The Samoyed is a fairly large dog, characterized by endurance and unpretentiousness.
The high activity and energy of these animals, as well as their fairly light bones, create all the prerequisites for them to weigh somewhat less than representatives of other large breeds.
What should be the size and weight of an adult Samoyed and how do they change during the first months of the pet’s life?
And what should you do if the weight of a puppy or young dog is not normal?
Dimensions (height at withers, etc.) depending on gender
The height at the withers, depending on the sex of the animal, is:
- Males - 57 cm.
- Females - 53 cm.
However, the growth of individual representatives of the breed may exceed these readings or be slightly lower than them. The breed standard allows a deviation of three centimeters in one direction or another.
The length of the body, taking into account the almost square format, should not exceed the height by more than 5% in males, and by 10% in females..
The chest circumference of an adult animal is usually 75-80 cm.
The weight of a Samoyed should be proportional to its height, that is, short dogs of this breed should not look too fat, and large dogs should not appear too thin.
Expert opinion
Kozhevin Semyon Kirillovich
Expert dog handler.
“According to the standard, the Samoyed looks harmonious and proportionally built. This means that the dog's height and weight should match each other as closely as possible. Of course, the thick and long hair of a Samoyed can to some extent hide both excessive thinness and excess weight. But we must remember that the normal condition of an animal is not only one of the components of its victories in the exhibition ring, but also the key to the health of the pet. Weight and dimensions must be in the correct proportions in relation to each other. And for show dogs, it is desirable that their values also be within the limits allowed by the standard.”
Grooming
The hard, thick coat always protects the dog from hypothermia, so it can live outside all year round. The Laika does not need to be bathed frequently, as this will wash away the protective layer from the coat. It is enough to clean off lumps of dirt after drying.
It is worth carefully inspecting the toes; snow and ice accumulate between them. This promotes the formation of wounds and abrasions. The dog sheds profusely, and during this time you need to brush it twice a day. The rest of the time, 2 times a week is enough.
For your information! It is difficult for the ZS Laika to live in an apartment, since in warm conditions it will constantly shed. In winter, the dog cleans itself by wallowing in the snow. In summer you can go swimming in the pond.
Light colors, such as red, get dirty more often, so these dogs are washed as needed.
Laikas do not require special care, especially if they live outside. They may not look very beautiful, but this does not stop them from performing their duties.
Puppy parameters from 1 to 12 months (table)
| Puppy age | Height | Weight |
| 1 month | 20-25 cm | 3 kg |
| 2 months | 30 cm | 5-6 kg |
| 3 months | 40 cm | 9-10 kg |
| 4 months | 45-47 cm | 11-12 kg |
| 5 months | about 50 cm | 16-17 kg |
| 6 months | 52-55 cm | 18-20 kg |
| 7-9 months | 53-58 cm | 21.5-24.5 kg |
| 10-12 months | 53-60 cm | 23-25 kg |
Standard
East Siberian Laika: description of the breed
The dog must have a strong and dry build. She has developed endurance, swiftness and activity, these qualities are important for hunting. The West Siberian Laika has pronounced sexual dimorphism - the male is larger than the female.
Note! Within the breed, two types are conventionally distinguished - Mansi and Khanty. The first group has a wider head, the second is not so massive.
The head of the ZS Laika is generally elongated with a scissor bite; it has a triangular shape. The skull is narrow, the muzzle without much relief, the stop line is smoothed.
The dog's nose should be black or brown
The eyes are dark in color, slightly slanted, and deep set. The ears are erect and triangular. The neck is muscular and dry. The body is proportional, lean, the tail is curled and thrown over the back.
Acceptable colors are red, piebald, red, white. They can be combined in different variations. The weight of the husky is about 22 kg, the height of the female is 58 cm, the height of the male is 62 cm.
How to measure height correctly?
To correctly measure the height of a Samoyed, you need to place the dog in a show stand on a flat, hard surface.
If the dog is not trained to take a show stance on the owner’s command, then its attention needs to be attracted with a toy or treat..
It is very difficult to do this yourself, while simultaneously measuring the height of the Samoyed, therefore, it is better to seek the help of one of your relatives or friends.
Next, a measuring tape is applied to the top point of the pet’s withers, the edge of which is released to the floor. Considering that the Samoyed is a long-haired dog, it is recommended to spread the hair on the withers as far apart as possible before doing this.
This will help avoid serious errors when taking measurements.
For the same purpose, you can attach a small weight to the bottom of the measuring tape, which will prevent it from swinging in the air or twisting, which also facilitates the process of taking measurements and reduces possible errors.
To make it more convenient to measure the dog’s height at the withers, you can use not only a measuring tape, but also a special device in the form of a long ruler with a limiter attached to it, which rises to the level of the withers line.
History of appearance
Beyond the Ural Range lived many aboriginal dogs. They were used for hunting and protection. At this time, people did not set themselves the goal of breeding a new breed, so crossing was carried out according to working qualities.
