Samoyed
The Samoyed dog takes its name from the Samoyedic peoples of Siberia. An alternate name for this dog, especially in Europe, is Bjelkier. These nomadic reindeer herder dogs bred the fluffy, white, smiling dogs to help with the herding, to pull sleds when they moved, and to keep their owners warm at night by sleeping on top of them.
The Samoyed eyes are usually black or brown, and are almond in
shape. Blue or other color eyes can occur but are not allowed in
the show ring.
This dog's ears are thick and covered with fur, triangular in
shape, and erect.
The tail of the Samoyed is one of the dog's more distinguishing
features. Like their Siberian Husky cousins, their tail is
carried curled over their backs; however, unlike the Husky, the
Samoyed tail is held actually touching the back in a tight curl.
In cold weather, Samoyed dog may sleep with their tails over
their noses to provide additional warmth. Some Samoyeds have
tails that fall straight down the backside, like many other
breeds, but this prevents them from being show quality.
The coat of the Samoyed dog has a dense, double layer coat that
is typically shed twice a year, although some shed only once a
year. The top layer contains long, coarse, and straight guard
hairs, which appear white but have a hint of silver coloring.
This top layer keeps the undercoat relatively clean and free of
debris. The under layer, or undercoat, consists of a dense,
soft, and short fur that keeps the dog warm. The standard
Samoyed coat may come in a mixture of biscuit and white
coloring, although pure white and all biscuit dogs aren't
uncommon. Male dogs typically have larger ruffs than females.