Sammy dogs are charismatic and friendly, so no wonder they have become popular as family pets. However, it is important to consider if Samoyeds are the right match for your household.
Samoyeds are amazing dogs for kids of school age and can be great with young children. These dogs are active, friendly, and patient. However, training a Samoyed might require some skill and consistency, and these dogs make relatively high-maintenance family pets in general.
Keep in mind the following strengths of the breeds and potential challenges but, of course, remember that every dog is individual and might have an entirely different personality.
TRAITS THAT MAKE SAMOYEDS GREAT FAMILY PETS
Sociable, Friendly Dogs
Samoyeds are known for their friendly personalities, which is helpful in several ways.
First of all, it is important to have a pet that enjoys the company of children and likes the interactions with them, which could be excessive at times. Having children in the household also implies having to meet other people, pets, and dogs in parks and outdoors in general.
Your Samoyed is very likely to charm strangers, as well as babysitters, guests, your kids’ friends, and so on.
If you go on a hike, to the beach, or to a playground that allows dogs, you rarely have to worry about aggression or fearful behaviors with dogs of this breed. As always, early socialization is very important for any dog and any traumatic experiences could predispose an animal to reactive behaviors. Overall, however, a typical Sammy loves people and other pets.
Above Average Intelligence
Samoyeds’ problem-solving skills are excellent but they are very stubborn and independent animals. They have strong instincts, which is why some habits can be hard to give up.
Overall, their obedience potential, also known as working intelligence, is above average, which means that the dog is highly capable of learning new skills and commands, with some considerations:
- Dogs with above-average working intelligence need consistency in the beginning when learning a new skill
- Samoyeds retain new skills and commands well but benefit from repetition
- Poor skills of the trainer will affect the dog’s learning – you don’t need a professional trainer but you need to be patient, methodical, and never punish your pet
- Sammies, like most dogs, respond to positive reinforcements, such as verbal praise or treats, and do not respond well to impatience or punishment
- They might get distracted outdoors or in an unfamiliar environment and not follow your commands as well as they do at home
- Keep the training sessions short and train when the dog is receptive and can focus
- Avoid training when a lot is happening around you, train in a quiet area to improve the dog’s focus
- Practice commands in different environments
Patient And Not Reactive
Samoyeds are patient animals and they are not known for being particularly vigilant around strangers or unfamiliar dogs.
This quality is very important if you have young children because kids do not always remember to give the dog some space and can be overstimulating. Samoyeds are loving and patient. At the same time, it is important to teach your children how to behave around animals and to be gentle with their dogs.
If you have young kids who are too young to understand the rules, supervise their interactions with the dog and protect your pet from being overwhelmed by the attention.
Excellent Activity Buddies
This characteristic is more important for households with school-age kids than those with young children – Samoyeds are enthusiastic and energetic companion pets. They are fabulous dogs for hiking, running, playing, and so on.
It is important to be aware that Samoyeds are sensitive to hot weather. Some Samoyeds also need time to get used to the idea of swimming and being in the water, in case your family spends time on the beach.
POTENTIAL CHALLENGES WITH SAMOYEDS AROUND CHILDREN
The Urge To Chase
Samoyeds can be prone to chasing or herding kids or small animals. They chase instinctively in response to movement, as hunting companions in the past.
Teach the dog early to obey your commands, especially something like “leave it”, so that your Sammy knows to stop immediately.
Expose your Sammy to kids, runners, bikers, squirrels, and other fast-moving objects to promote desensitization to movement. Most Samoyeds learn to behave appropriately around small kids running or crawling around.
Training A Samoyed Could Be Challenging Due To The Breed’s Strong Instincts
Despite the breed’s impressive learning capacity, Samoyeds have extremely strong instincts. For that reason, some habits, including barking and chasing, could be hard to break. Strong instincts could interfere with training.
To make matters more complicated, spitz dogs in general, and Samoyeds, in particular, are very independent and stubborn. They do like to please the owner but their behavior can be driven by their insights on life, so to speak.
All that just means that you would need to be patient, consistent, and never punitive with your dog.
Samoyeds Are Relatively High-Maintenance
Samoyeds can be very high-maintenance, time-consuming pets.
A bright and active Sammy needs walks and games to keep his or her mind engaged and to provide a release of energy. Bored and inactive, a Samoyed could start misbehaving and could become very unhappy in general.
In addition, these pups need regular brushing and occasional baths to maintain their beautiful fur.
Your home needs a good vacuum cleaner and lint rollers because these pups do shed a lot, especially in spring and autumn. On the positive side, brushing could become a fun chore for school-age children, and a bonding activity, too. Many dog owners find brushing their dogs very therapeutic and most dogs also enjoy being brushed.
Samoyeds Bark
Sammy-the-hunter loves barking and howling and this habit might persist.
Training early on is the best way to teach your dog to resist the urge to bark but some Samoyeds are not nearly as vocal as the breed suggests.
