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Samoyed

Samoyed
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Pleple2000 assumed (based on copyright claims). / CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia

20 Samoyeds in the atlas. Every number on this page has a source.

Population-genetic snapshot of Samoyeds in the Sniff Atlas, source-graded Mendelian carrier frequencies from Donner 2023, and nutrition guidance tied to the genetic findings above.

Also known as Bjelkier, Nenetskaya Laika, Sammy, and Samoiedskaya Sobaka.

See in the atlas → From CanVAS
The plain version

Samoyeds have a moderately diverse genetic background, which means they have a healthy mix of traits within the breed. They typically weigh around 47 lb and live about 12 and a half years. No specific health concerns were found in their gene pool from the tests available, but it’s always a good idea to chat with your vet or consider genetic testing for your dog’s well-being.

What the atlas says about Samoyed

In the atlas, the Samoyed clusters consistently as Samoyed (100% of the 20 dogs here). At the trait loci, BMP3 runs higher than the atlas average (100% here vs 66%); FGF5 runs higher than the atlas average (95% here vs 64%). Dogs here sit in a relatively sparse region of the atlas, fewer close neighbors than typical.

High breed predictability score (0.90), individual dogs of this breed reliably cluster together genetically. Only 20 dogs of this breed in the atlas, modestly sampled.

Genetic dimensions · CanVAS atlas

What the genome says about Samoyed

Computed from the 18,477 research dogs in the Atlas.

Dogs in the Atlas
20Founders
10 from Hayward2016, 10 from Spatola
Genetic diversity
0.32Moderate
Mean heterozygosity across the breed. Ranks 69th most genetically tight of 107 ranked breeds.
What does genetic diversity mean?

How varied a breed's gene pool is — the share of gene spots where a typical dog of the breed carries two different versions rather than two identical ones.

How to read it: Higher = more diverse. Among well-sampled breeds it ranges roughly 0.22 (least diverse) to 0.33 (most diverse).

Diversity is a strength, not a verdict on any individual dog. Lower diversity means it's worth paying attention to recessive-risk testing — not that a dog is doomed.

Cluster structure
Single tight cluster
Intra-breed RMS distance: 22.32
What does within-breed variation mean?

How much individual dogs within the breed differ from each other genetically.

How to read it: Higher = more internal variety among individuals of the breed.

Sensitive to how many dogs of the breed we've sampled.

Related breeds
Gave rise to
In the Working group
Explore the full lineage map →
VBO foundation stock (breeding records) · AKC breed group
Relatedness is documented lineage + kennel family. Genetic-ancestry distance measures diversity, not kinship, so it isn't used here.
How long they live
13.1years (life expectancy)
95% CI 12.7–13.5 · VetCompass, McMillan 2024, n=723. source
What does typical lifespan mean?

The median age dogs of the breed tend to reach.

How to read it: Higher = longer-lived. Compare to longevity-for-size to see whether it's just a size effect.

Drawn from population lifespan records; individual dogs vary widely with care, genetics, and luck.

Trait genetics
Allele frequencies at named morphology loci

Frequency of the alternate allele in this breed at each locus's representative SNP.

Body size
IGF179%
HMGA243%
SMAD288%
LCORL55%
STC290%
ADAMTS1775%
Leg length
FGF4·CFA1883%
FGF4·CFA1273%
Coat
RSPO250%
FGF595%
KRT71100%
MC1R83%
Ear set
MSRB3100%
Skull shape
BMP3100%
SMOC265%
n = 20 dogs · moderate confidence · CanVAS (Brundage 2026) · Sniff Atlas
Names & origins

Other names

The Samoyed is also recorded as Bjelkier, Nenetskaya Laika, Sammy, Samoiedskaya Sobaka, Samoiedskaïa Sabaka, and Smiley.

Identified as Samoyed (VBO:0201174) in the Vertebrate Breed Ontology (Mullen et al. 2025, CC-BY 4.0) · registry IDs FCI 212 · iDog 210 · VeNom 14647.

What you see when you look at a Samoyed

What does the genome say about how a Samoyed looks?

