When it comes to beauty,
grace, intelligence, and gentleness, it is hard to
beat a Samoyed. Classified as a working dog, this
breed is strong and alert, making an excellent dog
for just about anyone. The key to a healthy
Samoyed always begins with choosing your puppy
from a reputable breeder. Then, provided a good
home, proper diet, and exercise, there is no reason
that you cannot have a family pet for years to come
that is healthy and happy.
When shopping around for a
Samoyed, make sure you know what is and is not
acceptable. For instance, the dog should not be long
in the back. The reason is that he would end up with
a weak back, making work, and some exercise and/or
training difficult, if not impossible. Additionally,
the breeder should produce dogs that have a medium
but that is not long but more muscular. The chest
should be deep, the ribs well sprung, and the neck
strong.
The good news is that overall the Samoyed is a
healthy breed. You will find that the bone is
heavier than what most medium dogs have but for
speed and agility, the dog must be proportioned
properly. For the coat, both undercoat and topcoat
should be healthy and formed appropriately.
Remember, the coat on a Samoyed is used for keeping
the animal cool in the summer and warm in the
winter.
One consideration in the Samoyed is called Snow
Nose, which means the black nose has a white or pink
marking on it. Keep in mind that this does not harm
the dog at all. You may see a black nose during the
summer with the pink or white returning in the
winter. While this appears as if something were
wrong, Snow Nose is simply due to changes in the
weather associated with the genetics of the breed.
On the other hand, a condition known as bloat is
seen in many large, deep-chested breeds to include
the Samoyed. With this, the dog’s stomach bloats up
from fluid, gas, or both. Typically, bloat is caused
by the dog eating or drinking too much or too fast.
By monitoring the amount of food and water, you can
usually prevent this problem. Start by feeding your
Samoyed more meals but in smaller portions. If bloat
occurs and does not go away, you need to seek
immediate medical attention in that life-threatening
complications can arise.
Finally, the Samoyed is also at risk for hip
dysplasia. This genetic condition often affects
larger breeds. In this case, the hip joint is
deformed, which may not be noticed as a puppy.
Depending on the severity of the hip dysplasia, your
veterinarian may offer oral medication or injection
treatment. However, in severe cases, surgery is
required. When buying your Samoyed puppy, always
make sure the mother and puppies have been tested
for this disease.
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