If you’re looking for an insanely cute and adorable dog, a Samoyed is the dog breed you should consider adopting.
But, if you have allergies there is more you need to know.
Are Samoyeds hypoallergenic? No, Samoyeds are heavy shedders and as a result, are still likely to trigger allergies.
It is a controversial topic though as some people might say they are because allegedly they produce less dander.
But some others dispute their status because they are HEAVY shedders. When dogs shed, the dander will attach to the hair and travel with it.
Making them likely to trigger your allergies because of the dander that travels with their shedded hair.
In this article, we will dive deeper into this debate, and attempt to answer this difficult question.
Table of Contents
Are Samoyeds Hypoallergenic?
Are Samoyeds Hypoallergenic? No, they ARE NOT considered a hypoallergenic breed, due to their heavy shedding which is likely to trigger allergies.
Another piece of information that should be mentioned is they are not on the AKC list of hypoallergenic dogs.
Something important to keep in mind is that no dog is 100-percent hypoallergenic. Meaning that even if a dog is hypoallergenic people with serious allergies are still very likely to have an allergic reaction to this dog.
Also, urine and saliva can also be causes of allergies. Someone who has no problem with the dander, but has problems with saliva could still be allergic to this breed.
People who are allergic to dogs will have to treat their allergies very seriously. Meaning no breed may be compatible with your allergies.
If you have less severe allergies, you should spend time with Samoyeds before getting one to make sure you can be around them.
Serious allergies can lead to more serious complications that should be avoided at all costs.
What Does Hypoallergenic Mean?
The term hypoallergenic is a term used to define something that is not likely or less likely to cause an allergic reaction.
For example, the fur from an animal, a food product, a household accessory, and so on, have hypoallergenic components that make life easier for people with certain allergies.
Although no dog can be 100-percent hypoallergenic, certain dogs are hypoallergenic which makes them less likely to cause an allergic reaction to someone who has a hard time dealing with their allergies around dogs.
Things To Do Before Getting A Dog If You Have Allergies
Even if the dog breed is supposed to be a hypoallergenic dog that won’t guarantee that you will be able to live with that dog.
You should talk to your doctor about it to get their input, and even if they give you the go ahead you should still visit the dog you are looking to get first.
Make sure you don’t have an allergic reaction to the dog while visiting it, and from their you can make a better decision.
It is always good practice, allergies or no allergies, to visit a dog before you purchase them because of a few reasons.
First, you must evaluate the breeder and make sure they are responsible.
You don’t want a breeder that separates the puppies from the mother, keeps them in poor conditions, or that is breeding multiple litters of puppies.
Puppy mills are a real problem in the dog breeding world and you don’t want to buy from one as you could be getting a puppy with many health and behavior problems.
Second, you should choose a puppy with a personality that matches you!
You’ve seen this in every movie and tv show when someone gets a dog.
They look at the excited litter of puppies and either choose a very excited dog or the dog chilling out in the back.
You need to this yourself to ensure you are getting a dog you can handle. If you often exercise outdoors and can handle a very energetic puppy you can get one of those.
If you are more relaxed and not as active, you should probably go for a more relaxed puppy.
Keep in mind that either way, you will have to provide your puppy with lots of exercise and if you can’t do that you might want to hold off.
Third, it is a fantastic experience to play with a bunch of adorable small puppies.
5 Helpful Ways That May Reduce Allergies
First, get a great HEPA filer to clean the air constantly. Get one of the fantastic filters that can clean up to 99.97% of particles and allergens in the air.
This is a great start to removing any extra allergens that get into the air, and some filters may also filter things like pollen and dust which is a nice extra benefit.
Second, clean any surface that clings to pet hair often. If you have some kind of cloth couch that your dog rubs against clean that.
If you have carpet floors you should also vacuum those often, even if you have hardwood floors you should clean the hair of them with a cleaning tool.
Third, don’t let your dog on the furniture. I know letting your dog up on the couch to lay down next to you sounds great. But if you have allergies you could be making your situation worse.
Not letting them lay on the furniture can prevent your dog from rolling around on your couch or bed and spreading dander or hair across it.
Fourth, wash your dogs toys (make sure you get toys you can wash) and wear gloves when you play with them.
As we mentioned earlier, saliva is another huge triggering allergen so when you pick up a slobbery dog toy it may be a problem for you.
