How to Care for Your Samoyed Puppy

Samoyed puppies are playful, intelligent and often have minds of their own.

Samoyed puppies are known for their fluffy white coats and piercing dark eyes. However, there may be a few other characteristics you do not know about this popular breed. For instance, do you know how often you need to groom your Samoyed, or how to make sure your Samoyed obeys your commands? While some of the care that Samoyed puppies require is typical of every breed, there are other aspects that are unique to the Samoyed alone. Fortunately, caring for this breed doesn't take more than patience, persistence and love.

Things You'll Need

• Slicker brush
• Hair and nail clippers
• Puppy shampoo

Instructions

1. Check your Samoyed's skin daily for fleas or little black specks that fleas leave behind, called flea dirt. In addition, check your pup's skin for ticks. Samoyed dogs have extremely thick coats that can easily hide these types of parasites.

2. Brush your Samoyed at least once a day. Use a slicker brush to brush your puppy, starting at its head and moving down its back towards the tail. Also, brush the head and the tail. Pay special attention to the areas behind the dog's ears and the elbows, stomach and rear end to prevent matting. Getting your Samoyed used to the grooming process while it is a puppy will, hopefully, prevent any protesting as an adult.

3. Groom your Samoyed puppy at least once a month. Because of the thick hair the Samoyed has, it is helpful to shave its belly, genital and anal areas to avoid tangles, as well as urine and feces in the fur. In addition, clip the puppy's nails and clean its ears once a month and bathe it using puppy shampoo.

4. Assert your dominance over your Samoyed puppy while it is young. Samoyed puppies are highly intelligent and often have minds of their own. Because of this, they are sometimes difficult to train, states the Dog Owner's Guide website. Showing your Samoyed that you are in charge will likely help it to obey you. Walk through doors ahead of your Samoyed puppy and always keep it on a short leash next to you during walks. In addition, handle your puppy's food before it eats and always make it wait for your permission to start eating.

5. Walk with your Samoyed daily. However, avoid over-exercising it. The Northern Samoyed Society suggests letting your Samoyed puppy stop when it wants to stop. Exercising your Samoyed puppy too much can cause harm to its physical development.

6. Take your Samoyed to the veterinarian for examinations and vaccinations. The doctor will also prescribe heartworm and flea and tick preventatives, which should be given to the puppy as soon as possible.

Tips & Warnings

• Slicker brushes have bristles that are designed to capture undercoat and dead hair. Slicker brushes are available at most pet stores.

References

• Dog Owner's Guide: The Samoyed
• Northern Samoyed Society: Samoyed Care