It’s your 100th day in quarantine. You look down at your Samoyed and you see it’s grown a beard rivaling your own. Spending most of your days at home means you get to store your grooming tools away, but your Samoyed likes to keep a clean look. Time to learn how to groom your Samoyed!
With most dog groomers closing up shop, you might have to take the scissors into your own hands. Don’t be intimidated by their luxurious locks! Grooming your Samoyed is a piece of cake and they’ll even thank you for it when the job is done (and they can see you again!) Once you get comfortable, you can even test your hand with a few Smoyed-friendly hairstyles.
Table of Contents
How To Groom & Get Rid Of Samoyed Fur
Chances are, your Samoyed is quite the fluff ball. Back in the day, Samoyeds held down steady jobs as sled pullers. Bred for hard work in the Siberian town of Oymyakon, Samoyeds hustled through minus sixty-degree temperatures. The Samoyed is famous full and thick white coat protected it from harsh conditions. The Samoyed takes its coat into any climate it finds itself in, and that includes the dessert. And Samoyeds do have the tendency to overheat in these high-temperatures so it’s important to keep their coat trimmed.
Of course in the summer months, this thick white coat will float around your home, and that’s why it’s important to groom your Samoyed. Keep it clipped, trimmed, and brushed.
Brushing Rapunzel’s Hair
A Samoyed’s thick double coat features rough hair on the outside and a soft wooly undercoat. It’s no wonder the Samoyede people used them as blankets to keep warm in the winter. The cute and cuddly fur becomes annoying when it’s all over your house. To deal with shedding, be sure to brush and groom your Samoyed every day.
And use the right brush for your Samoyed. A combination of slicker brushes and metal combs works well for rough and soft fur.
No products found.
Brush your Samoyed thoroughly. Don’t neglect any area. Brush their head, their torso, their legs, and of course their belly, they’ll love that! They’ll often consider brushing time as playtime, and it’s up to you to make the distinction. This helps to establish good grooming habits moving forward. For example, your puppy might try to chase or bite the brush. If this happens gently push its nose away and say no. Or bring your Samoyed’s favorite chew toy to your grooming sessions.
No products found.
Time Management
It is not uncommon for Samoyed owners to dedicate a few hours per week to properly brushing their dog’s fur. This is a time-consuming process, but it needs to be done every day to ensure their well-being. However, all this work you put into daily coat maintenance can save you time in the long run. Especially when those summer months come along and your Samoyed starts to heat up. Sticking to a tight brushing schedule allows you to break down coat grooming hours into manageable chunks. Spend at least fifteen to twenty minutes brushing your Samoyed daily and you won’t have two hours of brushing work built up for the weekend.
In addition to keeping your house from looking like a fur coat, brushing your Samoyed will keep them happy. Samoyeds love spending time with their owners, all the time. Daily brushing can be part of your bonding experience. Even though you and your Samoyed may not be fans of the experience, it is a responsibility you cannot afford to neglect as an owner. Refraining from brushing your Samoyed can cause their fur to knot, also referred to as mats. These are extremely painful and usually require professional grooming to remove. In addition, dirt trapped within the coat can break down hair shafts, damaging the coat.
Method
Your Samoyed can either lie down or stand, whichever is easier for the both of you. When grooming a Samoyed pup, it’s easier to lay the dog on its side, so it can reach for its chew toy and not run away as you hold it down. Start with a comb and finish with a brush.
You’ll want to push the top end of your Samoyed’s fur against the grain and comb the bottom end down. Do this section by section until no more fur comes loose. You may find some sections shed more than others. So give these areas extra attention. If you find yourself low on time, just comb these areas.
Use the brush the same way you use the comb. Brushes also work well if you only brush the top coat, as if you were brushing your own hair. If you want your dog to meet professional standards, then its fur needs to stand out from its body. To achieve this look, do your final brush run through against the grain using the section by section method.
Daily grooming is also a good time to check your Samoyed for any irregularities in its skin and fur. Think of it as a daily checkup. Doing this daily allows you to find and solve any new problems that arise with your Samoyed’s health.
Giving Your Samoyed A Bath
Bath time can be another bonding experience for you and your Samoyed. Your dog’s age will dictate how often it needs to be bathed. If you have a young healthy puppy on your hands, chances are most of its fur will be soft. Its rough overcoat is still developing. These Samoyeds only need to be bathed twice a year to keep them soft, clean, and healthy. Of course, if your young Samoyed pup decides to take its exercise session offroading through mud, then a bath is definitely required.
Once your Samoyed starts to age it will build more of its rough overcoat, and that’s when you’ll need to start bathing them more often. Instead of one bath every six months, you’ll need to bathe your Samoyed once every three months. As your Samoyed ages, the natural protective oils in its coat begin to strip away. Bathing with shampoo will help to restore some of these essential oils and leave your Samoyed smelling like a fresh blanket.
No products found.
Bathe your Samoyed right after brushing its coat. This will remove any dead fur and help loosen dirt. Always use lukewarm water, which helps to keep your Samoyed comfortable throughout its bath. Make sure you work shampoo through the coat right down to the skin. And remove all products from the fur with a good rinse.
Where Can I Bathe My Samoyed
If you’re looking for an appropriate area to bathe your Samoyed, we have a few listed for you below. Samoyeds fit right in the middle between large and small breeds, so finding the right areas to bathe them can be tricky.
