A ball of fluff or in other words, a Samoyed dog is an intelligent and friendly dog breed that is originally from the Siberian town of Oymyakon. As much as these guys are adorable, they are also quite active physically since they were initially bred for high active tasks such as reindeer herding and hunting.
Interestingly, this is a spitz-type dog, meaning this breed has a close relation to Wolves. Much like a hybrid of dog and wolf. Even the looks wise, they have thick and white double-layered coats that make these doggos appear similar looking to Wolves and inherently their coats are designed for battling the freezing weather in Siberia.
So, how big can a Samoyed dog get?
On average, a Samoyed dog can grow into medium to large-sized dogs that are of 35-65 pounds in weight (15.8- 29.5 kg) and 21-24 inches in height (53-61 cm) when fully grown. However, with a slight gender difference, an average male Samoyed can grow 45-60 pounds in weight (20.5- 27 kg) and 21-24 inches in height whereas a female Samoyed is only able to grow 35-45 pounds in weight (15.8- 20.5 kg) and 19-21 inches in height.
So yes, there is a distinction in size between males and females. That means males tend to grow a bit heavier and taller than females but sometimes there have been cases where females have turned out, being much larger than males too. So the size-difference in this breed and in the animal kingdom in general is quite normal.
When does a Samoyed dog become fully grown?
The average lifespan of a Samoyed dog is 12–14 years and as these doggos grow into larger-sized dogs, they usually take longer to reach their maximum growth limit than other dog breeds. That being said, these dogs can grow into their full size at the age of anywhere between 9 months and 20 months which means that there is a long window for these guys to become fully grown.
But sometimes, they could reach their maximum growth in height and still have room to put on more muscle and fat to fill out the frame even after 20 months and if you want to predict whether your Sammy will finish growing sooner or later within the time window, it can be determined by the growth rate.
And you can find the growth rate by measuring your puppy’s height and weight as it grows. Then, compare those numbers to the table which I have provided down below in the next section. It shows the average height and weight of a Samoyed at different ages.
And also, if you want to know what your pup’s maximum weight would be and whether he/she is currently at a healthy growth rate, simply use the online calculator via this link: https://www.thegoodypet.com/puppy-weight-chart
But guys remember, the diet and the health conditions mainly play a major role in a dog’s growth. So take that into consideration and ensure the diet is well balanced in nutrients while also, the dog is being sufficiently active. Oh, Plus, make sure to bring your Sammy to the family veterinarian for regular examinations.
With that said, one more thing to keep in mind is that sometimes a Samoyed dog can reach their maximum growth physically faster than mentally or even the other way around. So in that case, it will basically be like a grown adult dog running around in the house in a body of a puppy. It is pretty funny and interesting. Don’t you think?!
Weight and Height range of male and female Samoyed dogs as they grow
Weight and Height range of male Samoyed dogs:
| AGE | HEIGHT (INCHES) | WEIGHT (POUNDS) |
| 4 weeks | 3 – 5” | 5 – 9 lbs |
| 8 weeks | 4 – 6” | 9 – 16.5 lbs |
| Three months | 5– 7” | 17.5 – 25 lbs |
| Four months | 6 – 9” | 23 – 30 lbs |
| Five months | 6 – 8” | 28 – 42 lbs |
| Six months | 7 – 9” | 32 – 46 lbs |
| Seven months | 8– 10” | 35 – 52 lbs |
| Eighth months | 9 – 11” | 38 – 55 lbs |
| Nine months | 10 – 12” | 40 – 57 lbs |
| Ten months | 11 – 14” | 41 – 59 lbs |
| Eleven months | 13– 15” | 42 – 61 lbs |
| One year | 16 – 19” | 42 – 63 lbs |
| One and half years | 19 – 21” | 45 – 65 lbs |
Weight and Height range of female Samoyed dogs:
| AGE | HEIGHT (INCHES) | WEIGHT (POUNDS) |
| 4 weeks | 4 – 6” | 5 – 8 lbs |
| 8 weeks | 5 – 7” | 8 – 15 lbs |
| Three months | 7– 9” | 15 – 18 lbs |
| Four months | 8 – 10” | 18 – 24 lbs |
| Five months | 9 – 11” | 22 – 30 lbs |
| Six months | 10 – 12” | 26 – 33 lbs |
| Seven months | 11– 13” | 28 – 35 lbs |
| Eighth months | 12 – 14” | 30 – 37 lbs |
| Nine months | 13 – 15” | 31 – 39 lbs |
| Ten months | 14 – 17” | 32 – 41 lbs |
| Eleven months | 16– 18” | 33 – 42 lbs |
| One year | 18 – 21” | 34 – 43 lbs |
| One and half years | 21 – 24” | 35 – 45 lbs |
How to make sure your Samoyed dog will grow into their maximum size?
