Reading of the AKC standard for the Samoyed
Official Standard of the Samoyed
General Conformation: (a) General Appearance-The Samoyed, being essentially a working
dog, should present a picture of beauty, alertness and strength, with agility, dignity and grace. As
his work lies in cold climates, his coat should be heavy and weather-resistant, well groomed, and
of good quality rather than quantity. The male carries more of a "ruff" than the female. He should
not be long in the back as a weak back would make him practically useless for his legitimate
work, but at the same time, a close-coupled body would also place him at a great disadvantage as
a draft dog. Breeders should aim for the happy medium, a body not long but muscular, allowing
liberty, with a deep chest and well-sprung ribs, strong neck, straight front and especially strong
loins. Males should be masculine in appearance and deportment without unwarranted
aggressiveness; bitches feminine without weakness of structure or apparent softness of
temperament. Bitches may be slightly longer in back than males. They should both give the
appearance of being capable of great endurance but be free from coarseness. Because of the
depth of chest required, the legs should be moderately long. A very short-legged dog is to be
deprecated. Hindquarters should be particularly well developed, stifles well bent and any
suggestion of unsound stifles or cowhocks severely penalized. General appearance should
include movement and general conformation, indicating balance and good substance.
(b) Substance-Substance is that sufficiency of bone and muscle which rounds out a balance with
the frame. The bone is heavier than would be expected in a dog of this size but not so massive as
to prevent the speed and agility most desirable in a Samoyed. In all builds, bone should be in
proportion to body size. The Samoyed should never be so heavy as to appear clumsy nor so light
as to appear racy. The weight should be in proportion to the height.
(c) Height - Males: 21 to 23½ inches; females: 19 to 21 inches at the withers. An oversized or
undersized Samoyed is to be penalized according to the extent of the deviation.
(d) Coat (Texture and Condition) - The Samoyed is a doublecoated dog. The body should be
well covered with an undercoat of soft, short, thick, close wool with longer and harsh hair
growing through it to form the outer coat, which stands straight out from the body and should be
free from curl. The coat should form a ruff around the neck and shoulders, framing the head
(more on males than on females). Quality of coat should be weather resistant and considered
more than quantity. A droopy coat is undesirable. The coat should glisten with a silver sheen.
The female does not usually carry as long a coat as most males and it is softer in texture.
(e) Color - Samoyeds should be pure white, white and biscuit, cream, or all biscuit. Any other
colors disqualify.
Movement: (a) Gait - The Samoyed should trot, not pace. He should move with a quick agile
stride that is well timed. The gait should be free, balanced and vigorous, with good reach in the
forequarters and good driving power in the hindquarters. When trotting, there should be a strong
rear action drive. Moving at a slow walk or trot, they will not single-track, but as speed increases
the legs gradually angle inward until the pads are finally falling on a line directly under the
longitudinal center of the body. As the pad marks converge the forelegs and hind legs are carried
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straight forward in traveling, the stifles not turned in nor out. The back should remain strong,
firm and level. A choppy or stilted gait should be penalized.
(b) Rear End - Upper thighs should be well developed. Stifles well bent-approximately 45
degrees to the ground. Hocks should be well developed, sharply defined and set at approximately
30 percent of hip height. The hind legs should be parallel when viewed from the rear in a natural
stance, strong, well developed, turning neither in nor out. Straight stifles are objectionable.
Double-jointedness or cowhocks are a fault. Cowhocks should only be determined if the dog has
had an opportunity to move properly.
(c) Front End - Legs should be parallel and straight to the pasterns. The pasterns should be
strong, sturdy and straight, but flexible with some spring for proper let-down of feet. Because of
depth of chest, legs should be moderately long. Length of leg from the ground to the elbow
should be approximately 55 percent of the total height at the withers-a very short-legged dog is
to be deprecated. Shoulders should be long and sloping, with a layback of 45 degrees and be
firmly set. Out at the shoulders or out at the elbows should be penalized. The withers separation
should be approximately 1 to 1½ inches.