The West Siberian Laika is a treasure of Russia
Only at the beginning of the 20th century. It was decided to get a certain type of dog. For this purpose, Khanty and Mansi dogs were selected. In the 40s specialists began to work.
For your information! In 1947, a proposal was made to divide all dogs by region of residence. This is how the West Siberian Laika appeared. The country was in crisis; it needed fur and meat. Therefore, the demand for hunting dogs was high.
Breeding work was carried out in Perm, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg. The peak of popularity was in the 70s. last century. In the 80s The breed was accepted internationally.
It cannot be said that the ZSL Laika was a descendant of only Mansi and Khanty dogs. The blood of various aboriginal dogs was mixed with them.
To what age do they grow?
Like most other large dogs, Samoyeds grow until they are about one year old. Moreover, in the last couple of months they have hardly gained any growth, although their weight may still increase.
NOTE!
Usually, already at 7-9 months the dog looks almost mature, and growth in many bitches stops altogether after the onset of the first heat.
The fact that a Samoyed has reached its maximum height and will not grow any further does not mean that its physical development stops there.
Representatives of this breed, even after they turn one year old, continue to gain muscle mass and the development of their muscles does not end there either..
It should be remembered that young dogs aged 10-12 months are more playful and active than adult animals.
A full-grown Samoyed puppy or young dog of this breed will look a little thin and longer-legged compared to an adult dog..
Specific breeds
Looking in more detail at what age small breed dogs grow, it is worth noting the following facts:
- the growth of Chihuahuas and Yorkshire terriers ends by 8 months, after which only mass increases occur;
- A toy terrier can mature even faster – by six months. From this time on, neither their height nor their weight changes;
- Pugs change in size differently - some young dogs of this breed may stop growing at 6-7 months, others continue to develop until nine;
- The growth of a female Pekingese ends by 8–9 months, a male by a year;
- Dachshunds grow in length until they are eight months old, after which they only increase in width.
Dogs as large and muscular as the Rottweiler grow to their normal size by 12 months, and their muscles can increase until they are 2 years old. Shepherd dogs, St. Bernards and Labrador retrievers grow faster up to a year, and at the final stage - almost imperceptibly. They can be called fully formed by 2.5–3 years.
Source
Factors influencing the development of a pet
The height and weight of a puppy of any breed depend on many factors.:
- Heredity . It depends on it how quickly the baby will grow and when its growth will sharply slow down or even stop completely. Also, the age at which bitches of a given line experience their first heat, which is often the reason for the cessation of growth, also depends on heredity. Finally, heredity determines the body type of Samoyeds, including how light or heavy their bone structure is. Dogs with a heavier skeleton will always weigh more than light-boned dogs of the same breed.
- Raising puppies and keeping a pregnant bitch . Their weight and size at the time of sale depend on how and what the breeder fed the babies. Equally important is what the mother of the puppies ate and in what conditions the mother of the puppies was kept during pregnancy and feeding the offspring. If the bitch at this time was not eating properly or was kept in improper conditions, then this will also not have the best effect on her puppies, which will have less weight and size at birth, and subsequently will grow poorly. If the dog preparing to become a mother lived in comfortable conditions, if it was fed properly, and the atmosphere in the house was calm, then the born puppies have every chance for correct and harmonious physical development.
- Previous illnesses . If a puppy gets sick with something while growing up, then its growth may slow down for a while. And in very severe cases, for example, with advanced rickets, stop altogether.
- Nutrition. Samoyeds are large and active dogs that require a balanced and sufficiently high-calorie diet. It is especially important that puppies eat properly during the period of intensive growth. An unbalanced diet will certainly affect the health and appearance of the Samoyed, either by being overweight or thin. In the worst case, a lack or excess of food will negatively affect the formation of bone and muscle tissue, and this can lead to improper bone growth or deformation.
- Physical activity . A Samoyed puppy, especially during the period of active growth, should receive sufficient physical activity. But we must remember that excess movement is also harmful for dogs, just as physical exercise that is not age-appropriate is also harmful. For example, you should not allow a pet under one year of age to go down the stairs on its own or jump over a barrier.
It is believed that for proper growth and development, a puppy should move as much and at the pace as he wishes, and therefore the baby should not be forced to run when he wants to rest.
Feeding
The breed has a high level of energy, so dogs need a high-calorie diet. It is advisable to feed them raw meat and sea fish, this will fill the need for protein.
Additionally, they provide vegetables, dairy products, and quail eggs. Any vitamin supplements are allowed only after consultation with a veterinarian.
Important! Do not feed too often or give large portions, otherwise the dog will become fat.
Despite its size, the husky loves to eat. Therefore, you need to control this. Some owners find it more convenient to keep their pet on dry food. In this case, it should be no lower than super-premium class (for example, Hills) or holistic (Origen, Akana, etc.).
