ORIGIN: NORTHERN RUSSIA AND SIBERIA.
PATRONAGE: Nordic Countries / NKU.DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE
ORIGINAL VALIDSTANDARD: 22.07.1997.
UTILIZATION:Sledge- and companion dog.
CLASSIFICATION F.C.I.
Group 5 Spitz and primitive types. Section 1.2 Nordic sledge
dogs. Without working trial.
BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY:
The name Samoyed derives from the Samoyed Tribes in Northern Russia and
Siberia. In Southern parts of the area they used white, black and brown
parti-coloured dogs as reindeer herders ; in the northern parts the dogs
were pure white, had a mild temperament and were used as hunting- and
sledge dogs. The Samoyed dogs lived close to their owners, they even
slept within the shelters and were used as heaters. The British
zoologist Ernest Kilburn Scott spent three months among Samoyed Tribes
in 1889. Returning to England he brought with him a brown male puppy
called "Sabarka". Later he imported a cream coloured bitch called
"Whitey Petchora" from the western side of the Urals and a snow white
male called "Musti" from Siberia. These few dogs and those brought by
the explorers are the base for the western Samoyed. The first standard
was written in England in 1909.
GENERAL APPEARANCE:
Medium in size, elegant, a white Arctic Spitz. In appearance gives the
impression of power, endurance, charm, suppleness, dignity and
self-confidence. The expression, the so called "Samoyed Smile", is made
up of a combination of eye shape and position, and the slightly curved
up comers of the mouth. The sex should be clearly stamped.
IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS:
The length of the body is approximately 5% more than the height at the
withers. The depth of the body is slightly less than the half of the
height at the withers. The muzzle is approximately as long as the skull.
BEHAVIOUR AND TEMPERAMENT:
Friendly, open, alert and lively. The hunting instinct is very slight.
Never shy nor aggressive. Very social and cannot be used as guard dog.
HEAD:
Powerful and wedge-shaped.
CRANIAL REGION: Viewed from the front and in profile
only slightly convex. Broadest between the ears.
STOP: Clearly defined but not too prominent. Slightly
visible furrow between the eyes.
NOSE: Well developed, preferably black. During some
periods of the year the pigment of the nose can fade to a so called
"winter nose" ; there must however always be dark pigment at the edges
of the nose.
MUZZLE: Strong and deep, approximately as long as the
skull, gradually tapering towards the nose, neither snipey nor heavy and
square. The bridge of the nose is straight.
LIPS: Close fitting, black and rather full. The corners
of the mouth are slightly curved forming the characteristic "Samoyed
Smile".
JAWS/TEETH/BITE: Regular and complete scissor bite. The
teeth and the jaws are strong. Normal dentition.
EYES: Dark brown in colour, well-set in the sockets,
placed rather apart, somewhat slanting and almond-shaped. The expression
is "smiling", kind, alert and intelligent. The eyerims are black.
EARS: Erect, rather small, thick, triangular and
slightly rounded at the tips. They should be mobile, set high ; due to
the broad skull well apart.
NECK:
Strong and of medium length with a proud carriage.
BODY:
Slightly longer than the height at the withers, deep and compact but
supple.
WITHERS: Clearly defined.
BACK: Of medium length, muscular and straight in
females slightly longer than in males.
LOIN: Short, very strong and defined.
CROUP: Full, strong, muscular and slightly sloping.
CHEST: Broad, deep and long, reaching almost to the
elbows. The ribs are well sprung.
UNDERLINE: Moderate tuck-up.
TAIL: Set rather high. When the dog is alert and in
motion the tail is carried bent from the root forward over the back or
side, but may be hanging at rest, then reaching to the hocks.
LIMBS:FOREQUARTERS:
General appearance:
Well placed and muscular with strong bones. Viewed from the front
straight and parallel.
Shoulder: Long, firm and sloping.
Upper arm: Oblique and close to the body. Approximately
as long as the shoulder.
Elbow: Close to the body.
Carpus: Strong but supple.
Metacarpus (Pastern): Slightly oblique.
Feet : Oval with long toes, flexible and pointing
straight forward. Toes arched and not too tightly knit. Elastics pads.
HINDQUARTERS:General appearance:
Viewed from behind straight and parallel with very strong muscles.
Upper thigh: Of medium length, rather broad and
muscular.
Stifle: Well angulated.
Hocks: Rather low and well angulated.
Metatarsus: Short, strong, vertical and parallel.
Feet : As front feet. The dewclaws should be removed.
GAIT:
Powerful, free and tireless in appearance with long stride. Good reach
in the forequarters and good driving power in the hindquarters.
COAT:
HAIR :
Profuse, thick, flexible and dense polar coat. The Samoyed is a double
coated dog with short, soft and dense undercoat and longer, more harsh
and straight outer coat. The coat should form a ruff around the neck and
shoulders framing the head, especially in males. On head and on front of
legs, hair is short and smooth ; on outside of ears short, standing off
and smooth. Inside the ears should be well furred. On back of the thighs
the hair forms trousers. There should be a protective growth of hair
between the toes. The tail should be profusely covered with hair. The
coat of the female is often shorter and softer in texture than that of
the male. The correct coat texture should always have a special
glistening sheen.
COLOUR:
Pure white, cream or white with biscuit. (The basic colour to be white
with a few biscuit markings.) Should never give the impression of being
pale brown.
SIZE:
Height at withers:Ideal height : male 57 cm with a tolerance of 3 cm and
Females 53 cm with a tolerance of 3 cm.
FAULTS:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and
the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in
exact proportion to its degree. * Visible faults in structure.
* Light bone.
* Males not masculine and females not feminine.
* Pincer bite.
* Yellow eyes.
* Soft ears.
* Barrel ribcage.
* Double twisted tail.
* Low on the legs.
* Badly bow-legged or cow hocked.
* Wavy or short coated throughout, long, soft or coat hanging down.
* Aloofness.
SERIOUS FAULTS:
* Clearly unpigmented areas on eyerims or lips.
ELIMINATING FAULTS:
* Eyes blue or of different colours.
* Overshot or undershot bite.
* Ears not erect.
* Coat colour other than permitted in the standard.
* Shy or aggressive disposition. N.B.
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended
into the scrotum