The Samoyed Hero of the Arctic

Fridtjof Nansen had a dog problem. In the early 1890s, the Norwegian explorer, academic and humanitarian was in the midst of planning an expedition to the North Pole and realized that, in the perilously cold Arctic environment, picking the right type of dog to carry supplies and men over hundreds of frozen miles could easily make the difference between life and death.

After researching sled dogs, Nansen picked the bjelkier for his task. Though little known outside its native Siberia, the Nordic-type dog had a mythical reputation, not only as a hardy sled and work dog but also for its devotion to its human masters. Nansen believed the bjelkiers amiable disposition would make it preferable to huskies and Greenland dogs during the long, brutal journey.

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.