeds
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Samoyed puppies
Puppy Price: $5,500
Seven Diamond Samoyeds
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
O`blako Samoyeds
Puppy Price: $2950
Adopting or Rescuing the Samoyed
You may consider adopting a dog instead of buying a puppy. Many dogs, Samoyeds included, are currently available for adoption in your local dog shelters.
These helpless but adorable dogs are waiting in dog shelters hoping that someday someone will rescue them. Dog adoption costs are lesser than the cost of a new puppy. Dog adoption costs are usually around $300 or even less.
In addition to your local dog shelter, another good place to find dogs that are available for adoption is petfinder.com.
Below is an adorable Male Samoyed named Milky Way that is currently available for adoption on Petfinder.com. You can find other lovely Samoyeds like Milky Way on pefinder.com.
You can find more Samoyeds that are available for adoption on petfinder.
Samoyed Growth
New Samoyed owners need to know about the growth of their Samoyeds. This will help them plan their living spaces accordingly.
Also, knowing the typical growth pattern of the Samoyed will help new owners catch the abnormal growth of their Samoyed early.
See our calculator for predicting how big your Samoyed puppy will get. You will also learn about the typical weight of the Samoyed at different ages and how to catch abnormal growth in your Samoyed
What Colors do Samoyeds Have?
Samoyeds come in the following beautiful primary colors:
- White / Cream
The Temperament of the Samoyed
The temperament of the Samoyed based can be summarized as in the table below.
The table shows the scores of the Samoyed for 13 important dog behavioral factors.
We obtained these scores by analyzing raw data from the C-BARQ dog personality survey tool. The higher the score of a dog for a factor, the worse the temperament of the dog regarding that factor.
The C-BARQ tool was developed by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, and it is a scientific tool that is used worldwide for reliably measuring the temperament of dog breeds.
See our complete analysis of the temperament of the Samoyed here.
| Factor | Score |
|---|---|
| Stranger Directed Aggression | 6.9 percent |
| Dog Rivalry | 53.1 percent |
| Energy Level | 51.0 percent |
| Excitability | 5.9 percent |
| Separation Related Behavior | 48.0 percent |
| Dog Directed Fear | 41.6 percent |
| Stubbornness | 39.6 percent |
| Nonsocial Fear | 34.9 percent |
| Dog Directed Aggression | 30.4 percent |
| Touch Sensitivity | 27.4 percent |
| Attachment Attention Seeking | 24.7 percent |
| Owner Directed Aggression | 20.9 percent |
| Prey Drive | 19.8 percent |
| Stranger Directed Fear | 13.6 percent |
How Long Samoyeds Live
The lifespan of the Samoyed is typically from 12 to 14 years.
Moreover, a few years back, veterinarian researchers performed a scientific study to determine the lifespan of the Samoyed. In this study, the scientists collected data on how long 223 pet Samoyeds lived.
From the study, it was found that Samoyeds have an average lifespan of 12.5 years. Furthermore, the study found that it is not uncommon for Samoyeds to live as long as 17 years.
Note that you need to put in some effort if you want your Samoyed to live long.
Samoyeds live long if they eat well, drink well, exercise well, and visit the veterinarian regularly.
There are also dog supplements that you can give your Samoyed to improve your Samoyed`s quality of their life.
Click here to learn more about how to make your Samoyed live long.
Samoyed Litter Size
Researchers from the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science did a study where they counted the numbers of puppies in 41 different Samoyed birth litters.
From this study, the researchers found that the average number of puppies that Samoyeds can have is 6 puppies. Also, the Samoyed can have as few as 1 puppies per litter and as many as 12 puppies per litter.
The number of puppies that the Samoyed will have depends on factors such as the age of the Samoyed, the method of pregnancy, etc.
Click here to see our calculator for predicting how many puppies your Samoyed will have and how the litter size of the Samoyed compares to the litter size of other dog breeds.
How Fast Samoyeds Can Run
How fast a dog breed can run is a good measure of how athletic the dog breed is.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) regularly conducts dog running competitions. The AKC records the running speed of competing dogs in these competitions. These competitions are open to all dog breeds.
Based on our analysis of the speeds of 253 different Samoyeds, the average speed of the Samoyed is 21.5 mph (34.6 kmph).
The fastest speed on AKC record that the Samoyed ran in a race is 26.82 mph (43.2 kmph) and the minimum speed on record in a race for a Samoyed is 9.21 mph (14.8 kmph).
Click here to see how the speed of the Samoyed compares to the speed of other dogs and other mammals such as cats, horses, humans, etc.
