GETTING STARTED
So you are either interested in getting a Samoyed or have one and want to learn more. These resources are ones that will be valuable to you.
On this page: Books; Organizations; Breed info links; Training and behavior links; Health links; General canine links | Search the Shadow-Wood site–search the web
BOOKS
we’ve found these books to be very useful, particularly when getting started with the Sammy, with dogs in general and with obedience work. Most can be purchased from Amazon.com or from Barnes and Noble. Frankly, Amazon’s site is easier to use.
SURVIVING YOUR DOG’S ADOLESCENCE: A POSITIVE TRAINING PROGRAM, by our favorite dog author, Carol Lee Benjamin. A great writing style, amusing, interesting and useful.
DOG TRAINING FOR KIDS, another by Carol Lee Benjamin. The title says it’s for kids. Since we found it so useful, guess that defines us as forever young. Very good material in a quickly read and ‘digested’ book.
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DOG TRAINING IN TEN MINUTES. Another of Carol Lee’s books. What can we say. She’s just a great read–plus she really knows dogs. But it’s going to take more than ten minutes.
THE NEW SAMOYED by Robert and Dolly Ward and Mardee Ward Fanning. An update of one of the classics about the breed and it’s history.
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HOW TO BE YOUR DOGS BEST FRIEND, by the Monks of New Skeete. This is one of the best for understanding canine behavior and how to manage your dog using ‘language’ that your dog will understand.
THE ART OF RAISING A PUPPY. Another by the Monks of New Skeete. This one is a ‘must-have’ book, full of good information about puppy physiological and mental development and instructions about bringing up puppy.
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ORGANIZATIONS
These organizations offer information about the breed and about dogs and dog ownership in general. The graphic to the left of their description is linked to their web site. Just click to go there.
The American Kennel Club. Guidance to puppy buying, finding the right breeder, breed clubs, obedience and conformation showing and a wealth of other information.
The Samoyed Club of America. The home club for all Sammies in the United States. A good information source about the breed and a good club to join.
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There are clubs devoted to the Samoyed in many major metropolitan areas. One in the DC area is the Potomac Valley Samoyed Club–it’s our club,so that’s why it’s here. Its membership is open to those interested in the breed and it offers support and guidance for new Sammy owners. For the location of other Sammy clubs, go to the SCA site (above) or the SAC site (below)–or merely click on the underlined phrase above.
The Samoyed Association of Canada has the same objectives as the SCA does in the United States. This site has a very extensive and useful collection of links to Samoyed and canine web sites. It also has information about showing in Canada.
Want to adopt a Sammy? This Samoyed rescue site has been operating on the web since 1995. Go to it for a listing of Sammies ready for immediate placement.
The Organization for the Working Samoyed is a vehicle of information exchange on training Samoyeds to be good working dogs. The organization has a quarterly newsletter, The Yapper, that covers Samoyed training, conditioning, nutrition, and health issues. They produce a regular publication and also offer much of this information on-line.
WEB LINKS–Breed Information
There are some good sites that provide great information for those getting started–breeder information, dog behavior, dog training. These are just some of them.
This page, The View of the Breed from Shadow-Wood, is written for those getting into the breed and is a compilation of Patti’s and Stirling’s observations and experience from having lived with Samoyeds for over 28 years.
The picture to the left is by Vladimir Beregovoy, from his fascinating report, The Aboriginal Samoyed Dogs of the Yamal Penninsula. It details his jouney with the native people from whom the Samoyed breed came. His observations provide insights into the breed that help deepen our understanding of the Samoyed–who are not so far removed from their Arctic nomadic origins. This is a must read. Just click on the picture to go to the site.
Tina Willett’s Samoyed Breeder’s Web Page offers advice to use when buying a Samoyed, including questions to ask a breeder. It includes a breeder’s code of ethics, offers many links for first-time puppy buyers, links to adoption sites and has ads for available litters from members of the Samoyed Club of America and the Samoyed Association of Canada. [return to top]
WEB LINKS–Training and Behavior
Once you have your new companion, how do you learn to live with it? These links will provide good information on a canine behavior, basic dog training and dealing with behavioral problems.
Crate Training by Debbie Baird
A key to a happy relationship with your dog and to the safety and security of your Sammy is the use of a crate. Debbie’s (Dynasty Samoyeds) cleverly constructed pages on crate training should be one of your first stops.
American Dog Trainers’ Network
Find just about any reference you could ask for at this site, from training techniques to dog trainers in your area. For Shadow-Wood’s own opinion about the Samoyed in obedience, click on our ‘obedience’ button at the top of the page.
Taming the Dominant Dog
How to teach the dominant puppy who is boss before a small pup becomes a large dog.
Dr. P’s Dog Training Library
A wealth of information about dog behavior and dog training–not just obedience, but also agility, tracking, herding, mushing, weight pulling and back-packing–all activities that the Sammie is capable of.
Patti’s Puppy Guide
Two puppy guides from Shadow-Wood Samoyed’s Patti Rasmussen. The first covers the basics of
Patti’s Show Puppy guide
raising a Samoyed pup. The second is a beginner’s guide to raising a show puppy.
The Dangers of Training With Food
Patti Rasmussen’s observations about the problems caused by novice trainers attempting to train with food.
WEB LINKS–Health
The first stop for a new dog is your vet. A reputable breeder will provide records of vet visits and immunizations for a new pup and insist that you take your pup to your vet to confirm health and continue the immunization schedule. The first stop for an adopted dog is the same–your vet, and for the same reasons. These sites will help you understand canine health but are not intended to substitute for your local vet.
Grooming Your Samoyed
by Debbie Baird
Debbie Baird’s (Dynasty Samoyeds) comprehensive pages on grooming Samoyeds.
Samoyed Health by Pam Barbe
Pam Barbe’s (Mirage Samoyeds) health page, covering the health problems that, statistically, are most prevalent in the breed.
Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF)
One of the heriditary problems of many breeds, and one of the checks that both the sire and dam of a new puppy should have passed before being bred.
The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA)
A heriditary problem in larger breeds such as the Samoyed, and the other clearance that both the sire and the dam should have passed. A breedable Samoyed should have an OFA certified clearance of hips–ask your breeder for the OFA rating (Excellent, Good and Fair are the passing ratings) and the OFA number. Without that you are taking a chance of a crippled dog later in life. This site explains the problem.
Dog FAQs Health Care Issues
A collection of answers to frequently asked questions about dog health. Remember, though, as with any web site information about canine health, the best person to ask is your vet.
WEB LINKS–General Canine Information
Some of these sites tend to be commercial, but offer a range of information. Some even provide weekly e-mail news letters with different interesting dog sites referenced each week. They are fun, and can be informative.
Patti’s Breeder’s Notes:
Show Quality/Pet Quality
So what exactly makes a show quality puppy? And does that mean that a pet quality pup is an inferior dog? See why the answer to that is NO.
Dog Terminology
More from Patti, this time a handy list of dog terms, many related to showing. This one isn’t commercial–just informative.
The Straight Poop
A site at which you can find breeders of all breeds and sign up for a weekly e-mail letter that features interesting dog web sites.
The Working Dog Web
Links to just about any type of dog information you can imagine.
The Directory of Dog Sites
Links, dogs links, and more dog links.
INFODog
A site affiliated with the Moss Bow Foley dog show organization. It has information about breeders, about finding your best breed and about the tragedy of puppy mills and their associated pet shops that sell puppies.
