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#1
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Samoyed?
I'm considering getting a Samoyed some time in the next few months. I've
read lots of info online regarding their personality and they seem like exactly what I'm looking for. However many of these Samoyed sites tend to disagree with each other. I was hoping someone here who has owned a Samoyed might be able to tell me some first hand info regarding what the dogs are really like to own. What is their personality like? How much time are you really spending grooming them? (yes, I know we're talking major grooming and I'm ok with that) Are they good with senior citizens? How hard are they to train? Some sites say they are destructive if left alone - is this true? Other sites say they are desctuctive if not exercised enough - is this true also? If so, what is "enough exericise"? How are they with strangers? How are they with other dogs? |
#2
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Samoyed?
In article ,
"engrtp" wrote: I was hoping someone here who has owned a Samoyed might be able to tell me some first hand info regarding what the dogs are really like to own. What has attracted you to them? How do you think they will suit your needs? Have you met any in person (and for more than a brief encounter)? I would suggest going to dog shows, talking with owners/breeders (after their ring time) and getting some first hand interaction and answers. Springtime is a big dog show time, so I'm sure you can find some in your area! I like them, but they aren't the breed for me. Too much white and too much hair among other things! But they may suit you perfectly. The only way to really know is to get to know some. -- Janet Boss www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com |
#3
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Samoyed?
Thanks for the thoughtful reply Janet,
I previously owned a Chow/Lab mix that looked somewhat like a Samoyed (you can imagine I'm sure it all comes from the Chow Chow part of her) so I'm rather used to the hair / shedding issues. Prior to owning that dog I volunteered for about 1-1/2 years at a local animal shelter and had many opportunities to meet the various dog breeds. One in particular that caught my attention at that time was the only Sammy that we ever rescued. She was such a cream puff that I would have taken her in a second but for the fact that I had my hands full with the Chow/Lab and didn't feel comfortable with putting the two together (the Chow was a bit dominant although not hostile). That was years ago. Now I'm in a situation where an elderly parent has moved in with us due to health issues and she just lost her dog last Fall. She is missing her "Baby" something fierce and to be quite honest we dearly miss our "Shelly" too (the Chow/Lab that passed about 2 years ago). Somehow we've all come to the same conclusion: a home without a dog is only half a home. So its time. Simply put, its definately time to bring a dog back into all our lives. The Samoyed seems (per the web sites I've visited and also based on my limited experience with that female in the shelter) to have a wonderful family personality and I believe it would be quite fine with a senior citizen. I also hope to be able to train it to be the kind of dog that can visit nursing homes in years to come, or perhaps to be on call for Hospice patients as well. I do realize that the Samoyed may be a bit reserved with strangers but hope to overcome that by putting in place a lot of socialization early on in it's life with both people and other dogs. I've also noted that Samoyeds don't seem to be big on obedience training - or at least don't seem to do well with repetitive training methods. Well, I'm not looking for a show dog nor am I looking for a dog to do tricks all the time. Simply being able to do "Sit" and "Stay" will be enough for me. As far as guarding / watch dog duties, I would like the dog to be a good watch dog (many sites say they like to bark a lot) but not be a guard dog at all since someone is always home with my elderly parent to take care of them anyway. A good companion dog is more in line with what we're looking for and I think Samoyeds are well known for this. Lastly size is of course important when it comes to having a young vibrant dog running around a senior walking with a walker. We're commited to exercising the dog, but we do question how much exercise is enough! If we're signing on to 2-3 hours per day of non-stop running then our work schedule simply won't allow it. But if I'm hearing an hour per day is enough then life is good! I think that covers it all. Thanks again for your response. "Janet Boss" wrote in message ... In article , "engrtp" wrote: I was hoping someone here who has owned a Samoyed might be able to tell me some first hand info regarding what the dogs are really like to own. What has attracted you to them? How do you think they will suit your needs? Have you met any in person (and for more than a brief encounter)? I would suggest going to dog shows, talking with owners/breeders (after their ring time) and getting some first hand interaction and answers. Springtime is a big dog show time, so I'm sure you can find some in your area! I like them, but they aren't the breed for me. Too much white and too much hair among other things! But they may suit you perfectly. The only way to really know is to get to know some. -- Janet Boss www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com |
#4
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Samoyed?
In article ,
"engrtp" wrote: We're commited to exercising the dog, but we do question how much exercise is enough! If we're signing on to 2-3 hours per day of non-stop running then our work schedule simply won't allow it. But if I'm hearing an hour per day is enough then life is good! I haven't known a lot of them, but the ones I have, have been pleasant dogs and not horribly high energy. OTOH, there was one who lived behind me when I was a teen and he was left out to bark and howl and bark and howl - well - you get the idea! If you're willing to put average time into training, grooming and companionship, I think you'll do fine. They tend to be a bit more "stubborn" for lack of a better word, but really it is just not the "what are we doing now" attitude of many sporting and herding breeds. I really would encourage you to find some dog shows (www.infodog.com) where you can get a good sampling of several dogs of any given breed. -- Janet Boss www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com |
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