A Samoyed getting clean at the groomer.

How Often To Clean A Samoyed’s Fur?

7 mins |

The first thing you notice about Samoyeds when you look at them is their thick, white, beautiful fur. One of the crucial factors you must consider when getting a Samoyed is the maintenance of its fur as it needs frequent washing and grooming. So, what is the right answer? How often should you clean a Samoyed’s fur?

Dogs deserve a clean, tidy, healthy coat of fur. Remember that a clean dog means a clean home as well. So, to keep a Samoyed’s fur clean, Samoyeds need a quick 5-minute brushing every day or two and regular weekly checkups of their nose, ears, mouth, eyes, and nails. They should be bathed at least every couple of months, more if they have a habit of getting dirty.

Characteristics Of A Samoyed’s Fur

The Samoyed has a dense coat. This coat has two layers. One is an undercoat and the other is a topcoat. This double-layer coat makes them appear fluffy and big.

The topcoat hairs are long, straight, and coarse, and appear white with a tinge of silver. The role of this topcoat is to keep the undercoat clean and free of debris as much as it can.

The dog’s underlayer, also known as the undercoat, is made up of short, dense, and velvety fur. Its main role is to keep the Samoyed warm. They can work in temperatures as low as -60 degrees Celsius thanks to their weather-resistant coat.

The typical Samoyed is usually a mixture of white and biscuit coloring, although it may come in cream, white mixed with light brown, and pure white with silver shine tips too.

Despite being advertised as “hypoallergenic,” this breed does shed somewhat and requires frequent maintenance. People with severe allergies should take extra precautions.

How To Groom A Samoyed

A Samoyed with wet fur getting wiped down with a towel.
All clean!

Dog grooming means both hygienic maintenance and cleaning of a dog as well as a procedure to improve the dog’s physical appearance. Basically, grooming consists of brushing, bathing, trimming, clipping, and more. Grooming also consists of checking the ears, brushing the teeth, and other procedures too.

You are free to groom your Samoyed at home if you are able to. You’ll be able to spend some quality time with your Samoyed while also saving money.

The most crucial aspect of grooming your Samoyed is brushing. You must brush them each day or every other day. You should brush them with brushes that you clean regularly.

Samoyeds don’t need to be bathed very frequently though. When you do bathe them, make sure the shampoo is completely rinsed out of your Samoyed’s fur. If your Samoyed’s fur is still wet, avoid brushing them. You should fully dry them before using a brush.

Keep in mind to also clip their nails. The Samoyed, like any other dog, may feel discomfort if its nails become too long. You know it’s time to cut the Samoyed’s nails when you hear them clacking against the floor. Take them to a professional groomer if you are unsure how to cut their nails.

Given that dogs might become agitated and unable to remain still, grooming can be challenging. You can try bribing your dog with a treat, but if what you’re doing isn’t working, it’s better to take them to a professional groomer.

How Often Should You Bathe A Samoyed?

The age of a dog is one factor that affects how frequently you should bathe your Samoyed. If it enjoys playing in the dirt, you’ll need to bathe it frequently to keep it clean. 

You’ll remove the protein and lipids in their fur if you bathe them too often, which could lead to irritation. So, just keep that in mind.

You can remove the majority of the particles clinging to your Samoyed’s fur with daily brushing, which also reduces the need for baths. If your Samoyed is a reasonably clean dog, it’ll be fine for up to six months without a wash.

As they become older though, your Samoyed will require more regular bathing. From bathing them every six months, you can begin to progressively increase the frequency to every three months. If you want a healthy dog, you must keep your Samoyed clean.

How Often Should You Groom Your Samoyed?

Many Samoyed owners choose to use professional groomers for their dogs. Although expensive, it relieves part of the owner’s load. You still need to routinely groom its fur, though.

It can be difficult to maintain a Samoyed’s fur though. When the coat is shedding, it must be brushed every day, otherwise, it should only be done once or twice a week. You will never go wrong if you take quick sessions of brushing through its fur for 5 minutes every day or every other day, though.

In order to get rid of plaque formation and the bacteria that lie inside it, brush your Samoyed’s teeth at least twice or three times every week. Even better – daily brushing is the best prevention of foul breath and gum disease.


Every week, you should check your Samoyed’s ears, nose, mouth, and eyes for redness or an unpleasant smell that could be an infection.

When grooming your Samoyed, look for any sores, rashes, or infection-related signs, such as redness, discomfort, or inflammation on their feet, nose, mouth, eyes, and skin. Do this weekly to catch an issue early.

When Should You Begin Grooming Your Samoyed Puppy?

It’s best to get a head start when grooming a Samoyed. Your Samoyed puppy should have its first bath between the ages of 10 and 11 weeks old. Remember to approach them with kindness and patience at first. 

Depending on their age and temper, you only need to bathe Samoyed puppies every 6 to 8 months.

As soon as your Samoyed is a puppy, start getting used to the brushing and physical examinations. When it comes to their feet, dogs are delicate, so handle them with caution.

Lay the framework for simple veterinarian checks and other handling when your dog is an adult by making grooming a rewarding experience full of praise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Looking for more? Here’s what we got.

Do Samoyeds Smell?

While some dogs give off a strong odor, Samoyeds are odorless and need very little bathing, if owners keep their grooming to a high quality. Those who dislike the smell of dogs in their homes would like this breed.

Do Samoyeds Need Haircuts?

You should not shave your Samoyed because it will expose their delicate skin and remove their natural barrier against the environment. You should only shave your Samoyed’s coat when it becomes very matted or for medical reasons, and we recommend consulting with your veterinarian before finalizing this decision.

On the other hand, it’s not a bad idea to do a little trimming of the paws and longer hairs for sanitary reasons. Owners of Samoyed dogs may also trim a few inches off of their dog in the summer as the heat kicks in.

How Much Hair Do Samoyeds Shed?

A Samoyed’s undercoat sheds typically once or twice a year, and we are talking about heavy shedding. This seasonal process is called “blowing coat.” 

However, this does not mean the Samoyed will only shed during that period. Fine hairs, which tend to stick to clothing and float in the air, will be shed all year round, as opposed to the thick clumps that are produced during seasonal shedding.

Final Thoughts: How Often To Clean A Samoyed’s Fur?

A Samoyed’s fur is beautiful and comes in shades of white and beige, so as one might think, it’s very difficult to maintain and clean. This statement is true not only because of the color but also the double layers of fur mat easily. 

The answer to the question, “How often to clean a Samoyeds fur?” is individual, but you can not go wrong with daily brushing. Try not to over-bathe your Sammie, though, but keep it clean as mentioned before. 

So, how do you clean your dog’s fur? Do you have any tips and tricks for new Sammoyed parents? Let us know in the comments below!

Sandra
Sandra
Sandra is a veterinary undergraduate student based in Macedonia. She combines her two passions: veterinary medicine and writing, and she also tends to raise awareness about animal welfare as much as she can. As a student, she has attended many seminars and conferences related to the veterinary profession, and currently, she is focused on veterinary content writing. Although she owns a cat, she strongly claims that “dogs are her favorite people”.