Although the Samoyed may look like an overgrown stuffed toy, this is a rugged working dog. The Breed originated in Siberia, in one of the harshest lands on earth. The Samoyed was used to herd, hunt, keep their masters warm at night and pull sleds. As well, the combings from their warm, dense coat were converted into human clothing.

Best known as the dog with "Christmas on its face" the Samoyed should present a picture of beauty, grace, strength, dignity, agility, and alertness.

If you think the beautiful and friendly Samoyeds is the perfect pet for everyone, think again. Yes, the Samoyed is a wonderful and beautiful presence around the house but the care and upkeep requires dedication and time. This is something that must be considered when deciding to rescue a Samoyed.

The Samoyeds beautiful coat requires regular grooming to keep it healthy and free of mats, parasites and overgrowth. The Samoyed has a major shed once a year, usually in the spring, lasting approximately one month, with relatively no shedding during the rest of the year when brushed regularly

The Samoyed can be a very vocal breed. Some will whimper and whine, bark and "talk" to convey a message to their people. If their large vocabulary doesn't catch your attention, they have been known to resort to paw-language.

The Sammy comes into your home with a set of demands that need to be met to make him happy. They require fresh food and water, vaccinations, regular grooming, exercise, and most importantly, total family membership. The Samoyed insists on being at the heart of the action in any family activity. If you feel that a dog belongs outside, or in the basement at night, then the Samoyed is not for you. They enjoy a lot of in-house time and may prefer to sleep on your bed, but will resign to sleeping on a rug beside the bed if you insist.

As with all breeds, the Samoyed can be a challenge to obedience train. His attitude is "if it's not fun, I'm not doing it!" You must be persistent, patient, insistent and make the experience fun when training your Samoyed. If you would like a dog who jumps at your every whim, at all times, then a Samoyed may not be for you. The Samoyed will eventually do your bidding when properly trained, but don't expect a speedy response if he doesn't deem the command to be fun, or given with enthusiasm. Given this information there are many Samoyed's happily sporting their obedience title with pride!

The Samoyed needs daily exercise. If you ignore this aspect, you could end up with a bored, destructive, vocal, and overweight dog. The Samoyed needs physical activity and should be exercised, even in the rain and the snow.

Now that you have some facts about living with a Samoyed, you are better prepared to make the final decisions to adopt. When you decide that the Samoyed would be the perfect dog to let into your home, be prepared to feel the love, joy and total dedication this breed invokes upon everyone who lets them into their hearts! Many find that one is never enough!
reprinted from The Canadian Samoyed Rescue .