Samoyeds look the way they do because of a small set of fixed and near-fixed morphology genes that, taken together, define the visible breed. Each translation below pairs the gene with the trait an owner actually sees, the breed's allele frequency at that locus, and a one-clause causal phrase.

Where the breed-defining genes act, mapped on a generic dog-body key — and how fixed each marker is in the Samoyed. The figure is the most-settled marker we read in that region; the full per-locus panel is below. (The silhouette is a shared anatomical guide, not this breed's outline.)

Body sizeSTC2 · 90%Skull shapeBMP3 · 100%EarsMSRB3 · 100%Leg lengthFGF4 CFA18 · 83%Coat & colorKRT71 · 100%
CanVAS trait-locus panel (Brundage 2026)
15 morphology markers read across 5 regions. Allele frequency = how fixed a marker is in this breed, not whether your dog carries it.

Size and build

IGF1 sits at 79% for the small-body allele. IGF1 is the gene that sets dog body size from Chihuahua to Great Dane. Intermediate frequencies typically keep a breed in the mid-sized range rather than tipping toward the larger working forms.

IGF1what this gene does

IGF1 is a gene that plays a key role in determining a dog's body size. It influences how much a dog grows, affecting overall stature.

For your dog: Knowing about IGF1 gives you insight into your dog's size traits, but it’s just one part of the bigger picture when it comes to their health and care.

Full IGF1 gene page →

HMGA2 sits at 43%. HMGA2 is a chromosome-10 size locus that acts together with IGF1, and intermediate frequencies reflect partial commitment to the dominant size variant.

HMGA2what this gene does

HMGA2 is a gene that influences body size in dogs, helping determine how big or small a dog grows.

For your dog: Knowing about HMGA2 helps you appreciate the genetic factors behind your dog's size, but it doesn't signal any health issues.

Full HMGA2 gene page →

SMAD2 is near-fixed at 88%, a chromosome-7 height locus differentiating small from giant breeds.

SMAD2what this gene does

SMAD2 is a gene involved in regulating body size by influencing how cells grow and develop.

For your dog: Knowing about SMAD2 helps understand your dog's size traits but isn't linked to health issues; no immediate action needed.

Full SMAD2 gene page →

LCORL sits at 55% at the NCAPG/LCORL height locus on chromosome 3.

LCORLwhat this gene does

LCORL is a gene that influences body size in dogs. It helps determine how big or small a dog might grow.

For your dog: Knowing about LCORL helps you appreciate the genetic factors behind your dog's size, but it’s just one piece of the bigger picture when it comes to health and care.

Full LCORL gene page →

STC2 is near-fixed at 90%, modulating growth-axis signaling toward the breed's body-size set point.

ADAMTS17 sits at 75%. ADAMTS17 is a body-size locus also linked to lens disorders.

ADAMTS17what this gene does

ADAMTS17 is a gene that influences body size and also plays a role in certain eye conditions. It affects the structure of tissues in the eye and elsewhere in the body.

For your dog: If your dog belongs to a breed known to carry ADAMTS17 variants, it’s worth discussing genetic testing and eye exams with your vet to stay ahead of potential issues.

Full ADAMTS17 gene page →

Leg length

The FGF4 retrogene on chromosome 18 sits at 83%. This is the leg-length variant. The intermediate frequency means some dogs in this breed carry the short-legged allele and some do not.

The FGF4 retrogene on chromosome 12 sits at 73%, the chondrodystrophic variant.

Coat type, length, and color

RSPO2 sits at 50% for the furnishings variant. Furnishings (the eyebrow-and-mustache pattern seen in Schnauzers and Wheaten Terriers) vary across the population at this intermediate frequency, and visible expression depends on the specific allele combination each dog carries.

RSPO2what this gene does

RSPO2 influences the texture and appearance of a dog's coat, particularly the presence of 'furnishings' like mustaches and eyebrows. It helps determine whether a dog has that distinctive wiry or textured look.

For your dog: If your dog has those wiry eyebrows or a mustache, RSPO2 is part of the reason—no health worries, just a coat feature worth knowing about.

