Elkhound and Samoyed
What both sides can say, then where they part, then what only one side can say, then what nobody has measured yet. A number without its sample does not appear.
What they share
What cited lifespan means
How long dogs of this breed tend to live, from McMillan 2024 (VetCompass). A population median.
Where they differ
The numbers that speak do not pull apart.
One side known
Elkhound: 12 atlas dogs, no breed weight logged yet. · Samoyed: 47 lb (n=20)
What typical adult weight means
Typical adult weight, in pounds.
Elkhound: 12 atlas dogs, no lifespan-for-size logged yet. · Samoyed: +0.6 years for size (n=20)
What does longevity for its size mean?
How much longer or shorter a breed tends to live than its body size predicts (bigger dogs live shorter on average — this measures the gap from that expectation).
How to read it: Positive = lives longer than its size predicts; negative = shorter. At the extremes, roughly +3 years (longest-lived for its size) down to about -4 years.
A population pattern, not a guarantee for an individual dog.
Elkhound: Not enough yet (n=12) · Samoyed: Finnish Lapphund (n=20)
What genetic neighbors means
Where this breed sits among others in the atlas. Placement, not pedigree.
Elkhound: 31% · Samoyed: 32% (n=20)
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.
Elkhound: not on this side · Samoyed: 1.2% (n=543)
What does carrier rate mean?
The share of tested dogs of a breed that carry at least one copy of a specific disease variant.
How to read it: Higher = more common in the breed. 'Carrier' means carrying the variant, not having the disease.
Carrier is NOT the same as affected, especially for recessive variants. Figures come from tested (direct-to-consumer) dogs, which can skew the rate. Worth asking your vet.
Elkhound: not on this side · Samoyed: 0.5% (n=549)
What does carrier rate mean?
The share of tested dogs of a breed that carry at least one copy of a specific disease variant.
How to read it: Higher = more common in the breed. 'Carrier' means carrying the variant, not having the disease.
Carrier is NOT the same as affected, especially for recessive variants. Figures come from tested (direct-to-consumer) dogs, which can skew the rate. Worth asking your vet.
Elkhound: not on this side · Samoyed: 0.2% (n=550)
What does carrier rate mean?
The share of tested dogs of a breed that carry at least one copy of a specific disease variant.
How to read it: Higher = more common in the breed. 'Carrier' means carrying the variant, not having the disease.
Carrier is NOT the same as affected, especially for recessive variants. Figures come from tested (direct-to-consumer) dogs, which can skew the rate. Worth asking your vet.
Elkhound: not on this side · Samoyed: 0.2% (n=550)
What does carrier rate mean?
The share of tested dogs of a breed that carry at least one copy of a specific disease variant.
How to read it: Higher = more common in the breed. 'Carrier' means carrying the variant, not having the disease.
Carrier is NOT the same as affected, especially for recessive variants. Figures come from tested (direct-to-consumer) dogs, which can skew the rate. Worth asking your vet.
Elkhound: not on this side · Samoyed: 0.1% (n=550)
What does carrier rate mean?
The share of tested dogs of a breed that carry at least one copy of a specific disease variant.
How to read it: Higher = more common in the breed. 'Carrier' means carrying the variant, not having the disease.
Carrier is NOT the same as affected, especially for recessive variants. Figures come from tested (direct-to-consumer) dogs, which can skew the rate. Worth asking your vet.
Elkhound: not on this side · Samoyed: 0.1% (n=550)
What does carrier rate mean?
The share of tested dogs of a breed that carry at least one copy of a specific disease variant.
How to read it: Higher = more common in the breed. 'Carrier' means carrying the variant, not having the disease.
Carrier is NOT the same as affected, especially for recessive variants. Figures come from tested (direct-to-consumer) dogs, which can skew the rate. Worth asking your vet.
Elkhound: not on this side · Samoyed: 0% (n=550)
What does carrier rate mean?
The share of tested dogs of a breed that carry at least one copy of a specific disease variant.
How to read it: Higher = more common in the breed. 'Carrier' means carrying the variant, not having the disease.
Carrier is NOT the same as affected, especially for recessive variants. Figures come from tested (direct-to-consumer) dogs, which can skew the rate. Worth asking your vet.
Elkhound: not on this side · Samoyed: 0% (n=549)
What does carrier rate mean?
The share of tested dogs of a breed that carry at least one copy of a specific disease variant.
How to read it: Higher = more common in the breed. 'Carrier' means carrying the variant, not having the disease.
Carrier is NOT the same as affected, especially for recessive variants. Figures come from tested (direct-to-consumer) dogs, which can skew the rate. Worth asking your vet.
Elkhound: not on this side · Samoyed: Vizsla (n=20)
What health and build profile neighbor means
Breeds that share a health and build profile. Not family.
What nobody has measured yet
What morrill factors means
A breed lean on this factor in the Darwin's Ark paper. Not a prediction about a dog.