DONNEREIGN SAMOYEDS

  In My Opinion ...

     A few words about breed type. Type is universal and every breed has it. But what is Samoyed type? What should the word convey? In my opinion, type is a combination of appearance and soundness; both physical and mental and ability to do the work for which he was designed.

     The original western fanciers working with the breed as it was taken out of the Siberian Arctic as reported, dealt with three possibly four maybe more types. Most records indicate that three terms were settled upon. Namely Wolf, Bear and Fox. In my opinion, this is too simplistic. The Fox style was eliminated, I am sure because of the lack of substance and slightness of build. I cannot invision a fox herding a giant sized reindeer or pulling a sled. The Wolf and Bear terms were continued, unfortunately, longer than they should have been. Both were considered at opposite ends of the type spectrum and it is clearly stated that the ideal type is to be moderate. Today over a hundred years later I am still asked to describe these types, especially by people new to the breed and unfortunately I see not enough effort on the part of our breeders to coalese the type in the first place.

     Are we to offer a show Samoyed that looks different from a working Samoyed? Or are we really at a juncture of making a decision between a white Chow style and a white Wolf style? Are we perhaps heading toward a "bench type" or "field type" as seen in the sporting group. I hope NOT. The word standard just might also mean to standardize not diversify and though diversity is often praised, is it the main reason we often speak of and use the term inconsistant in reference to breeding programs, families of dogs or JUDGING? The comment "you Sammy people can't make up your minds what the breed is supposed to look like so how do you expect me to know how to judge it" ... unnamed Judge but often spoken.

     In my opinion, Samoyed type needs to be agreed upon universally. A correct American Samoyed should not conjure up a different mind picture from let us say an English Samoyed or Japanese Samoyed. We need to be on the same page of the same standard. Of course, this is just IN MY OPINION.

John Donner Sr.

     Breeding a family of dogs is a lot like developing a web site. It is a work in progress, a labor of love and the best is yet to come - Never quite finished. Here I am in 2005, at 65, with 45 years working with my beautiful Samoyeds. It is often said that grandparents of a puppy are perhaps more important than its parents. Using this axiom, since all four of my grandparents made it into their high 80's and somewhat beyond so I expect to be around for a very long time... maybe we will get to know one another. Again Welcome to Donnereign and come back to visit from time to time.   JD