The Samoyed dog, first spelled "Samoyede", was named after the Samoyed people, a semi-nomadic tribe, who lived along the shores of the Arctic Ocean into a stretch of tundras from the White Sea to the Yenisei River. These people were a remnant of one of the earliest tribes of Central Asia. The dogs of the Samoyed people herded and protected their reindeer herds, guarded their belongings, shared their beds, were excellent fishermen, hunted bear towed boats and, of course, pulled sleds. The qualities of intelligence and endurance led to the use of the Samoyed dogs for transport by most of the important European expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic, some of which were Amundsen, Shackleton, Nansen and Baldwin. Of all the arctic varieties of sled dogs, the Samoyede has the most striking coat. Indeed, it would be difficult to imagine a more beautiful creature than an all white, full-coated, gay-plumed dog of this kind. He is a reindeer herd dog, a dog for the sled and for other requirements of nomads and explorers. Samoyedes as sled dogs have been much used by Russian surveyors, and served Nansen, Norwegian explorer on his "Farthest North" adventure.
As a bench show dog the Samoyede is one of the most admired at European and American kennel club gatherings. The male stands from 21 to 23.5 inches at the shoulder and weighs 45 to 55 pounds: bitches, 19 to 21 inches, 36 to 45 pounds.
The colors: pure white, white and biscuit, cream.