Page 199 - ShowSight - June 2020

Is my breed generally good with other dogs? With other house- hold pets? The Samoyed likes a pack. I have found that they real- ly enjoy other dogs and cats. There may be some that are not so inclined, but I haven’t experienced that. They are also intrigued by children, even if they have not been raised with kids.
How much does the Samoyed really shed? Are they enthusias- tic barkers? They do shed their coats, but it is seasonal and it ALL comes out! One positive aspect to “blowing coat” is that the fur can be spun into yarn and knitted into all kinds of clothing...and you won’t have to worry about dog hair on your Sammy sweater. A thorough weekly combing and brushing will keep their coat in good condition.
The Samoyed has a varied vocabulary and they are not con- cerned about limiting their talking. A good howl always comes after an ambulance siren is heard driving down the road. They do bark to let you know they want something, so it is done with purpose. And they often want something!
Is there a funny story you’d like to share about your experiences showing Samoyeds? There are so many funny stories. Remember that smile! But limiting to an experience while showing, I have one. That biscuit special, I mentioned earlier, really loved little dogs. He had tripped me numerous times to go say “hi” to a little dog! We were in the ring in Bermuda competing for BIS and he was in front. I glanced behind me and saw that every Group winner in the ring was a small dog. If he turned around he would have been bounc- ing all over the place trying to play with those little dogs. I made sure that I used every trick in the book to keep him focused on me to keep him from seeing who was behind him. I was able to keep his attention and as we went around the ring for the final time, he noticed the little guys following him, but the win was secured. I never showed him so hard in my life...except one other time when a Maltese was in someone’s lap next to the ring right where we were standing. I promised to get him a little dog of his own if he would just focus on being in the ring with me. That day he won the Cana- dian National. I guess being panicked about his obsession with little dogs brought the best handling out of me.
CLAIRE O’NEILL
We have two residences, one in California and one in Ari- zona where we have two and a half acres that give us room for our dogs. Our business is in the field of civil engineering and general contracting.
We have been involved in owning Samoyeds for 35 years, but showing and breeding since 2008/2011.
Do we have any hobbies or interests apart from breeding and showing dogs? Our interests/hobbies were collecting antiques and selling them in Southern California antique malls and on the web. We now just sell on a website.
As a Working Dog, what are the key aspects of breed type? Strength, correct weather-resistant coat, length of leg, sufficient bone, single tracking with good reach, and strong drive in the hind- quarters, not long in back, which would make it weak. Correct ear length and set, and almond-shaped, dark-rimmed eyes.
Can I speak to the breed’s ideal size? Males 21"–23 1⁄2" at the withers and females 19"–21" at the withers. That is the standard.
How important is correct expression? There is more to that famous “Sammy smile” than people realize. It is important to have both the upturned flews and the jet black pigment for survival in the elements.
Droopy flews allow for icicles to form from drool in below-freez- ing temperatures and the black pigment of the lip line helps prevent sunburn and blisters.
Is there a preference for color in the breed ring? This is a hot topic. Pure white, white and biscuit, cream or all biscuit are
acceptable for coat color; and it is important to understand “why” biscuit is important to one’s line. I refer back to the black pigment of the lip in the last question. Biscuit/cream coloring helps with darker pigmentation. When you try to breed that out for the “pure white coat” you will find pigment issues crop up; broken lip lines, unfilled noses, and eye rim breaks. This is important to judges education and in educating the general public. I can’t tell you how many requests I get for a “pure white dog.” [Biscuit] can come in many forms: Biscuit ear tips, around the eyes, small splotch behind an ear, a patch on the muzzle (all of these I have in my line), to larger areas around both ears, on the head, to patches on the sides and hindquarters. In the past six years, two of our National winners have had biscuit. You will also see that as dogs age, they get what is called a biscuit saddle. Want to see how much biscuit you actually have on your Samoyed? Look at them wet.
Does the Samoyed have any specific exercise needs? Yes! They need exercise. Not only so they don’t become a couch potato, but a Samoyed with pent-up energy becomes a bored, destructive dog. They were bred for hard work and endurance, so having an area where they can run and play is essential...or be prepared for numer- ous long walks every day. A dog treadmill is ideal for those that don’t have a large yard or when the weather doesn’t cooperate. They also need to be mentally stimulated. Give them a job. They will be much happier.
Is my breed generally good with other dogs? This breed is a pack animal. They need to be able to get along. They get along with all breeds and other household pets. This is not an aggressive breed. I have found that aggression in this breed is usually due to owner lack of correction or understanding the issues. A Samoyed wants to please, so correcting undesirable behavior as soon as it happens is important.
How much does my breed shed? Are they enthusiastic barkers? Yes, they shed, they are a double-coated breed. Males do a “coat blow” once a year and females twice a year. When they are holding their coat, you won’t find much hair, but when it comes time for them to blow it, it is great for the birds in your area to start making nests. Also, the sooner you get it all out, the sooner it comes back in.
Bark? Hmm..notice my kennel name? Yes, they can be very vocal! However, the prettiest sound they make is their talking and wooing. I have two that will lay outside in the early morn- ing and sing. It is fun to get them all (nine) wooing at the same time, since they all have their own unique woo. I like to get them “talking” early.
A funny story I’d like to share about my experiences showing Samoyeds? Not so much funny in showing, but homelife. Note: These are all Samoyeds.
Back in 2013, I had a litter. I have a great set-up in my garage that is connected to the main house through the laundry room. It was early morning and I was drinking coffee at my dining room table. My window looks out to the front of my house. I had the door open to the garage and my dogs were out there visiting the puppies. All of a sudden I see Semper Fi coming out of the window in the garage (it was a low window). Then, No No followed her and behind her was Nike. I ran into the garage to find Sarge ready to go out. I got the window shut (Semper Fi had popped the screen out), came back in, and went out the front door. I ran to the driveway, which opens into about a 11⁄2 acre area. All three of them are run- ning towards the gate that leads to outside of the property. I opened the back of my expedition and yelled “Who wants to go for a ride!” They all came running and got into the car. One by one, I got them back into the house, Semper Fi first, only to have Reba, who is my play police nanny, scold them. When I got the last one in, I came into the dining room and Semper Fi was on my table, drinking cof- fee from my cup. I live in a clown house.
SAMOYED Q&A
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JUNE 2020 | 197