This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, July 2014 issue.
Judging the Samoyed
Samoyeds are judged by many people for many reasons. A good breeder judges each dog or bitch that is used for breeding for health, temperament, pedigree, and the qualities in the Samoyed that meet our written standard.
A conscientious puppy buyer looks for that breeder who has a puppy with parents that were tested for all the requirements the Samoyed Club of America lists, has the temperament to live in a family situation with children, friends, and other pets, and whose parents exhibit the qualities of our written standard. Hopefully, that breeder has raised the puppy in an environment that starts the development of good mental and physical health.
Dog shows were originated to judge each dog against the AKC standard to help select breeding stock.
We, as AKC show judges, do not have the ability to spend hours finding just the right dog. We must make our decisions based on a few minutes going over the dog in the ring and watching it move in a limited space. Our standard begins with the statement: “The Samoyed, being essentially a working dog, should present a picture of beauty, alertness, and strength, with agility.” If you have read the first portion of these articles, you know why and how this essential Samoyed was developed.
Proportion is critical to a proper Samoyed to ensure strength and agility. To see proper proportion, you must stand back with the dog in side profile. Many dumpy, short-legged dogs are put up because the judge wants to “save steps” and not move to the center of the ring to see proper proportion. When the dogs walk in the ring, look for that dog that appears long-legged with the front legs set well under the withers to support the body and the rear legs set very slightly behind the ischium. A dog that is 5% longer than it is tall will appear almost square. Even on a coated dog, the elbow is visible, use that point to visualize depth of body and length of leg. A dog that is 55% leg length will appear leggy when you are accustomed to working dogs that are 50% leg length. A leggy dog has nothing to do with height, but is all about proportion.
The neck should be moderately long and set well into sloping shoulders. The dog should be alert and interested in what is happening around it.
While moving the dogs around the ring, we look for gait that is efficient and ground-covering. Legs that fly up in the air or twist are never correct, just as a firm level topline is a sign of efficient, correct movement. The Samoyed is a moderate dog, therefore over-extension of side gait is not desired.
Heads come in a range of style from slightly long and narrow to shorter and broad. Either style is ok as long as the essential qualities of type are met: The lip line should be tight and hopefully curve up slightly at the corner when the mouth is closed. The eye should be deep-set, almond-shaped, and set slanting up with the outside corner of the eye pointing to the base of the ear. Ears should stand erect with thick leather and be well covered with fur inside and out. The muzzle should be deep, the stop slightly sloping with the back skull wedge-shaped and slightly crowned.
When judging a Samoyed, you must get your hands into the coat and feel the bone and muscle. Coat that is scissored and over-groomed is rampant in the AKC show ring. The coat should be clean and well-brushed. It is a double coat with coarse stand-off guard hair and a thick woolly undercoat. The coat should not be so long as to hide the shape of the body. Siberian Huskies, Malamutes, and most other northern breeds were developed for the same bitter cold climate that formed the Samoyed. The guard coat must be weather-resistant. That dog that gets wet from snow packing into a soft coat will die in arctic winter weather.
Samoyeds were developed to spend long days working in a harsh environment. The feet and legs must be strong and straight, elbows must set next to the body. The true test of a correct Samoyed is in its efficient, clean movement. When trotting down and back, the legs must tend to a single track front and rear. There should be no twisting in any of the joints. Wasted motion would be life-threatening to a dog that must live on minimum food in a harsh environment and work all day. The ideal is that light graceful movement that gives the impression the dog could go all day long and come home happy and in good health.
We all love the sweet happy face of a baiting Samoyed. They usually look like they are ready for mischief and play. But do not expect a Samoyed to stand and bait for a long time, they should be intelligent and interested in what is going on around them. The ears will flick back and forth to get all the “news.” The tail will go up while they are gaiting, but may wag in glee while standing or the dog may be so interested in what is going on around that the tail drops down. As long as the dog does not look spooky, please do not penalize that one that drops its tail while standing in line.
Many years ago, a student in a judges education seminar made a comment that I feel is one of the most important when judging our breed. “The Samoyed is a breed to be preserved, not a breed to be developed and improved.” Please keep this in mind and help us to preserve the wonderful breed that nature developed for us.
