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Breed profile

Samoyed

The smiling Arctic spitz. Friendly to everyone, talkative, and generous with white fluff all over your house.

White Samoyed standing side-on on a lawn, tail curled over its back
A two-year-old SamoyedPhoto: Dllu / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Weight
16–30 kg35–66 lb
Height
46–56 cm18–22 in
Lifespan
12–14 yrs
Group
Pastoral / Working
Origin
Siberia (Russia)
Popularity
#55 US#67 UK · 2025

Known for: Cold climatesFamily dogsGood with other dogs

Energy
Shedding
Trainability
Barking
Good with kids
Flat-friendly

Temperament

Friendly, Playful, Gentle, Vocal.

Health problems to know about

  • Hip dysplasia
  • Hereditary glomerulopathy (X-linked nephritis)
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Progressive retinal atrophy

Ask breeders for the parents' health test results, and check what your national breed club recommends screening for.

Daily care

Up to two hours of exercise a day, in the cooler hours when it's warm. Brush several times a week and daily during a moult. Ask breeders for hip and elbow scores and the XLHN and PRA DNA tests.

A good fit for

Active families, cool climates, homes with a garden and someone around most of the day.

Probably not ideal for

Hot climates, flats, house-proud owners, anyone wanting a guard dog (it greets burglars).

Sources

  1. Royal Kennel Club: Samoyed
  2. Wikipedia: Samoyed

Popularity: AKC 2025 registration rankings (US); Royal Kennel Club 2025 registrations (UK, ranked by us). Breed traits are tendencies, not guarantees. Individual dogs vary, and mixed breeds and rescues can be wonderful fits too.

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