Samoyed dogs are famously known as one of the most beautiful dog breeds due to their fluffy and white fur with a woolly tail but they also have great personality traits such as being smart, affectionate, energetic, resilient and loyal. Thus, an essential need to keep them beautiful and happy requires specific maintenance and care on regular basis such as grooming and exercise.
For example, if they are left alone at home with no humans for more than a few hours, they will not handle it well, having to spend all that time alone, especially mentally and most likely they will end up being lonely and sad. So the main aspect of taking care of these dogs is spending quality time with them along with a few other essentials which you will see down below.
However, with good care and enough effort from you, raising your Sammy to reach their maximum size will be a piece of cake. So let’s continue….
The diet and exercise
This is really important to make certain that your Samoyed will stay at an ideal weight and height while growing and he/she will also have a very little chance of having health complications.
So, firstly, let’s look at the diet:
Most people think giving your dog dry food such as kibble would be the most optimal option since it is easy to measure and also, they are solely made to feed dogs but the issue is that they lack all the nutrients that a Samoyed dog needs.
You see, dry foods mostly have carbs which is only one of the nutrients that a dog needs. Protein and fats are not in most dry foods. That is why many dog experts also recommend to feed your dog with raw and fresh foods along with dry ones. So that the diet can be well balanced.
Basically, a well balanced diet for Samoyeds should be consisted of high-quality protein of about 25% to 30%, fat of about 15% and the rest can be simple and complex carbohydrates and micro-nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and omega 3.
On the other hand, as well balanced as the diet, the right amount of food to be fed is also essential. So, depending on the age, meaning whether your dog is a puppy or an adult, the amount or the number of potions of foods that you should feed your doggo with, can be different.
Let me give a little guide on it
For puppies aged up to 4 months old:
- When a few weeks old with a weight of 1 to 5 pounds approx. – 100 to 400 calories of foods for 3 times a day
- When a little over a month old with a weight between 5 and 15 pounds approx. – 400 to 700 calories of foods for 3 times a day
- When 2 to 4 months old with a weight of 15 to 35 pounds approx. – 700 to 1000 calories of foods for 3 times a day
For puppies that are aged between four and twelve months with a weight between 35 to 50 pounds:
- A quite higher amount of foods (A high calorie intake of foods per day) is needed
- To be more specific, approximately 1100 to 1300 calories of foods can be fed for 2 times a day
For full grown Samoyed dogs with a weight between 55 and 65 pounds:
- The calorie intake can be approximately 1500 calories per day for 2 times a day
But remember this too:
The amounts of calories for different ages I have mentioned above are based on average. So do not just stick to that number guys.
For example, If it was a day where your Samoyed was more active than usual, do not hesitate to feed a little more food but also, if it was a day, that your doogo was not that much active such as missing its daily exercise, it is just as okay to feed a bit less.
So, you see, based on different days, you have to adapt and improvise the calorie amount but surely, it is best to keep a certain calorie intake on average to change accordingly.
Here is a quick list of good foods for your Samoyed’s growth and overall health
Foods rich in Protein and fat:
- Eggs and Canned fish such as salmon, sardine and mackerel (you even can mix mackerel with kibbles)
- Fresh and lean meat such as cooked organ meat, chicken, beef, lamb and turkey
Fruits and vegetables for simple and complex carbs and micro-nutrients:
- Fruits such as apples, blueberries, cantaloupe, bananas and watermelon
- Vegetables such as beans, carrots, peas such as any green peas, snow peas and sugar snap peas
Alright, So now let’s talk about exercising:
Samoyed dogs are a highly active breed and they quite easily get bored if they do not jump around and do something. To prevent the boredom and keep their playful personality in check, at least two hours of exercise is recommended by dog experts and by exercising, it means to do activities such as going for long walks, playtime in the yard, accompanying the doggo with yourself when you go on hikes or even bike rides.