What to do if your weight is below normal
The data given in the tables are conditional and averaged, and therefore the dog does not have to correspond to them exactly.
A slight discrepancy between the actual weight and that indicated in the table is allowed if the dog looks harmonious and correctly built.
If thinness and protruding ribs are clearly noticeable, then there is indeed cause for concern.
What to do in this case? First, you need to understand why the Samoyed does not gain weight. Perhaps this is due to genetics, for example, dogs of this line mature late.
That is why, perhaps, an adult dog already looks too long-legged or a little skinny . In this case, nothing needs to be done, but you just need to wait until the dog’s physical development is completely completed.
If the lack of weight is associated with a disease suffered at an early age or the puppy was poorly raised by the breeder, then it is recommended to consult a veterinarian.
If the reason for weight loss is poor nutrition or living conditions , then you need to try to adjust the feeding of the Samoyed and place it in more comfortable conditions .
Increasing the duration of walks and their intensity can also help, but only if the dog previously did not receive sufficient physical activity, which is why it did not gain muscle mass well, and this led to weight loss.
CAREFULLY!
If your dog is underweight, you should not feed your dog drugs to increase weight, as they will do nothing but harm.
The same applies to attempts by some owners to force Samoyeds to wear harnesses with weights. Even if the dog pumps up his muscles in this way, his physical development in this case is unlikely to be harmonious.
It is especially harmful to wear such a “harness” for growing puppies . And wearing such “decoration” will also not benefit young, fully formed dogs.
Physical qualities and characteristics of huskies
The basic parameters of the dog depend on the subspecies of the breed. As you know, the smallest of the Laika family is the Karelian-Finnish Laika, while the East Siberian Laika is one of the largest. These divisions are conditional; with poor maintenance it is possible to get a puny and poorly developed East Siberian or Russian-European Laika, and with a balanced diet and proper care - an active, developed Karelian-Finnish Laika. Despite the subspecies, close attention is paid to the puppy’s nutrition.
The main feature of huskies is the amount of food needed to satiate them. Surprisingly, these dogs eat 2 times less than other breeds of similar sizes. For example, adult spaniels are much smaller than young huskies, but require 35% more food. The difference is due to the harsh conditions of survival in the cold. The breed has been formed since ancient times under the influence of a cold climate, long treks through the snow and survival on a meager diet. It turns out that the dog’s metabolism allows you to get the maximum benefit even from a minimal amount of food.
If from the first weeks of life you accustom your puppy to a large meal, regularly overfeed, and do not follow the regime, this will lead to unstable and problematic nutrition: the dog becomes picky about certain foods. This is bad if the dog is planned to be used in hunting. Feeding hunting dogs is a separate topic with unique specifics.
What should you not feed your puppy?
Avoid feeding your pet foods that you eat yourself. It is not advisable to feed your husky with spicy, salty, or fried foods. This food is poorly digested, so the pet runs the risk of gastritis.
Your pet will be active if it consumes carbohydrates – the main sources of energy.
Foods that are actively advertised on television are not healthy for dogs. During their production, not real meat, but soy meat mixed with waste is used.
Walk
Before buying a West Siberian Laika, it is worth studying the description of the breed, this will allow you to get a general impression of its characteristics. These are very active dogs that need long walks of at least two hours at a time.
At this time, it is advisable to include not only walks, but also active games and activities on a special site. You should be more careful when walking through the forest belt, as the husky can get too playful and run away.
If you don't spend enough time training your dog, it won't listen. Therefore, at every walk you need to remember the basics of training. You can borrow training techniques from different canine schools, since all dogs require an individual approach.
What can you feed your puppy?
To ensure proper feeding of your husky, add the maximum amount of nutrients to your pet’s diet. The idea that they only need proteins, fats and carbohydrates is wrong. Provide not only enough water, but also substances such as:
Feeding the husky after weaning from natural maternal feeding should include boiled cow's milk
- fatty acid,
- amino acids,
- vitamins,
- minerals.
What and how to feed your husky puppy for rapid growth? First of all, foods high in protein. This is not only milk, but also meat. Sufficient fat content will strengthen the cell walls; for this you need to add fish oil to your husky’s diet.
Your pet will be active if it consumes carbohydrates – the main sources of energy. What to feed to obtain these substances? Any cereal. Vitamins and minerals help strengthen your dog's immune system.
Nicknames
Before purchasing a West Siberian Laika, you need to carefully study all the characteristics of the breed. This will give you an idea of the pet. The boy can be called Jerry, Jim, Tom, Kevin, Ice. Another option is to give a name based on the dog’s character, for example, Fierce, Leader, Excitement, etc.
A suitable nickname for a girl would be Amira, Branta, Zara, Kira, Kora, etc. Some owners prefer to highlight some special qualities of the puppy, for example, the nickname Mink indicates the beautiful fur of the animal.
