Page 204 - ShowSight - June 2020
P. 204

                THE EVOLUTION OF THE SAMOYED
      Samoyed Hunters. This sled was for man-hauling. The runners are curved at both ends to facilitate moving in either direction. The basket carries seal or fish.
what it is...sometimes insisting on facing in the opposite direction to get a better view! This is the nature of the breed...they are alert, independent dogs that are full of action...genetically programed over thou- sands of years to herd and guard the Nenets’ reindeer on the Russian tundra and to serve as an all-purpose dog and companion for the Nenet people.
THE JUDGES EXAM
Start the exam with the head. The ears should be thick, well-furred and mobile, which protects the ears from freezing on the tundra. The ears should be in proportion to the size of the head and the dog. If you think the ears look too long or too short, fold the tip of the ear towards the outside corner of the eye...the tip of the ear should end close to this point if it is the correct size. Ears should be set well apart, but positioned within the border of the outer edge of the head.
The head should form a wedge...it can be a narrow wedge or a wide wedge, depending on breeder preference, and the stop should not be too abrupt, which enhances the aero- dynamics of the dog when moving, and also enhances the wedge shape of the head. The skull should be broad, but not round, and form an equilateral triangle between the inner base of the ears and the central point of the stop. Eyes should be dark for preference, placed well apart, and almond shaped with the lower lid slanting towards the outer corner of the ear. This is a survival
characteristic of the breed, and it is inter- esting to note that most creatures living on the tundra, both human and animal, have this almond shaped eye. Evolution has cre- ated this eye shape, as a round eye has been shown to cause snow blindness from the many months of exposure to the sun’s glare on the arctic snow. Please note that blue eyes are a disqualifying fault in this breed!
The muzzle must be of medium length, neither course nor snipy, and must have sufficient underjaw to give depth to the muzzle. This is a survival characteristic, as the muzzle must be of sufficient length and depth to warm the frigid arctic air before it reaches the lungs. The nose should be black for preference, but a brown, liver or Dudley nose is not to be penalized. The teeth should snugly overlap in a scissor bite. Please note: There is no disqualification or penalty for missing teeth in this breed, so it is not nec- essary to count teeth or to open the mouth to look at the top and bottom dentition when checking the bite!
The lips should be black for preference and should curve up at the corners in a Sam- my smile, even when the mouth is closed. Expression should consist in a “lighting up of the face” when alert or intent on any- thing. Ears should be erect and alert, eyes should sparkle and mouth should form the Sammy smile! There should not be droopy flews at the corners of the mouth, as this would cause saliva to accumulate and freeze around the mouth on the tundra while the dog is working.
TORSO AND FRONT END
From the head, move around to the side of the dog to examine the torso and front end. The neck should be of good length, strong and well-muscled. The neck should blend into the shoulder and topline with a grace- ful arch, and any other neck should be depreciated. An arched neck is thicker at the base and has stronger neck ligaments, which offers more power for the dog’s shoul- der blades and front assembly while the dog is working. A ewe neck, for example, is positioned upright, perpendicular from the shoulder and lacks any indication of an arch. This type of neck has weaker neck ligaments and because of that weakness has less support for the shoulder blades and front leg muscles. While this type of neck- line might appear flashy in the showring, it does not offer optimal functionality for a Working Dog.
The chest should be deep, with the ribs well-sprung from the spine and taper- ing at the sides to allow movement of the shoulders and freedom for the front legs. The chest should be heart-shaped and not barrel-shaped. Perfect depth of the chest should be at the point of the elbow and the deepest part of the chest should be behind the forelegs, which provides more heart and lung room for working on the tundra. As breeders, we also like to feel “elbow pock- ets,” which are slight indentions in the rib cage under the elbows that allow more freedom of movement for the front legs
202 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JUNE 2020






















































































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