Full RSPO2 gene page →

FGF5 is at 95% for the long-coat variant, which is why the breed's coat sits where it does on the long end of the dog coat-length spectrum.

FGF5what this gene does

FGF5 is a gene that influences the length of a dog's coat. It acts like a natural switch, telling hair follicles when to stop growing longer fur.

For your dog: If your dog has a notably long or short coat, FGF5 is likely part of the reason—no action needed, but it’s a neat genetic detail to know.

Full FGF5 gene page →

KRT71 is near-fixed at 100% for the wavy/curly variant. Coat curl phenotype varies across breeds at this fixation depending on modifier loci, and visible expression is not always curled even when the locus is fixed.

KRT71what this gene does

KRT71 is a gene that influences the curliness of a dog's coat. It helps determine whether a dog's fur is straight or has a distinctive curl.

For your dog: If your dog has a curly coat, KRT71 is likely part of the reason; it’s a natural variation, not a health concern.

Full KRT71 gene page →

MC1R sits at 83% at the representative SNP. MC1R controls the switch between red-to-gold pigment and black-to-brown pigment, with the e/e homozygous genotype producing the gold-to-red spectrum. Substrate frequencies at this SNP depend on the array's polarity, so visible coat color in the breed is a more reliable indicator than this single number.

MC1Rwhat this gene does

MC1R is a gene that influences coat color in dogs, affecting how pigments are produced in the fur.

For your dog: Knowing about MC1R gives insight into your dog's coat color but doesn't relate to health issues.

Full MC1R gene page →

Ears

MSRB3 is at 100% for the drop-ear allele, the genetic basis of the breed's signature dropped ear set.

MSRB3what this gene does

MSRB3 is a gene involved in the development of ear shape and structure in dogs.

For your dog: Understanding MSRB3 helps explain why your dog's ears look the way they do, but it isn't linked to any health issues.

Full MSRB3 gene page →

Skull shape

BMP3 is at 100%, contributing to the breed's brachycephalic skull shape.

BMP3what this gene does

BMP3 is a gene that influences the shape of a dog's skull, particularly contributing to a shorter, broader head shape known as brachycephaly.

For your dog: If your dog has a broad, short skull, it's worth discussing with your vet how this might impact their health, even though BMP3 isn't directly tied to illness.

Full BMP3 gene page →

SMOC2 sits at 65%, contributing to the breed's moderate head shape.

SMOC2what this gene does

SMOC2 influences the shape of a dog's skull, particularly affecting how flat or short the face appears.

For your dog: If your dog has a short nose, it's worth discussing with your vet how this trait might impact their health over time.

Full SMOC2 gene page →
Mendelian-disease genetics

What genetic diseases do Samoyeds carry?

From a panel of 250 Mendelian-disease variants screened in 1,054,293 dogs (Donner et al. 2023), Samoyeds carry 6 of them at observable frequency. Carrier frequency is not clinical risk. Most recessive variants require two copies for disease expression; many dominant variants show incomplete penetrance. Read this as a population fingerprint of what's in the gene pool, not a per-dog prediction.

Oculoskeletal Dysplasia (OSD2)
Autosomal recessive
low 1.2%
n = 543 dogs · 1 variant tested · OMIA:001523-9615 · omia.org →
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (Discovered in the Swedish Vallhund; MERTK-related)
Autosomal recessive
low 0.55%
n = 549 dogs · 1 variant tested · OMIA:001932-9615 · omia.org →
Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)
Autosomal recessive (Incomplete penetrance)
low 0.18%
n = 550 dogs · 1 variant tested · OMIA:000263-9615 · omia.org →
SOD1what this gene does

SOD1 is a gene that helps protect cells from damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals.

For your dog: If your dog is a carrier of SOD1 variants, it's worth discussing with your vet, but remember carrier status doesn't mean your dog will get the disease.

Progressive Rod-Cone Degeneration (prcd-PRA)
Autosomal recessive
low 0.18%
n = 550 dogs · 1 variant tested · OMIA:001298-9615 · omia.org →
PRCDwhat this gene does

PRCD is a gene involved in the health of a dog's retina, the part of the eye that detects light and helps with vision.

