Care for your Sam

If you have a Samoyed puppy then regular short exercise is the best. Do not allow your puppy to run up and down stairs as this can cause damage to the hips. A puppy needs short walks on the lead.WaterSport Not too much free running and plenty of rest. As your puppy grows and gets stronger then you may find it pulls a lot. There is no magical cure for this. Samoyeds are freight/herding dogs and pulling is part of their nature. They also enjoy chasing after cats, rabbits, squirrels, in fact anything that moves. It is not a good idea to let your Samoyed off the lead unless you are very sure it will come back on recall. A few biscuits, or ball on a rope normally works wonders.

Sams have a habit of going deaf when you least expect it!!!!

Always use a rolled leather collar when walking and make sure you have a name tag on it. If pulling becomes a problem then a Halti can help. Sams will try anything to get them off but perseverance is the answer. An adult Samoyed ideally needs at least two long walks a day (2 miles or more). If they do not get sufficient exercise then they become even noisier and more destructive.

Do not exercise your dog within 1 hour of feeding.

Do not exercise your dogs in hot weather. Take them out early in the morning and last thing at night, and make sure they have access to plenty of fresh water.

Do not use a metal check chain.

Do have fun and enjoy your walks. You will meet people who just want to stroke the dogs & have a chat. Don’t be in a rush, just enjoy…

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If you have bought your puppy from a reputable breeder then you should have been shown the equipment you need and also how to groom a Samoyed. The breeder should also be available to help if you have problems grooming. The following info is to help you and give you pointers on the best way to have a beautiful, clean, admired Samoyed.

Equipment needed

• Flat surface (preferably a grooming table but top of washing machine with non slip mat on works as well)
• pin brush
• narrow tooth comb
• wide tooth comb
• patience

Training

Train your puppy to lie on its side when grooming, makes life much easier when its fully grown. Do not give in when Sam objects to being brushed. Firmness and kindness are the key. Daily brushing is required. Make it an enjoyable time for you both.

Samoyeds have a double coat, soft undercoat with a harsh outer coat. Puppies shed their puppy coats usually between 8 and 12 months; dogs and bitches normally shed once a year, though bitches may do so more often and certainly will shed after whelping. However variations occur according to where the dogs are kept; those in outdoor kennels will normally shed less than those that live in our centrally heated houses. Turning up the heat in November can produce a sudden shed. The frequency of moult varies depending on the dog’s sex and its environment and may be once or twice each year. When moulting they must be brushed and combed daily.

Method

Start with the hindquarters and tail. Groom away from the body with the comb using the fine comb for featherings and hocks. Comb tail with wide tooth comb. Brush through the body of the coat using one hand to part the coat to the skin. Work from the back to the front. Comb behind the ears and make sure there are no knots. Turn dog over and do same on other side. Sit dog up to do under neck. A thorough combing should be done at least every week. Clean teeth and ears weekly.

Bathing

Brush thoroughly before putting in the bath. Try to use a shower attachment. Put non-slip mats in bath. Wet Sam and work shampoo through coat. Keep shower running on dog and work into a lather. (Not you, the dog’s coat). Rinse thoroughly. Shampoo again if necessary and rinse. Yellow soak up cloths work wonders for drying dog or use old towels. Let dog have a good shake and then put on grooming table (or flat surface) and blow dry, brushing the whole time. A good quality domestic hair dryer can be used making sure the air intake is kept clear of fur at all times to prevent overheating although it’s worth investing in a commercial dryer. Let dog off table for comfort calls. When dry comb through coat.

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Settling in to a new home

This is the first big change in your puppy’s life. From now on you will be taking the place of its mother, its litter mates and its breeder. This is a huge step for it.Gardening
To help it to settle in quickly, the following tips may be helpful.

• A comfortable bed can be made from a stout cardboard box lined with newspaper and its own special blanket.
• A warm hot-water bottle under the blanket will provide it with the warmth that it is used to and a cuddly toy will help it feel less lonely. Don’t be surprised, though, if it sleeps on a cold surface, some Sams prefer it.
• Make sure its sleeping place is safe and that an exploring puppy can’t get into danger.
• Young puppies need lots of sleep. Make sure that it gets the peace it needs as well as the company of your family.
• Try to provide a routine so that the puppy learns what is expected of it. This will give it confidence.

Feeding your puppy

Get a diet sheet from your puppy’s breeder so that you know what your puppy has been eating and how often it is fed.
Puppies of eight weeks will still be on 4 meals a day. Over the coming weeks this will reduce to three and then two meals a day but with increased amounts as required. By the age of six months the puppy will be on one or two meals a day.

• To grow strong bones, healthy teeth and have proper muscle development growing puppies need the right balance of nutrients in their diet.
• Proprietary puppy and junior foods are formulated especially to meet these needs, and if used according to the makers instructions, are ideal.
• If you would rather feed a fresh food diet, then do find out exactly what a growing youngster needs – read up on the subject and use supplements where necessary.
• A fresh supply of water must be available at all times.

Things to do

• No matter how good the breeder, it is always wise to take a new puppy for a visit to your vet for a check up as soon as possible after you bring it home.
• Worming: Puppies need regular worming. It should have been wormed at least twice by its breeder before it comes to you. It’s essential they are wormed as puppies, then again at about 6 months, then annually – unless you are sure there are worms present.
• Vaccinations: Your puppy will need to be vaccinated against the major canine diseases. This is usually done in two injections given approximately a fortnight apart with the first being done at around 8 to 10 weeks of age. It is not safe for your puppy to mix with other dogs until after this is complete.

House training

Remember that house training takes time. Have patience and take your puppy out to where you want it to perform regularly. For example:

• as soon as it wakes up; after meals and drinking; and before naps.
• Newspaper on the floor will help to contain ‘mistakes’, but if the weather is fine then training your puppy can be done quickly.
• Remember – puppies have limited control. Watch closely; don’t scold mistakes; just keep taking it out regularly until it becomes natural.

Grooming

You will need a pin brush and two combs, a narrow toothed comb for the feathering and a wider one for the body. Try to set 10 minutes aside every day for grooming. If you can find a flat surface like a table top (it must be stable) place a towel on it to stop the puppy slipping. Start by gently brushing from the head remembering always to brush towards the head. Try to make the grooming enjoyable for both of you. Sammies really love the attention. Take special care behind the ears and around the pants, as this is where knots will appear. Try not to bath the puppy until it is at least 4 months old. If it gets particularly grubby, a wipe over with a damp cloth and then brushing should be sufficient.

Collars

Always use a ‘rounded’ leather collar; never use flat leather or metal chains, as these will ruin the dog’s ruff.

Socialising

Once your puppy is free to go out, try to introduce it to as many different people and situations as possible. A puppy learns most in its early months and a well socialised puppy will grow into a confident dog. Check with your vet to see if there are ‘puppy parties’ held locally and keep a look out for training clubs that run puppy socialisation sessions.

Exercise

• The puppy should not go out in public places until it is fully vaccinated.
• Youngsters do not need too much exercise – it may be stressful to growing bones and joints. Try to do roadwork on the lead, and do not let your puppy have a great deal of free running off of the lead until about 1 year of age. Take special care with stairs and do not encourage the puppy to stand on its back legs.

Things you’ll need

• The diet sheet and starter pack of puppy food from the breeder
• Puppy’s Kennel Club registration papers
• Worming information and vaccination record (if first part already done)
• Puppy collar and lead, identification tag
• Heavy water bowl and a food bowl
• Some safe puppy toys
• Lots of patience and lots of love

Remember: Have fun with your puppy!

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