(d) Feet - Large, long, flattish-a hare-foot, slightly spread but not splayed; toes arched; pads thick
and tough, with protective growth of hair between the toes. Feet should turn neither in nor out in
a natural stance but may turn in slightly in the act of pulling. Turning out, pigeon-toed, round or
cat-footed or splayed are faults. Feathers on feet are not too essential but are more profuse on
females than on males.
Head: (a) Conformation - Skull is wedge-shaped, broad, slightly crowned, not round or apple-
headed, and should form an equilateral triangle on lines between the inner base of the ears and
the central point of the stop. Muzzle - Muzzle of medium length and medium width, neither
coarse nor snipy; should taper toward the nose and be in proportion to the size of the dog and the
width of skull. The muzzle must have depth. Whiskers are not to be removed. Stop - Not too
abrupt, nevertheless well defined. Lips - Should be black for preference and slightly curved up at
the corners of the mouth, giving the "Samoyed smile." Lip lines should not have the appearance
of being coarse nor should the flews drop predominately at corners of the mouth. Ears - Strong
and thick, erect, triangular and slightly rounded at the tips; should not be large or pointed, nor
should they be small and "bear-eared." Ears should conform to head size and the size of the dog;
they should be set well apart but be within the border of the outer edge of the head; they should
be mobile and well covered inside with hair; hair full and stand-off before the ears. Length of ear
should be the same measurement as the distance from inner base of ear to outer corner of eye.
Eyes - Should be dark for preference; should be placed well apart and deep-set; almond shaped
with lower lid slanting toward an imaginary point approximately the base of ears. Dark eye rims
for preference. Round or protruding eyes penalized. Blue eyes disqualifying. Nose - Black for
preference but brown, liver, or Dudley nose not penalized. Color of nose sometimes changes
with age and weather. Jaws and Teeth - Strong, well-set teeth, snugly overlapping with scissors
bite. Undershot or overshot should be penalized.
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(b) Expression - The expression, referred to as "Samoyed expression," is very important and is
indicated by sparkle of the eyes, animation and lighting up of the face when alert or intent on
anything. Expression is made up of a combination of eyes, ears and mouth. The ears should be
erect when alert; the mouth should be slightly curved up at the corners to form the "Samoyed
smile."
Torso: (a) Neck - Strong, well muscled, carried proudly erect, set on sloping shoulders to carry
head with dignity when at attention. Neck should blend into shoulders with a graceful arch.
(b) Chest - Should be deep, with ribs well sprung out from the spine and flattened at the sides to
allow proper movement of the shoulders and freedom for the front legs. Should not be barrel-
chested. Perfect depth of chest approximates the point of elbows, and the deepest part of the
chest should be back of the forelegs-near the ninth rib. Heart and lung room are secured more by
body depth than width.
(c) Loin and Back - The withers forms the highest part of the back. Loins strong and slightly
arched. The back should be straight to the loin, medium in length, very muscular and neither
long nor short-coupled. The dog should be "just off square"-the length being approximately 5
percent more than the height. Females allowed to be slightly longer than males. The belly should
be well shaped and tightly muscled and, with the rear of the thorax, should swing up in a
pleasing curve (tuck-up). Croup must be full, slightly sloping, and must continue imperceptibly
to the tail root.
Tail: The tail should be moderately long with the tail bone terminating approximately at the
hock when down. It should be profusely covered with long hair and carried forward over the
back or side when alert, but sometimes dropped when at rest. It should not be high or low set and
should be mobile and loose-not tight over the back. A double hook is a fault. A judge should see
the tail over the back once when judging.
Disposition: Intelligent, gentle, loyal, adaptable, alert, full of action, eager to serve, friendly but
conservative, not distrustful or shy, not overly aggressive. Unprovoked aggressiveness is to be
severely penalized.
Disqualifications: Any color other than pure white, cream, biscuit, or white and biscuit. Blue
eyes.
Approved August 10, 1993
Effective September 29, 1993