Kiddie Pool
Maybe not in the same kiddie pool your kids enjoy, but a separate pool for your Samoyed is a great place to bathe them. Again, you can clean your Samoyed outdoors in cooler weather. Don’t bathe the Samoyed on an August afternoon as it will be extremely uncomfortable.
No products found.
Bath Tub
For those days when the weather isn’t ideal, you can wash your Samoyed in your bathtub. Make sure there is a shower mat in place so your Samoyed doesn’t slip and injure itself. You’ll need a detachable showerhead to reach all your Samoyed’s nooks and crannies. And unless you want to fish Samoyed fur out of your drain, use a stopper.
No products found.
Your Work Will Be Ruined If…
After bathing your Samoyed you now have a wet bundle of fur on your hands. If it escapes the tub or runs off into the grass, you’ll be back at square one. Keep your Samoyed in a confined space and immediately begin to towel dry after washing. Gently dry the coat instead of rubbing vigorously to avoid tangling. Once you have your dog towel-dried, you can use a dog-friendly hair dryer to finish the job. It’s important to dry your Samoyed thoroughly, not just to avoid dirt, but to prevent it from getting any rashes or hot spots on its skin.
No products found.
Keeping The Coat Sparkling
After your Samoyed is clean and dry, its coat should stay clean for weeks or even months with proper maintenance. Wash your Samoyeds paws after each outing and rub down its entire body with a wet towel. You’ll see a lot of dirt on the towel once you’re finished. And of course, brush your Samoyed daily to keep dirt loose.
If you’re lucky to live in a colder climate, the Samoyed can help keep itself clean rolling around in the snow.
Sometimes your Samoyed’s fur can become discolored and start turning brown. This can happen if your Samoyed is left out in the powerful summer sun, which can burn your Samoyed’s outer coat. Urine stains and mud can also discolor the fur. Besides brushing and shampooing, trying finding a whitening shampoo to remove discoloration. Check-in with your vet before using any whitening shampoo, as it may irritate your dog’s skin.
No products found.
Grab Your Trimmers
Brushing your Samoyed daily is a good way to prevent excessive shedding. However, when that signature Samoyed Smile starts to fade behind a few inches of thick fur, it’s time for a trim. Trimming your Samoyed is not complicated. It is a breed of essentially two hairstyles. With patience, the right technique, and tools you’ll have your Samoyed ready to win Best In Show.
Clipping or shaving your Samoyed is not recommended. Their coat protects them from the elements, especially their pink skin from being burned by the sun. Shaving the Samoyed’s coat can prevent it from regulating its body temperature
If your Samoyed’s coat is matted and causing your dog pain, then you can snip out the mats. This is also one of the only times you can shave these trouble spots.
When using scissors to trim your Samoyed’s fur make sure to be careful and patient. You want to see the tips of your scissors through the white fur. Keep your scissors parallel to the dog’s fur, and not pointed toward the skin. The most important factor is to keep your Samoyed as still as possible to ensure no damage is done.
No products found.
Hairstyles
If you’re comfortable with how to groom your Samoyed, try your hand at giving your Samoyed a new style, there are really only two looks your Samoyed can rock. There is the classic trimmed Samoyed look, where most of the focus is on making their “beard” look elegant and tangle-free. As long as this is done, their coat will take care of the rest. This is the best look and easiest style for you to implement. Think of it as a light trim.
The other style brings a fluffy, cloud-like look to your Samoyed. You can trim the feathering on the back legs and under the tail side. Whichever style you choose, your Samoyed is going to look distinguished and fluffy.
Watch The Paws
When learning how to groom a Samoyed, there is a lot of focus on the coat. But you should pay attention to the fur growing between your Samoyed’s paws. Using scissors, trim the fur level with the paw pad. If this fur gets too long, your Samoyed may slip from poor footing. Make sure you get the bottom and the top of the paws. Other difficult areas include in and around the ears, and around the “bikini” area. Only approach these areas if you’re confident enough in your scissor skills, if not, take your Samoyed to a professional groomer.
Keep Those Clippers Out
Watch how long your Samoyeds nails are getting. This will keep them from getting infected. Especially if your Samoyed spends a lot of time on concrete. Samoyeds have dewclaws on their front paws, which are like opposable thumbs. If this claw, in particular, grows out, it will grow in on itself and be extremely painful for your Samoyed. It can even require corrective surgery.
When clipping nails, do not clip into the pink area. You might be more comfortable using a nail-filer, and if you take this route, make sure you tend to the nails regularly.
No products found.
Giving Your Samoyed A Winning Smile
The smile is essential to the Samoyed’s look, so it’s important to keep it looking bright. You can brush your Samoyed’s teeth to remove as much build-up as possible. Rawhide bones and dog biscuits will keep your Samoyed smile looking sharp.
No products found.
These are the essential areas you need to focus on to groom a happy and healthy Samoyed. This isn’t just done for looks, it’s essential to your dog’s health. If you are worried about knowing how to properly groom a Samoyed, or you simply don’t have the time, enlist the help of professionals to get the job done. Your Samoyed will thank you for it!
Sources
https://www.rover.com/blog/samoyed-grooming/
https://www.espree.com/BreedProfiler/samoyed-grooming-bathing-and-care
http://love-all-pets.blogspot.com/2017/03/clarifying-corded-breeds-coif.html