For your dog: If your dog belongs to a breed known to carry PRCD changes, it's worth discussing eye health and potential genetic testing with your vet.

Canine Multifocal Retinopathy 1 (Discovered in Mastiff-related breeds; CMR1)
Autosomal recessive
low <0.1%
n = 550 dogs · 1 variant tested · OMIA:001444-9615 · omia.org →
BEST1what this gene does

BEST1 is a gene that helps maintain the health of the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye. It plays a role in keeping the cells in the retina functioning properly.

For your dog: If your dog is from a breed known to carry BEST1 variants, it’s worth discussing retinal health with your vet, especially if you notice any vision changes.

Rod-Cone Dysplasia 1a (Discovered in the Sloughi; rcd1a)
Autosomal recessive
low <0.1%
n = 550 dogs · 1 variant tested · OMIA:001669-9615 · omia.org →
PDE6Bwhat this gene does

PDE6B is a gene that helps control how the eye processes light signals, crucial for normal vision.

For your dog: If your dog is from a breed known to carry PDE6B mutations, it's worth discussing vision health with your vet, especially if you notice any changes in sight.

Source: Donner J et al. 2023. Genetic prevalence and clinical relevance of canine Mendelian disease variants in over one million dogs. PLOS Genetics 19(2):e1010651 · Evidence: Limited (DTC ascertainment, tag-SNP proxy) · Confounding MEDIUM · License CC-BY-4.0 · Phene IDs from OMIA (Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney; DOI 10.25910/2AMR-PV70).
Sample size in this breed: 550 dogs from the Donner 2023 cohort.

Which Mendelian variants matter most for Samoyeds?

The Mendelian-disease table above lists variants screened in 550 Samoyeds (Donner 2023). The carrier frequencies are low across the board, which is unusual and reflects either tight breed founding or effective historical selection. Even the most common variant sits below 2%.

Oculoskeletal Dysplasia (OSD2)

Oculoskeletal Dysplasia in Samoyeds is a recessive skeletal and eye disorder caused by a variant in the COL9A2 gene. Dogs that inherit two copies develop shortened limbs, eye defects, and skeletal abnormalities; carriers of one copy are clinically normal. The condition is manageable but not trivial. 1.2% of Samoyeds in the Donner cohort carry one copy (n=543). Testing is available through most canine genetic labs and is worth running on breeding stock.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy discovered in the Swedish Vallhund and caused by a MERTK variant leads to photoreceptor degeneration and eventual blindness. The disease is recessive and slow to manifest. 0.55% of Samoyeds carry the variant (n=549). Testing exists and is recommended for breeders, particularly those importing bloodlines where variant history is unknown.

Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)

Degenerative Myelopathy in Samoyeds is a recessive spinal-cord degeneration with incomplete penetrance. The condition causes progressive hind-limb weakness and loss of mobility, typically in middle-aged to older dogs. We don’t yet know which Samoyeds in the small carrier pool will develop symptoms and which won’t. 0.18% of Samoyeds in the cohort carry one copy (n=550). The variant is present but rare enough that routine screening of all breeding stock is a lower priority than OSD2 or the MERTK variant, though documentation remains useful.

How should I test my Samoyed?

The atlas includes only 20 Samoyeds, which is a tight sample. For breeding stock, a panel covering OSD2 and MERTK (the two variants above 0.5% carrier frequency) is the high-yield starting point. The rarer variants (prcd-PRA, DM, and Rod-Cone Dysplasia 1a) are worth testing if you have bloodline history or import concerns, but their low frequency in this small cohort suggests they are not breed-wide priorities at this time.

What should I feed a Samoyed?

Samoyeds were bred for eight-hour working days pulling sleds across Arctic snow, and their metabolism still reflects that endurance heritage. A pet Samoyed eating a maintenance kibble in a suburban yard is being fed for a job they aren’t doing, which makes weight management the single most important nutritional decision most owners make.

