Best in Show: the Samoyed

Our Best in Show series helps to highlight breed-specific wishlists for those devoted to a single, special dog.

If I had to pick one dog that could keep me both happy and warm in the event that I was sentenced to spend the night in the arctic circle, it would be a Samoyed, a pack of them to be exact (to be even more exact, a blizzherd--if you’re a stickler for collective nouns).

A Brief History

The Samoyed Club of America places the dogs as “one of the fourteen ancient breeds most similar to wolves” and traces their roots back to the nomadic Samoyedic peoples of Siberia, in the region that surrounds the Arctic Circle. These indigenous groups relied on Samoyeds for herding reindeer, pulling sleds, and, naturally, for curling up together to stay warm during freezing nights.

The Coat

The coat! It’s actually doubly thick and as fluffy and beautiful as it is practical, with the soft undercoat seasonally “blowing out” into clouds and clouds of fluff. A Samoyed is an easy dog to spot, a perfect mix between a child’s fantasy of a prancing cartoon polar bear come to life and a dog groomer’s favorite nightmare. Whether alabaster white or snowdrift white or milk white or biscuit-colored, even cat people will try to sink their hands into the light, dense fur.The Samoyed is, in short, a dog for people who enjoy courting minor fame during their daily walks.

Personality Plus

If you’ve never met a Samoyed, and want to know what it’s like to befriend one, the New York Times’ profile of Striker, a fan favorite at the Westminster Dog Show, is a great place to start.

Wishlist

If you do have a Samoyed in your life, whether by marriage, friendship, or adoption, we’ve assembled some breed-specific recommendations for you:

• Best Store-Bought Toy: Samoyeds are smart and strong. You need a toy that can stand up to rough play and stimulate their intellect. We recommenced the Aikious Interactive Dog Feeder for the puzzling it provides. You may have already seen one in action if you’re a visitor to the Zoo Ecomuseum in Montreal. Just make sure play is supervised.

• Best Free Toy: Snowballs.

• Best Brush: Chris Christensen Brushes. Made in Germany, built to last.

• Best Dog Bed: Foggy Dog Ochre Mud Cloth Dog Bed in XL.

• Best Halloween Costume: Oreo, obviously. Or a Panda.