`The Samoyed is one of the only breeds of dog to possess no real natural odor. Even when wet, they don't possess the characteristic "dog smell" that usually prompts people to let their pets spend the night outside. When they are marked by an outside source such as a skunk, they even seem particularly adept at shedding this scent more quickly than other breeds would be capable of doing so.
The Samoyed, like a cat, takes care of much of his own grooming needs. Famed for their shiny white coat, many people would think that keeping such a dog clean for long would be an exercise in futility, but this is just a misconception. The Samoyed's ability to work even the toughest stains out of his own coat in just a matter of days is just one of the many traits that makes them so endearing to their owners.
The Samoyed's distinctive facial expression is known as the "Samoyed Smile" and is one reason that they are considered to be among the friendliest breeds. They're not actually smiling, but there's something about human perception that can't help but see them as doing anything but.
The Samoyed is wildly popular in modern Japanese popular culture. Two extremely cartoon series have prominently featured good-natured Samoyeds as full-time cast members. The first to do so was the show Maison Ikkoku in 1986, whose Samoyed, Mr. Souichiro, often provided comic relief as the unwitting antagonist to one of his owner's potential suitors, Mitaka, a tennis coach who is afraid of dogs. In more recent years, the show Azumanga Daioh featured a Samoyed by the similarly proper name of Mr. Tadakichi who is so good-natured and accommodating that he lets his owner, a young girl named Chiyo, ride him around like a horse.
Because Samoyed fur is so lightweight yet warm, it is often collected during the time twice a year when they shed their coat and spun with cotton fibers into a durable yarn. A coat or sweater made of Samoyed fur collected in this manner can be a very valuable and useful item.
The Samoyed has a tendency to "talk" or "sing". When spoken to directly, a Samoyed will often respond with a low-pitched warbling sound that is neither a growl nor a regular bark. This behavior is unique to only a few breeds.
During Roald Amundsen's expedition to the South Pole, his lead sled dog Etah was the first member of the team to reach the pole.
Kailas and Suggen were the names of two Samoyed that Norwegian explorer Dr. Fridtjof Nansen took with him on his expedition to the North Pole. He was so pleased with their performance that he took them home with him afterwards, an action which deserves at least some of the credit for spreading the breed across the Western world.
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