Joint care is the second priority. Samoyeds carry the FGF4 retrogene (chondrodystrophy variant) at 83% on chromosome 18 and 73% on chromosome 12 (Donner 2023 morphology data), but the breed standard shows normal limb proportions. The variant is near-fixed; the visible phenotype is not classical chondrodystrophy. The relationship between this variant and IVDD risk in Samoyeds with normal limb proportions is not yet characterized; the disc-disease risk seen in true chondrodystrophic breeds may not apply equally here. A large-breed adult formulation with controlled calcium and a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio between 1:1 and 2:1 supports joint longevity (NRC Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats, 2006). Adult-life weight management is the companion lever, overweight Samoyeds carrying IVDD-contributing variants face compounded disc pressure.

Coat health tracks the breed’s high FGF5 allele frequency (95%), which locks in the long, double coat. Skin and coat support depends less on a specific ingredient than on consistency and protein adequacy. The breed’s low Mendelian disease frequency means there are no breed-specific coat barriers (no ichthyosis carriers, no sebaceous adenitis signals in this cohort) to work around. Standard large-breed formulations from manufacturers that run feeding trials are a sound default.

The atlas-derived lifespan is 12.5 years. No longevity outliers are currently documented in the 20-dog cohort, so there is no evidence base yet for age-related nutritional shifts specific to Samoyeds. Feed for joint support in adulthood, manage weight around the breed’s endurance-wired metabolism, and transition to a senior formulation around age 10.

What we don’t know

The 20-dog atlas is the constraint. Everything that follows is conditional.

We do not yet know the true prevalence of hip dysplasia in Samoyeds. The OFA database will eventually provide that number, but breed-club screening data are not yet in the substrate. Hip dysplasia is common in large breeds; Samoyeds are large; it is reasonable to assume the breed carries it, but we cannot cite a Samoyed-specific percentage.

Degenerative Myelopathy’s incomplete penetrance in Samoyeds is undocumented. The variant exists at 0.18% in this cohort, but we don’t know the likelihood that a dog with two copies will develop symptoms, or the typical age of onset if they do. A larger, longer-term cohort would settle this.

Cancer rates in Samoyeds are not yet characterized in the atlas. The breed-club health committees have not published a canvas-wide cancer survey comparable to the Golden Retriever picture. Anecdotal reports suggest hemangiosarcoma and lymphoma, but specific prevalence numbers do not exist in the published literature or the substrate.

Frequently asked questions about Samoyeds

Are Samoyeds prone to hip dysplasia? Hip dysplasia is common in large breeds, and Samoyeds are large working dogs. The OFA maintains breed statistics, but breed-specific screening data for Samoyeds are not yet comprehensive enough to cite a precise rate. Ask your breeder for OFA evaluations on the parents.

What is the most common genetic disease in Samoyeds? Oculoskeletal Dysplasia (OSD2) is the highest-frequency Mendelian variant in the breed, at 1.2% carrier frequency (Donner 2023, n=543). It is a recessive condition and uncommon in practice, but worth screening for in breeding stock.

How long do Samoyeds live? The atlas-derived median is 12.5 years (Donner 2023, n=20). Breed-club records may show a slightly different estimate; the two should converge as more dogs enter the long-term study.

Should I do a DNA test on my Samoyed? For breeding stock, yes. A panel covering OSD2 and the MERTK-related Progressive Retinal Atrophy is the practical minimum. The rarer variants are worth documenting if you have import bloodlines or specific health concerns.

Are Samoyeds good with kids? Samoyeds are gentle and patient dogs bred for centuries to work alongside people in close quarters. The breed has a strong affinity for children and families. Breed temperament is not a Mendelian trait and falls outside the scope of this genetics page, but breed-club testimonials and the breed standard both confirm this is a family-friendly breed.

What is the best diet for a Samoyed? A large-breed adult formulation with controlled calcium and a 1:1 to 2:1 calcium-to-phosphorus ratio, fed in measured portions to match activity level rather than appetite. Samoyeds were bred for high-output work and can rapidly gain weight on overfeeding. Weight management prevents joint stress and extends healthy lifespan.

Do Samoyeds shed a lot? Yes. The breed’s coat genes (FGF5 at 95% frequency drives long coat; KRT71 at 100% and RSPO2 at 50% shape texture) produce a dense double coat that sheds year-round and heavily during seasonal blowouts. This is not a health concern but a grooming reality.

