A Brief History - The Origins of the Samoyed Dog Breed
The Samoyed is a breed of medium-sized dogs with distinct fuzzy white coats. It may also come in cream and biscuit colors, which are less common. The origins of this herding dog can be traced all the way back to Northwest Russia and Siberia, now part of modern Russia, where it gets its name from the nomadic Samoyedic natives.
The Samoyedic peoples, sometimes referred to as the Sami peoples or the Samodeic, are indigenous to parts of Northern and Eastern Europe. They are historically known for various ventures including coastal fishing and sheep herding. However, semi-nomadic reindeer herding is what they are best known for and so, the Samoyedic peoples bred the Samoyed for the breed’s reindeer-herding ability and its ability to survive in the cold region due to its thick double-layered coat.
The Samoyed was used originally to herd reindeer, hunt game and pull sledges across historic Europe. However, the breed also used to provide companionship and warmth to their owners through transference of body heat in the cold regions during cuddling– a function that they still continue to carry out all across the world in this day and age.
This breed made its way into England, supposedly through the generosity of the Russian czar, during the 1800s and it was a favorite of Queen Alexandra. It is only natural to look at this unique breed of dogs and wonder in terms of their genetics. The Samoyed is a spitz dog, with all the distinctive characteristics of one – thick, white fur, pointed ears and a tail that curls over its back – however, in 2011, a 33,000-year-old fossil of a wolf-dog hybrid was tested by scientists and the Samoyed was discovered to be the most closely related modern dog breed.
This research comes on the heels of a 2010 study that identified the Samoyed as a basal breed, along with fifteen other dog species that exhibit genetic divergence. This means that over time, the Samoyed has evolved genetically from old-world breeds and still has some of their ancestors’ characteristics but it itself cannot be described as an ancient breed of dog.
The Samoyedic peoples, sometimes referred to as the Sami peoples or the Samodeic, are indigenous to parts of Northern and Eastern Europe. They are historically known for various ventures including coastal fishing and sheep herding. However, semi-nomadic reindeer herding is what they are best known for and so, the Samoyedic peoples bred the Samoyed for the breed’s reindeer-herding ability and its ability to survive in the cold region due to its thick double-layered coat.
The Samoyed was used originally to herd reindeer, hunt game and pull sledges across historic Europe. However, the breed also used to provide companionship and warmth to their owners through transference of body heat in the cold regions during cuddling– a function that they still continue to carry out all across the world in this day and age.
This breed made its way into England, supposedly through the generosity of the Russian czar, during the 1800s and it was a favorite of Queen Alexandra. It is only natural to look at this unique breed of dogs and wonder in terms of their genetics. The Samoyed is a spitz dog, with all the distinctive characteristics of one – thick, white fur, pointed ears and a tail that curls over its back – however, in 2011, a 33,000-year-old fossil of a wolf-dog hybrid was tested by scientists and the Samoyed was discovered to be the most closely related modern dog breed.
This research comes on the heels of a 2010 study that identified the Samoyed as a basal breed, along with fifteen other dog species that exhibit genetic divergence. This means that over time, the Samoyed has evolved genetically from old-world breeds and still has some of their ancestors’ characteristics but it itself cannot be described as an ancient breed of dog.