Samoyed / Sammy, Smiling Sammy, Sami, Samoyedskaya, Nenetskaya Laika

Breed history:

 This breed's name comes from the Samoyed tribe, in the North of Siberia. They used these dogs to herd and guard reindeer flocks and to pull sleighs. The fallen hair was spun and used to make warm clothes. In the 20th century, these dogs, by means of fur merchants, were introduced into other regions of the world, being very appreciated. Today they are used as pets.

Description:

 It is a medium-sized, strong, brawny dog, with a prominent chest, long and slender legs, with a long rather than tall body. The head is broad, medium-sized, with a conical muzzle and a black nose (more seldom brown or dark red). The eyes are almond-shaped, set apart and dark. It has small, round-ended ears, wide apart and erect. The tail is long, bushy and bent on its back or kept low. The fur is double-layered with a fluffy, thick, short inner layer and an outer layer made of rough, raised hair. The colour is white, cream or combination between these two colours. The hair is longer on the neck forming a sort of mane.

Personality:

 It is a friendly, gentle, jolly, intelligent, dynamic, watchful dog, slightly stubborn, dominant, moody, sometimes disobedient. It must taught from an early age to listen to its master, it is gentle and patient with children. It is friendly with everyone, including strangers. Its is rather dominant towards other dogs. It must be socialized from an early age with household animals not to have problems when it grows up.

Grooming:

 This dog's fur must be combed more often in the shedding period to remove dead hair, the rest of the time it should be brushed when needed. 

Living conditions:

It feels best in the open, with an active family, in a colder climate. Is a dog resistant to weather changes. It needs a lot of daily exercise: long walks, running by a bike. It likes to roam and one should bear that in mind, ensuring a well-fenced yard. 

Training:

 The training of this dog is difficult to achieve because it is independent and stubborn. The training must begin from an early age and must be firm, consistent, well-balanced, varied, so the dog does not get bored and must be done with a lot of patience and respect without being severe or harsh, in a calm, gentle voice to obtain the wanted results. It must be socialized from an early age with other household animals, because its hunting instincts are strong and can manifest themselves at any time, transforming smaller animals into prey. 

Usefulness:

 They are used in the arctic areas for hunting and guarding flocks of reindeer, for sleigh pulling, for hunting wild animals, but also as a companion dog.