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Through
intermediaries Nansen procured a team of bjelkiers from the
Samoyedes, an Asiatic group of nomads who had developed the
dogs over hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years. Despite brutal
conditions, Nansen´s 1895 expedition was a success —
although he didn´t reach the North Pole he traveled
further north than any other human had at that time —
and the glowing reports he sent to other explorers about the
bjelkier´s heroic performance made it the dog of choice
for several of the Arctic and Antarctic expeditions that followed.
Many of these dogs, renamed the Samoyed in honor of the tribe
who developed the breed, eventually found their way to England
and America upon their expeditions´ end. Historians
of the breed believe nearly every Samoyed in the West today
has ancestors who were members of an Arctic or Antarctic expedition.
Bred
True
A man
with an appreciation for fine engineering – the boat
he built for the expedition, the Fram, was so well constructed
it was successfully used in a total of five Arctic and Antarctic
expeditions over a 35-year period – Nansen realized that
Samoyed was perfect for the Arctic environment. Physically,
the Samoyed boasts the most efficient design of the Nordic
breeds, with a more pronounced double-layer coat than it´s
canine cousins. The long outer coat, bleached white by the
Arctic sun, is soil and water repellent, so the dog can easily
shake off snow. The inner coat is woolly and, during the winter,
so thick you can´t push your finger to the flesh. Deep
brown eyes are set behind almond-shaped, black eyelids to
reduce glare from
snow. The breed´s toes spread wide to provide extra
traction, like a built-in snowshoe. The curved tail covers
the nose while sleeping during extreme temperatures, acting
as a filter to warm and humidify the inhaled air. A V-shaped
chest supports the dog´s strong musculature, and dense
bones provide extra hauling capacity without sacrificing agility.
This perfect
design results from the unique circumstances of the Samoyed´s
development. The Samoyedes, who lived in the vast area of
Russia between the Ural Mountains and the Yenesei River, bred
the dog to work the herds of reindeer on which they subsisted.
Historians believe the Samoyedes – described as a race
in the transition stage between the “Mongol pure and
the Finn” — migrated to this location shortly after
the time of Christ in the first millennium. Sometime over
the next several hundred years the Samoyedes began adapting
the region´s wolves for their purposes.
Isolated
from the rest of the world in this desolate region adjacent
to the Arctic Circle, the Samoyed bred true, without influences
from other breeds. Some believe these conditions make the
Samoyed most nearly akin to the primitive dog of all modern
breeds. Through selection, the Samoyedes developed their dogs
to serve as a herder and hunter, guard and companion. The
breed lived closely with its people, guarding their tents
from polar bears and sleeping with children to keep them warm
at night. The dog accompanied its human masters on hunts,
but its primary responsibility was to keep the herds of reindeer,
which provided food, clothing and transportation to the Samoyedes,
in a tight group, safe from predators. Reindeer usually pulled
the sleds these nomadic people constantly employed in search
of the scarce lichen and moss that fed the animals, but Samoyeds
were also used in this capacity on occasion.
From
Siberia to the Royal Palace
Arctic
and Antarctic expeditions may have earned the Samoyed acclaim
within a small community of adventurers, but a British scientist
named Ernest Kilburn-Scott is primarily responsible for establishing
the breed in the Western world. A member of the Royal Zoological
Society, Kilburn-Scott was on expedition to Siberia in the
1880s when a cute, plump white puppy caught his eye. He purchased
the dog from its Samoyede owner and brought it back to England,
where the puppy received considerable attention from friends
and colleagues.
In the
following years, Kilburn-Scott acquired several more Samoyede
dogs and showed them in expositions throughout the country.
At first the dog was considered only as an oddity from Siberia,
but it´s beauty and miability fast made it popular among
the wealthy and influential. The Prince of Wales, later to
become King Edward VII, received a Samoyed as a gift and became
so enamored with the breed he went on to show several between
1890 and 1900.
In Siberia,
breed members often had cream or biscuit-colored coats, as
well as coats with patches of black. The English preferred
the pure white coat, however, and most breeders made that
shade their goal. Today the majority of Sammies have this
pure white coat. In 1909, Kilburn-Scot founded the Samoyede
Club, changing the breeds´ name from bjelkier in order
to honor the Samoyede people. The Kennel Club decided the
dog could be shown in an accepted classification in 1912.
