Sarah Jones answers:

Hi Claire,
Deciding on a dog for a family can be difficult at best with all the gorgeous breeds out there. May I introduce you to the Samoyed, the most awesome family dog ever…

The Samoyed comes with an ancient history of being there for the family. They not only hauled the homes all about Siberia, but they were brought INTO the home to keep the children warm at night, and left to take care of the children when the adults had to be out hunting and gathering. The fact that they brought the dogs INTO their homes is the remarkable part. There are other nordic work dogs, but when they were done doing the work, they were left on their own until needed again. The Samoyed was a highly regarded dog in the Samoyede world. They even gave them honored burials.

This is part of the Samoyed nature. They are to this day great with children. They will take being yanked on, pulled on, rode on with a smile. Samoyeds love being with their family in whatever they are undertaking. They will be happy to fetch the ball for you, jump for the frisbee, swim, run, or just curl up along side you as you read a book. They just want to be with you.

The Samoyed is considered a medium sized dog. The male will average about 55 to 60, while the female weighs in at about 45 to 50 pounds. Don’t be scared off with their stunning white coat. It is actually quite easy to take care of for it is iridescent and actually sheds dirt. A nice brushing every 3 days will keep your Samoyed beautiful. They are a double coated dog, that sheds its undercoating once a year for males and spayed females, twice a year for intact females. There is quite a bit of brushing required during the “blowing coat” times, but once it is done it is done for the year.

Samoyeds are intelligent, interactive games to play with them. They are working dogs, but will be happy in your walks, just change up the routine. They will love to be out in that lovely garden of yours, but these dogs want to be with their people. Be out there with them, or bring them in. They are not the dog to pin out in the grass just to be left.

Since you will be bringing in a puppy, you can train the puppy alongside your cat. We have three cats and all three of our Sammies learned to live along side them. One cat loves being with the dogs, one tolerates them, and one prefers to only come out when the dogs are in the yard or on their run.

Claire, in which ever breed you choose, please do your research on breeders and find a reputable breeder who is willing to share their knowledge with you as well as show you their kennel. Ask lots of questions, one main one to focus on is how they breed for temperament since you have the young child. See if there are dog shows in your area to attend and get a feeling for the dogs you are interested in and speak to the handlers and or breeders that are there of the breeds you’re thinking of. Call your local kennel club for lists of breeders and call. Plus, the internet is a fabulous tool that keeps us only a button away. We live in Wisconsin and found our girls all the way in New Jersey through the internet. I established a relationship with the breeder and explained to her what I was looking for in a girl. Eight months later our Bella was born and EVERYTHING we wanted. Two years later we went back to her and got our Lily. Now we have two of the most gorgeous Sammy girls ever.

Good luck in your search for the perfect new family member. I have included sites on Samoyeds in the resource section.

My 2 cents worth,
Rose