What health screening should I do on a Samoyed puppy? A breed-club breeder will provide OFA screening on parents (hip, elbow, eye exams via the Canine Eye Registration Foundation). Request the results before committing. A DNA panel covering OSD2 and MERTK is prudent and inexpensive. Annual vet check-ups with attention to joint soundness and weight are the ongoing standard.

A gift to human medicine

Samoyeds are a natural model for human disease

Because the same genes cause the same conditions across species, the inherited conditions documented in Samoyeds help researchers understand, and work toward treating, the human diseases they model. This is the dog advancing human medicine. The breed models the human disease; it does not have it, and this is not a prediction for your dog.

Human equivalents via OMIA → Mondo / OMIM. Model-of, not identity.
Documented in OMIA

Every condition recorded in the Samoyed

Beyond the testable carriers above, OMIA's literature catalogue records 11 genetic conditions in the Samoyed, 10 of which have a known human equivalent. This is the documented landscape across all Samoyeds ever studied, not a prediction for any one dog.

Online Mendelian Inheritance in Animals (OMIA); Nicholas, Tammen & Sydney Informatics Hub, DOI 10.25910/2AMR-PV70
Documented in the breed's literature is not carrier status and not a forecast for an individual dog. Human equivalents are mapped via Mondo/OMIM. Carrier frequencies (above) are the separately-measured testable subset (Donner 2023).
The data behind this page

Where every number on this page came from.

This page draws on three primary data sources. Carrier frequencies for the Mendelian section come from Donner et al. 2023 (CC-BY-4.0). We grade these data at evidence Limited because the cohort is a direct-to-consumer ascertainment, which biases toward owners who chose to test their dogs. The panel also uses tag-SNP proxies for some variants rather than direct causal-variant assays. Limited is a study-design grade, not a quality grade: the Donner cohort is the largest open canine-genotype dataset in existence and we are grateful for it. We rate the confounding MEDIUM.

Population-genetic dimensions (heterozygosity, intra-breed PCA distance, nearest neighbors, trait-locus frequencies) come from CanVAS (Brundage 2026), harmonized through the Sniff Atlas. The exact release date and verification commit are pinned at the bottom of the page so a researcher can trace a number back to a specific snapshot. The disease-gene-variant graph comes from OMIA (Online Mendelian Inheritance in Animals; Nicholas, Tammen, and the Sydney Informatics Hub at the Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney; retrieved April 2026, DOI 10.25910/2AMR-PV70).

What this page does not yet have. Inheritance modes and per-disease penetrance evidence from Donner 2023 are now in the structured data for every variant the panel covers. Mondo, OMIM, Ensembl, and HGNC cross-references on gene pages remain pending, they arrive in December 2026 alongside the imputed 9.67M-variant CanVAS dataset via the OMIA SQL dump absorption. Until then, gene IDs carry NCBI Gene and OMIA phene URLs only; the wider human-homolog and disease-ontology cross-reference set fills in with that release.

How to cite this page. The computed dimensions on this page are derived from the open Sniff Atlas v1.0.1 (Gehring 2026, doi:10.5281/zenodo.20566358, CC-BY 4.0). Full citation formats including BibTeX, RIS, and CITATION.cff at sniff.world/cite.

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References
  1. Donner J, Freyer J, Davison S, Anderson H, Blades M, Honkanen L, et al. (2023). Genetic prevalence and clinical relevance of canine Mendelian disease variants in over one million dogs. PLOS Genetics 19(2):e1010651. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1010651
  2. Brundage J, et al. (2026). CanVAS: a harmonized canine variant atlas. bioRxiv. doi:10.64898/2026.04.13.718238
  3. Nicholas, F.W., Tammen, I., & Sydney Informatics Hub. (2026). Online Mendelian Inheritance in Animals (OMIA) [dataset]. The University of Sydney. https://omia.org. doi:10.25910/2AMR-PV70 (retrieved April 2026).
Last updated
Sources: CanVAS (Brundage 2026) · Donner 2023 · OMIA