11 TIPS ON HOW TO INTRODUCE A BABY TO YOUR FAMILY DOG
- A family dog needs to be well-behaved and obedient to live safely with a young child. If your dog is unpredictable and reactive, you should consider obedience training for the dog before welcoming a child, for everyone’s safety and comfort.
- An infant and a dog should be under supervision when they are together. The dynamics between animals and children can be unpredictable. Avoid leaving your baby alone with the dog, even if you trust your pet.
- If you have a young child and want to bring a puppy or a grown dog into your home, consider waiting for a few years for your kiddo to grow up and mature.
- If it is the case that you already have a Samoyed and a new baby or a young child is about to join, there are several things you could do to help with planning.
1. Prepare The Dog In Advance
Anticipate some of the changes you will need to implement with the arrival of the baby and practice them ahead of time. The idea is for your dog to get used to any change to the routine before the baby comes and not associate the changes with the baby.
2. Dedicate A Little Less Time To The Dog
Your beloved family dog will no longer be the center of everyone’s attention once the baby arrives. The dog has to get used to the change, and it is better if it happens ahead of time. Of course, you should still show affection but the dog needs to learn that sometimes his or her human parents are busy.
Pet and treat the dog just the same but make your interactions brief. Eventually, you will find a way to incorporate your pet into your activities with the baby but, until that happens, your pup will need to be more independent.
3. Change The Routine Early
Some of the changes will be unplanned. You will just figure out what works best for your household with the arrival of the baby. Some things, however, you could plan for ahead of time.
A couple of examples:
- If you want your pet to start sleeping in the doggy bed somewhere other than the bedroom with the infant, then encourage the dog to sleep there ahead of time
- If you expect to put the stroller in a particular spot, do it early. You could even try to walk the dog with the stroller, so your pup gets used to going on walks with a new piece of equipment.
4. Introduce The Dog To Baby Sounds
Some families play all sorts of baby sounds for days before the baby’s arrival, so the dog does not react to the noises later on.
Some dogs are sensitive to noises in general. Samoyeds can bark at new noises but familiarization with baby sounds could help your pet not react to those sounds and you would know if the dog needs the training to tolerate that kind of noise.
5. Bring A Hat With The Baby’s Scent
This is an easy and popular ritual nowadays: when the baby is still in the hospital, he or she should wear a hat for a day. Then someone should bring the hat to the dog to get to know the scent.
That is a nice final step to communicate the arrival of the newbie into the house!
When The Baby Is Home…
6. Let The Dog Smell The Baby
- Once everyone is settled in, let your dog smell the baby but keep the pup on a close leash.
- Depending on the dog’s behavior, let it sit with you and the infant without the leash.
- Watch your dog for any signs of anxiety or distress. It will probably do just fine but be vigilant.
7. Treat The Dog Nicely When The Baby Is Around
Your dog should have positive associations with your baby. So, treat your dog nicely when the baby is in the room and try to make your pet feel included.
8. If The Dog Tries To Chew The Baby’s Toys
Don’t punish the dog if it tries to chew a baby’s toy. Instead, take the toy away and offer a doggy toy.
9. The Safe Zones For Dog And Baby
It is acceptable to have a space for the baby where the dog does not go, and a space for the dog where the baby, at least ideally, should not go.
Having designated baby and dog zones promotes the existence of boundaries.
The child will probably have his or her bedroom as the “safe zone”. Your Samoyed should also have an area where it can retreat for some peace as needed.
10. Boundaries For The Dog
Although your family dog will likely make an excellent friend, companion, and guardian for your baby, the dog should know well that the child is not its puppy.
- Watch for signs of defensiveness around the baby against any family members.
- Some dogs may also try to lick the baby or grab their hood or shirt when the baby crawls. It is not appropriate.
That takes us back to the importance of obedience as a trait. Teach your dog to know its place: the baby is yours to take care of and the dog is there to participate in family life in other ways.
11. Boundaries For The Baby
Babies and young kids, in general, are rowdy and hard to reason with for the first few years of their lives.
Whenever it becomes a possibility, teach your young child to respect the dog’s space. Even patient and obedient dogs can growl or snap if they are cornered or chased. Teach your son or daughter to treat their pets nicely and respectfully, as soon as they become mature enough to understand.
To Conclude
Samoyeds as a breed are excellent dogs for older, school-age children. Their friendly disposition and eagerness to partake in any activity make them amazing family pets.
When it comes to younger children, there are issues to consider with a dog of any breed. Keep in mind that you still need to supervise the dog’s and the child’s interaction and protect them from each other when one (usually, the child) is excessively eager to interact.
Samoyed is by no means an easy and entry-level breed of dog, so it is best if you are experienced with dogs if you have young children and would like to welcome a Sammy. Your dog will need plenty of your time and attention, and it is good to keep that in mind since most parents are very busy people.
