Of all the northern breeds - the Greenland Dog, Alaskan Malamute, Siberian Husky - the Samoyed is the most versatile. Necessity dictated that it possess a herding instinct to keep the reindeer in line, that it be somewhat adept hunting to accompany its people on forays for food, that it sport a lush protective coat and efficient metabolism to withstand the rigors of Artic life, and it be strong enough to pull sledges across the ice as its family moved from place to place. but somewhere along the line the Samoyed also developed a legendary love for the human species. One look into his smiling eyes, and you'll see the many generations of Samoyed people who welcomed their beloved canine namesakes into their chooms for their nightly slumber, the dogs' warmth all that stood between a family freezing to death in the night and awakening in the morning to greet a new day.
Indeed, it is Samoyed's profound people-loving temperament that stands most prominently in this dog, even surpassing its great beauty and the stunning white coat that itself seems an extension of the sparkling ice of the dog's homeland. Living in such close quarters for thousands of years couldn't help but foster a special closeness between the Samoyed people and their dogs, a closeness that was especially profound between the dogs and the children of the family.
While Greenland dogs were viewed by their people solely in a utilitarian light and treated accordingly, the Samoyed dogs were treated relatively kind and respectfully. The Samoyed people chose to trust their dogs' instincts on the job and bestow then with full-fledged family membership.
The Samoyed can usualy coexist quite nicely with other pets. The Samoyed Club of America sponsors what is known as SCA Working Dog Certification Program, which recognizes Sammies who earn pointe for their participation in one or more of 8 different Sammy vocations: sled dog racine, excursion sledding, herding, skijoring, packing, weight pulling, therapy-dog work, a catch-all category for work that does not fall into the other categoreis. The dog that earns 1,000 points, earns the Working Samoyed (WS) title; if he earns 500 more it becomes Working Samoyed Excellent (WSE). And then there is the ultimate: the Master Working Samoyed (WSXM). This is a dog that has earned 5,000 points in at least 4 of the 8 designated categories.
Another organisation also rewards Samoyeds for their versatility and their love of work. This is the Organization for the Working Samoyed, which each years honors those Samoyeds that excel in sled dog racing, obedience, and weight pulling.
References:
1. Samoyeds. Betsy Sikora Siino