Fifth, talk to your doctor or allergist about allergy medication or shots. For people with less severe allergies, you may be able to control your allergies with those.
Physical Characteristics of a Samoyeds
Similar to a lot of other breeds, Samoyeds have a relatively wide range of sizes considering they’re a medium-sized dog breed, to begin with.
Males are a bit larger and weigh around 45 to 66 pounds while being 21 to 24 inches in height.
Females, who are a bit smaller than males, they weigh around 35 to 45 pounds and are 19 to 21 inches in height.
What they are best known for is their majestic pure white coat that is known to shed A TON.
Their coat is also quite thick which makes them better for colder climates rather than warmer climates.
During Summer, you should take extra measures to keep your dog cool.
Typically, their double coat will shed heavily twice a year and will require regular brushing and cleaning to maintain it.
Many owners of this breed brush their dog daily in order to keep their coat in great conditions.
Allergy-sensitive owners will struggle with this because as you brush you will be kicking up pollen and dander from their coat.
Of course you are going to need a good vacuum as well to clean up all the loose hairs that are around the house.
Personality Traits of a Samoyed
Samoyeds are very energetic and playful dogs. This means that you need to get them plenty of exercise to keep them happy.
Any dog without proper exercise could become a problem at home. Usually, they will get bored and turn to destructive behaviors.
At least one hour of exercise per day is a good baseline to keep them happy, but more is always appreciated.
Walking or running more than once a day is a great way to that combined with playtime at home.
These dogs are very friendly as well, especially with children! Which is a nice bonus for families and not a common trait for dogs with their size.
Of course, play time with young children and a Samoyed should always be supervised by an adult.
These dogs are intelligent, but that does not guarantee that they are also easy to train. In fact, if you don’t approach the Samoyed with the right training technique they can be very difficult to train.
They are also vocal dogs that will bark, howl, and make other noises to communicate.
Other than their playfulness, they tend to be mischievous dogs who like to get into things. However, don’t look at this characteristic as a negative and realize they’re just curious dogs.
The Importance Of Socializing Your Samoyed
Something important that all future dog owners must know is, dogs are heavily impacted by their upbringing.
All dogs are individuals and socialization and training can form how they act around everyone.
You must socialize your Samoyed with as many people and other dogs as you can while they are a puppy.
A great way to socialize your puppy is to enroll them in puppy classes. It is a great way to introduce your dog to a variety of people and other dogs, while also teaching them how to act.
The History Of Samoyeds
Here is a fun fact for you, Samoyeds were the 58th breed recognized by the AKC back in 1906.
It all started when a group of people moved from Asia to Siberia and had to breed dogs for working under the severely cold conditions.
The Samoyeds were used for many tasks such as hunting, sled dogs, watchdogs, and eventually herding dogs.
The people who bred them were very reliant on their help and the dogs relied on the people to take care of them which made them grow close.
These dogs are the definition of a working breed, they did any task they were given and under the most cold conditions on Earth.
In the late 18th century, they were brought back to England by some adventures that got them in the arctic region.
Queen Alexandria loved this breed and was a big supporter of the breed, she often touted the breed as a show dog and companion breed despite their past being a working dog.
Then, in the 1900s the breed was gifted by a Russian Grand Duke and made its debut in America! After that, their popularity continued to grow.
During the 19th century, many Samoyeds were used by Americans and Europeans as sled dogs.
But it wasn’t until after World War 2 that this breed’s popularity began skyrocketing among American citizens.
Dogs Similar to Samoyeds
For those of you who are wondering about breeds that are similar to Samoyeds, breeds like Schipperkes, Shiba Inus, and Akitas all share similar characteristics with them.
Conclusion
So, are Samoyeds hypoallergenic? No, Samoyeds are not considered hypoallergenic because they are quite heavy shedders and can still trigger allergies.
But some say they produce less dander and saliva which are two big things that cause allergies, which sparks the debate.
In my opinion, if you want a dog that is hypoallergenic, I would consider other hypoallergenic dog breeds that shed less because the less hair traveling with dander the better off you may be.
If you are still determined to get a Samoyed, spend time with Samoyeds beforehand and talk to your doctor or allergist to get more information.
Lastly, if you have very severe allergies to dogs you should avoid getting a dog as it could be very dangerous to your health.