The Samoyed is a gentle, intelligent and loyal dog who loves nothing more than being with his family. They are kind and affectionate with children and enjoy being part of the household activities. With their typical ‘Sammy smile’ and their fondness for human company, they make an affectionate dog who has loads of personality. Their attractive coat does take some (okay, a lot) of maintenance, especially when they shed. You can expect to find hair everywhere at this time, from in the house, on your clothes, on the bed and so on. While their nature is loveable, they were bred to hunt, and the instinct is still strong within them. Any small furry visitor such as the neighbor’s cat will be chased. If you have a cat, they need to be bonded while young, and even then, supervision is advisable. When out walking, these lovely dogs need to be on a leash as their urge is to chase, and the hunting instincts are still very strong. They can be talkative, being prone to voice their opinion in howls, barks or grumblings. They respond best to a variety of training – boredom with repetitive things will find them challenging to train. They need to ‘solve’ a problem; activities like agility and tracking are perfect for them. The Samoyed is an active dog who is always ready for fun. They need room to romp and play in and are not good in small apartments. While this breed is not what I would class as easy to maintain, their lovely nature goes a long way to making up for the constant brushing.
