Bjelkier

My daily checks are mainly going all through his thick fur for any stray grass seeds, testicles are just another thing to check. Same. With the heavy coat grass seeds are a serious issue for us and we've had a boy get a seed lodged very close to his testicles and I don't want that happening again. It's not paranoia, it's care.

I check my own dogs every couple of days when I groom them. Paying attention to their body condition, eating and toileting habits, any little odd bumps, lumps or cuts and general demeanour shows an awful lot. Only when I find something that doesn't seem right do I bother with the vet.

You're right about that. It's sad that Sibe's are so popular IMO, too many people wanting their own 'wolf dog' and no where near willing to put the work into them that the breed requires. They are amazing dogs (I find very little as striking as a well bred Sibe in the ring) and if I wasn't so crazy in love with the Karelian Bear Dog I would think about having one. We were very seriously looking at the breed before we got the Samoyeds.

That ain't nothin' compared with a Dally :laugh: And yes I have lived with a Beagle!!! I reckon my Labrador could give them a good run for their money. :laugh:

I love showing them for other people, does that count? :laugh:

Depends which country you're in. The show Siberians in the UK and much of Europe are far more like the racing dogs we have here. It very interesting to see the difference from country to country. For example this is the dog what won it's breed at Crufts this year http://crufts.fossedata.co.uk/Breed.asp?ShowYear=2014&GroupID=WOR&ScheduleID=22 Very different to those here! this one was on the leaderboard on DOL: http://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/profile.asp?dog=77442 Both Gorgeous dogs, but working wise- i imagine Crufts dog would be able to run for hours with those legs! Perhaps. Looks can be deceiving, there is a lot more to working ability then long legs. They need the temperament and correct structure combined to work. I know the dog leading the DOL point score and she is an amazing moving bitch. Sure she doesn't have the legs as long as the other dog but that doesn't mean she couldn't work. I would be surprised if Blush couldn't work all day, but until we test these dogs there is no way of knowing.

Depends which country you're in. The show Siberians in the UK and much of Europe are far more like the racing dogs we have here. It very interesting to see the difference from country to country. For example this is the dog what won it's breed at Crufts this year http://crufts.fossedata.co.uk/Breed.asp?ShowYear=2014&GroupID=WOR&ScheduleID=22

Good point. It is not easy. Some breeds do or at least try to. They have specialty shows that require more proof of temperament. Not enough breeds unfortunately. I think it still all falls back on the breeders. The judges can't be responsible for breeders breeding with dogs that possibly shouldn't be bred from. They make the decisions to breed. It is about their ethics, their ability to objectively critique their own dogs. I could be wrong, but in germany do they not do something like this with GSD's? I know they require proof of working ability in Sweden before issuing a championship title with Samoyeds. So far there isn't a real difference between working and show lines in my breed and for that I am very thankful

Exactly!!! Unfortunately some breeders deviate for one reason or another. I won't buy into the debate regarding other breeds, but I will say that this is particularly true in our breed. All Rottweilers should be bred to be successful in both the show ring and in working arenas. Rottweilers were never meant to be as hard or as high drive as some of the more serious working breeds anyway, they are slightly softer worker. Very much a "Jack of all trades, Master of none" sort of breed. That's not to say that plenty of individuals aren't or have not been very successful in different arenas, but they are certainly not the breed would deliberately get into if you were a serious and super highly competitive obedience, IPO or Herding enthusiast. IMO all breeders should be aiming to tick all the boxes, not breeding extremes of either side or ability. I totally agree, especially with the bolded bit.

Karelian Bear Dog. Either I will bring them here or I will go overseas to them, but that is the next breed in the foreseeable future.

I interrogate my puppy people and I'm not ashamed of it. Granted I don't ask for photos but I talk to them a lot and if I'm not happy, no puppy for them. We spend so much time and effort creating these little lives and raising them to be lovely dogs, we're not just going to give them to any one.

He's gorgeous

He's a young dog away from his pack and now his new family, naturally he's going to be upset and cry. I would never let a young dog sleep outside but I also wouldn't let a breed designed to be with it's family sleep outside overnight at any age either. Especially not one as vocal as a Lappie. Is there any reason why the puppy can't sleep in the house in a crate or a pen? The heat is a non issue, just don't give the pup a thick bed, my samoyeds do just fine in crates when they need to be in one. A small floor fan is often great for keeping the dog cool in this situation.

I could be reading the body language incorrectly but I don't see that as friendly. Bon still looks like she's trying to back away but is too frightened to do so and Lucy is watching you the entire time. Not to make this too humanised but (this is the only way I can explain it) it's almost like she's being passive aggressive.

I didn't make it clear but I meant HER left, so on the right in the photo. Ah I see. Yes it does look a little different

Looks like an agouti sibe to me

Aren't they gorgeous! Thanks for posting them up :D

That's what I've been told as well. So far our summer bills haven't been too bad at all, at least compared to the winter ones!

I had a bitch missing one of her top canines as a pup, there was a gap but no tooth had ever come down. We ran her on in case it came down and low and behold it did. Turns out she just didn't have the fourth canine as a baby for some reason but everything grew in normally when she got her adult teeth and has a perfect bite now. Now I'm not saying this is the case with this pup, mouth problems could be a thing in the breed you're looking at for all I know. If you are really interested in this pup I'd be asking the breeder to send through a photo of the problem.

I leave mine on. No way I'd leave Samoyeds locked in a house in summer without some kind of cooling.

This ^^ Rain isn't such an issue but having arctic dogs means walks in summer are pretty much a no go, even at night in some cases so they have to learn how to stay calm for periods of time and in a heat wave that can be up to a week or more.

A grand majority of the puppy enquiries in my breed are for bitches as people tend to believe they are softer and more affectionate. They're wrong :laugh: The girls are smaller than the males and although aren't as strong they can still pull like freight trains in their not trained and as of yet I've not seen a price difference between males and females. Given a choice I would always take a boy. They make better show dogs and are total sweethearts. My girls are tough as nails, independent and very wilful. They are very sweet but it's always on their terms (the exception being my Spooky girl who is my constant shadow) and if anyone tells you bitches don't mark they need to come and meet my Daenerys! Can't say I've ever understood the dislike of seeing the males genitals....always struck me as kind of bizarre to be honest.

Call Dogs West and ask

My boys are more affectionate than my girls, who re more willing to go and do their own thing. Although my youngest girl is my constant shadow.

Looks like a small scar that has changed the colour of the pigmentation to me. I wouldn't be worried at all.