In 1923, The Kennel Club of England dropped the “e”
from the official name.
The breed´s
arrival in America was no less sensational than its British
debut. In 1902, Mercy d´Argenteau, the Princess de Montyglyon,
a Belgian countess and hereditary princess of the Holy Roman
Empire, journeyed to St. Petersburg, Russia. The princess
was an ardent dog fancier and attended a dog show while in
the city. There she saw and fell in love with a large white
Russian champion Samoyed named Moustan. Moustan had been entered
at the show by his owner the Grand Duke Michael, brother of
Czar Nicholas II. Duke Michael gave Moustan to the princess
as a gift.
In 1904
d´Argenteau immigrated to the United States with Moustan
and three other Samoyeds she had obtained in the interim.
Moustan was shown extensively and in 1906 became the first
of his breed to be registered with the American Kennel Club
(AKC). In 1923, the Samoyede Club of America was formed in
New York. The English breed standard was adopted. In 1947,
the AKC followed the British Kennel Club´s example in
dropping the final “e” from the official name.
Problem
Solved
Since
arriving in the United States, Samoyeds have remained, for
the most part, a well-guarded secret among a select group
of America´s dog lovers. In 2000, the breed ranked 59th
of 148 breeds in terms of new AKC registrations, well behind
its Nordic cousins the Siberian husky (19th) and the Alaskan
Malamute (48th). Potential owners may take one look at the
breed´s thick coat and presume the dog is only suited
for colder climates, but this is not the case — assuming
proper care is taken to protect the dog from extreme heat,
Samoyeds can live happy, healthy lives in practically any
part of the country.
That´s
not to say the coat doesn´t require care and attention.
The Samoyed should be brushed several times a week. For a
white dog, the Samoyed stays amazingly clean, but an occasional
bath is necessary. The dog sheds heavily — the Samoyedes
collected the fur and wove it into a wool — so be prepared
for a lot of white fuzz around the house.
Those
who do look beyond the breed´s imposing mass of fur
will see a breed renowned for it´s affectionate nature.
Generations spent in close contact with their nomadic owners
have imbued the dog with a legendary sensitivity and devotion
to their human companions. Most Sammies are anxious to please
and interact with their owners, making them wonderful family
pets.
Usually
calm indoors, this clever, athletic breed requires daily physical
and mental exercise. If allowed to become bored, it will dig
and bark. Samoyeds thrive on human contact, so this is not
a dog to be left ignored outside. Training is a good idea,
the sooner the better. These are sensitive dogs that will
tune you out if you come on too strong or too weak. Be a clear,
kind, and consistent leader, and you will have a loyal companion
for life.
The age
of Arctic exploration, when a man´s life depended on
the competence and endurance of his dogs, may be over, but
the same qualities that made the Samoyed a perfect solution
for the needs of Fridtjof Nansen and his fellow explorers
still define this beautiful, sensitive breed. As one of the
modern world´s most direct links to the age of wolves,
the dog possesses a remarkable pedigree, but it is a loving,
pure heart that makes the Samoyed a modern-day hero from the
Arctic.
Health
Matters
Although
Samoyeds adapt well to most climates, their coat, size and
energies make them susceptible to heat/humidity-related health
problems. Always make certain your Samoyed has plenty of water
and a cool, shaded place to get through the hottest part of
the day. Avoid situations in which the dog may become overheated,
particularly with younger Sammies that are prone to foolishly
overexert themselves in the heat. Young dogs should be supervised
or confined in hot weather.
Samoyeds
are bred to be working dogs, and therefore live happier, healthier
lives when kept in good physical condition and not allowed
to become soft. Make sure your Sammy gets at least one good
workout every day. Dogs of Nordic origin have a tendency to
bark and dig, but the more exercise and activity, the less
opportunity this behavior has to turn into a problem.
The breed´s
health is typically good, but they can have hip dysplasia
problems. In the United States there has been some incidence
of progressive retinal atrophy (a family of diseases involving
gradual deterioration of the retina). Bloat, or gastric torsion
— twisting of the stomach that traps stomach contents
and gases — can also be a problem. Adult dogs should
weigh between 50 and 65 pounds. A healthy Samoyed has a lifespan
of approximately 12 years.
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