It does not matter what exercise the dog does, as long as it stays active, its mental and physical states will also be healthy and ultimately, the Sammy will grow into a healthy and large-sized dog.
Preventions of diseases to ensure your Samoyed’s maximum growth (Diseases and their symptoms)
Samoyed dogs are prone to a number of diseases but with proper raising and veterinary help, there is not a high risk. However, it is always best to know the possible diseases and their symptoms to prevent any harm to the dog and its growth.
Eye diseases
Common eye diseases, a Samoyed is prone to can be Progressive retinal atrophy, Cataracts, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada and Retinal dysplasia.
But the most common one out of all these eye diseases is Glaucoma. It is a condition that is caused by an abnormal drainage angle within the eye. Glaucoma is also quite painful and could rapidly lead to blindness if veterinary-help is not sought.
The symptoms of this diseases:
- Watery eyes
- Redness in the eyes’ whiteness
- Squinting
- Bluing in the cornea
Heart diseases
Samoyeds have a considerable amount of risk in having a variety of heart diseases such as septal defects, subaortic stenosis and tricuspid valve disease, and pulmonic stenosis which is the most common one of all.
Most of these conditions can cause a plethora of risky consequences such as poor blood pumping throughout the body which means there will not be oxygenated blood for the body to function properly.
The symptoms of these diseases:
- Fainting
- Unusually less energetic. Especially during activities such as going for walks or play in the backyard
- Coughing
- Difficulty in breathing
- High breathing
- Swelling abdominally
Epilepsy (seizures)
Epilepsy is another common condition that can be seen in Samoyeds. Although this used to be pretty rare, it does not seem to be the case anymore.
This condition is an inherited disease to most dog breeds and the seizures can happen mainly due to brain lesions and side effects of other health conditions.
The symptoms of Epilepsy:
- Collapsing
- Stiffening
- Losing consciousness
- Chewing tongue constantly
- Foaming at the mouth
- Jerking
- Chomping abnormally
- Twitching muscles
- Drooling
The orthopedic diseases
Common orthopedic diseases in Samoyed are Elbow Dysplasia, Panosteitis in Samoyed puppies, Osteochondritis and Luxating Patella.
But the most common one to Samoyeds out of all is Hip Dysplasia. A study, done by The Orthopedic Foundation of America has found that there was 11% dysplastic in hip X-rays of more than 17,000 Samoyeds.
To Samoyeds and most of other breeds, Hip Dysplasia is an inherited disease which makes the joints to be developed incorrectly and eventually come to result in arthritis. Also, this condition can get severe as the dogs age and mature.
The symptoms of these diseases:
- Less active
- Low range of motion when doing things
- Low tendency to rise, jump or climb stairs
- Lameness in the hind legs
- Losing thigh muscle mass
- Swaying a lot
Hormonal and endocrine system diseases
These are also risky and common conditions in Samoyeds and the most common ones are diabetes and hypothyroidism.
Diabetes is a condition where the glucose or in other words sugar amount in a Samoyed’s blood is affected. This conditions occurs when the dog’s body stop or decrease in producing insulin.
The symptoms of Diabetes:
- Drinking too much water
- Urinating constantly
- Losing weight abnormally even with good appetite
- Cloudy eyes
- Recurring or chronic infections
Hypothyroidism is a thyroid condition that causes the functions of the body to slow down.
The symptoms of Hypothyroidism:
- Weight gain
- Lethargy
- Skin and the coats change the way they usually look
- Dry hair and sheds excessively
- Thin or almost balding hair
- Dark pigmentations is increased in the skin
With that said, the answer to the question that “how big can a Samoyed dog get?” is concluding here and I hope you fellow hoomans found it helpful and thank you for reading.
Featured Image credit : Image by Sandra Lane from Pixabay
