Dog

Samoyed The Samoyed breed of dog has taken its name from the Samoyed peoples of northern Russia. These nomadic villages of reindeer herders raised this breed to help with grazing, to pull sleds, and to keep their owners warm at night sleeping next to them. An alternative name for the breed, especially in Europe, is Bjelkier. History The Samoyed takes its name from a town in Russia that after the Russian revolution changed its name to "Nenets". Different Arctic explorers (eg Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen) brought different specimens to Europe and kept the name "Samoyed" to establish hatcheries in both Europe and the United States. Fridtjof Nansen believed that the use of drag dogs was the only effective way to explore the north and he used Samoyed in his polar expeditions. Unfortunately, his plan was disastrous for the animals, planning to feed the stronger dogs with the weaker dogs as they died during the expedition. In the end, he lost almost all...