Good Names for Samoyeds
Here are some really good names that are typical for the Samoyed ranked by popularity:
- Benson
- Vernon
- We
- Lucky
- Mojo
- Bear
- Oliver
- Chester
- Leo
- Thor
How Intelligent are Samoyeds?
| Samoyed | |
|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 33 out of 130 dog breeds |
| Trainability | Tend To Learn New Commands After 15 To 25 Repetitions |
According to Prof. Stanley Coren, a Canadian psychology professor/dog trainer, the total intelligence that a dog demonstrates is the addition of three types of intelligence. These intelligence types are:
- Instinctive Intelligence: This is the natural intelligence that comes from instinct. For example, dog breeds that have been historically bred to be guard dogs will have a high `guarding` intelligence compared to dogs that were not bred for guarding.
- Adaptive Intelligence (learning and problem-solving ability): This indicates what a dog can learn to do for himself or herself. Adaptive intelligence is specific to each dog, and not breed specific. You can improve your dog`s adaptive intelligence by investing time to train your dog.
- Working/Obedience Intelligence: This type of intelligence is breed-specific. Certain dog breeds tend to have higher working/obedience intelligence than some other breeds. This intelligence is the closest to what we might call school-learning ability and it is based upon what the dog can learn to do when instructed by humans. This type of intelligence can be measured for each dog breed and compared to that of other dog breeds.
Professor Stanley Coren measured and ranked the working intelligence of about 130 different dog breeds.
Prof. Coren found that the Samoyed has an obedience intelligence rank of 33 out of 130 dog breeds. Thus, Prof. Coren put Samoyeds in the `Above Average Working Dogs` category.
This means that Samoyeds tend to learn new commands after 15 to 25 repetitions.
However, we should mention that a dog should not be judged based on its intelligence alone. There are other important factors you need to consider when deciding on which dog breed to get. These other factors include sociability, adorability, and compatibility of the dog breed with your lifestyle.
See the intelligence ranking of some other dog breeds below:
| Breed | Intelligence Rank |
|---|---|
| Doberman Pinscher | 5 |
| Labrador Retriever | 7 |
| Australian Cattle Dog | 10 |
| Miniature Schnauzer | 12 |
| Belgian Tervuren | 14 |
| Belgian Sheepdog | 15 |
| Brittany | 19 |
| Weimaraner | 21 |
| Vizsla | 25 |
| Cairn Terrier | 35 |
| Bichon Frise | 45 |
| Boxer | 48 |
| Dachshund | 49 |
| Pug | 57 |
| Italian Greyhound | 60 |
| Dandie Dinmont Terrier | 62 |
| Bull Terrier | 66 |
| Lhasa Apso | 68 |
| American Bulldog | 77 |
| Afghan Hound | 79 |
How Popular are Samoyeds with New Dog Owners?
Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds.
The graph below shows the popularity trend of the Samoyed.
The popularity of the Samoyed averaged over the years is Number 60 out of about 200 dog breeds.
Do not get a dog breed just because it is a popular dog breed. And do not reject a dog breed just because it is an unpopular breed.
Health Problems in Samoyeds and How to Prevent Them
Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it tends to develop. There is nothing like a perfect dog breed.
The Samoyed is prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is an organization that keeps track of genetic health problems in dog breeds.
From the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop.
Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.
If you want a Samoyed puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Samoyed breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.
The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Samoyeds for:
- Cardiac Evaluation
- Eye Examination, minimum age 1 year
- Hip Dysplasia
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (X-L PRA) DNA Test
- RD/OSD
You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Samoyeds here.
How to Take Care of Samoyed
To take good care of your Samoyed, you need to make sure that you groom your Samoyed regularly.
Secondly, you need to find a veterinarian in your area that will routinely check the health status of your Samoyed regularly, and give you appropriate recommendations on your Samoyed`s preventative care.
Thirdly, you need to commit some time to exercise your Samoyed daily. Regular exercise helps improve the health and quality of life of your Samoyed.
Also, you need to feed your Samoyed high-quality dog food, and the food should be of the right amount to prevent your Samoyed from getting overweight or underweight.
See our recommendations on what to feed the Samoyed and how much food to feed the Samoyed at different life stages.
Finally, you need to make sure that your Samoyed has access to clean water all the time. See our recommendations on how much water your Samoyed needs to drink at different ages.
Dog Breeds That Are Similar to Samoyeds
If you have not made up your mind on which dog breed to get, you may also want to consider some other dogs similar to the Samoyed.
We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds that have similar behavior and temperament as the Samoyed:
- Bedlington Terrier (74 percent match with Samoyed). Learn more about the Bedlington Terrier here.
- English Setter (75 percent match with Samoyed). Learn more about the English Setter here.
- Irish Setter (74 percent match with Samoyed). Learn more about the Irish Setter here.
- Siberian Husky (75 percent match with Samoyed). Learn more about the Siberian Husky here.
Other Things to Know About Samoyeds
Here are some of the very important characteristics of the Samoyed that you need to know about the Samoyed breed: