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Samoyed vs Pomeranian: Notable Differences & Similarities

Written by: Jana Blagojevic

Last Updated on April 11, 2024 by Dogster Team

Samoyed vs Pomeranian

Samoyed vs Pomeranian: Notable Differences & Similarities

Samoyeds and Pomeranians are both gorgeous dogs with thick coats that give them a breathtaking appearance. While most people confuse these two breeds, they have many fundamental differences. Samoyeds are around 14 inches taller than Pomeranians, making them primarily suitable for bigger homes with gardens. Pomeranians are easily adaptable to any scenario and location due to their convenient size.

To learn more critical differences between these breeds, continue reading the article below. Once you’re done, you’ll hopefully be able to make a final decision.

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Visual Differences

Samoyed vs Pomeranian side by side
Image Credit: (L) Evgeniia Shikhaleeva, Shutterstock | (R) Ivanova N, Shutterstock

At a Glance

Samoyed
  • Average height (adult): 19–23½ inches
  • Average weight (adult): 35–65 pounds
  • Lifespan: 12–14 years
  • Exercise: 2+ hours a day
  • Grooming needs: Regular grooming
  • Family-friendly: Yes
  • Other pet-friendly: Moderately friendly
  • Trainability: Adaptable, intelligent, eager to please
Pomeranian
  • Average height (adult): 6–7 inches
  • Average weight (adult): 3–7 pounds
  • Lifespan: 12–16 years
  • Exercise: 30 minutes a day
  • Grooming needs: Regular grooming
  • Family-friendly: Yes
  • Other pet-friendly: Moderately friendly
  • Trainability: Intelligent, alert, highly adaptable

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Samoyed Overview

Samoyed dog in the summer forest
Image Credit: Nik Tsvetkov, Shutterstock

Personality

Samoyeds are incredibly friendly and outgoing and enjoy living in a family environment. They require plenty of love and affection, but they need firm training as they can sometimes be mischievous. They are open to new friendships with other animals and humans, so you don’t have to worry about them making friends at the dog park.

Training

Training your Samoyed must be done in a safe and loving environment. This breed has a strong connection to humans, and you can teach it anything with the right approach. If you neglect your Samoyed’s needs by leaving it in confinement, they can become depressed and destructive. When training them, stay loving while having a firm and strict approach.

Samoyed
Image Credit: coolcoolleah, Pixabay

Grooming

Samoyeds have unique, double coats, shedding almost all the time. This breed requires daily brushing to remove the dead hairs and reduce shedding to a minimum. Make sure to trim your Samoyed’s nails once a month.

Health

Samoyeds are susceptible to conditions like eye problems, hip dysplasia, and diabetes. These issues can be avoided by finding a reputable breeder to perform tests for these diseases. You can also ensure that the puppy’s parents have relevant health screenings, which will significantly reduce the chance of your puppy developing these conditions. Regular check-ups at the vet are a must to ensure your Samoyed has a long and healthy life.

a samoyed dog walking in the forest
Image Credit: xxxnik, Pixabay

Suitable For:

Samoyeds are perfect companions for larger families and preferably people with a large backyard. These dogs need plenty of physical and mental stimulation throughout the day. They will need more than 2 hours of exercise daily which is why a backyard is recommended. If they stay in a confined space for too long, they can become destructive and miserable, so smaller apartments are not ideal living conditions for Samoyeds.

Pros
  • Breathtaking appearance
  • Energetic
  • Affectionate and amazing with children
  • Outgoing and friendly with other dogs
  • Intelligent and easy to train
Cons
  • Require regular grooming
  • Can be stubborn at times
  • High shedding
  • Very vocal

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Pomeranian Overview

Pomeranian dog isolated in front of white background
Image Credit: KUNANEK SUPAKOSOL, Shutterstock

Personality

Pomeranians are an exceptionally friendly and outgoing breed. Their sassy attitude is what gives these dogs their unique charm. They are excellent with children old enough to not treat them like a toy. While they are small, gentle, and affectionate with humans, they tend to have an attitude towards larger dogs and even challenge them at times!

Exercise

Pomeranians are energetic little dogs and need to have at least 30 minutes of outdoor playtime every day. They are also very intelligent, so unless you provide them with plenty of mental stimulation, they can become depressed.

Training

This breed is very smart and easy to train, which is why Pomeranians were used as guard dogs in the past. Since they tend to be excessively vocal and bark often, they are excellent at alerting.

Because of their sassy temper, they need to be trained with a firm hand that will provide them with love as well as strict learning conditions.

white pomeranian dog standing outdoor
Image Credit: Wirestock Creators, Shutterstock

Grooming

Pomeranians have a gorgeous double coat that needs to be brushed at least three times a week. During summer, bath times will need to be a regular habit, while during the winter, you can reduce them to once every couple of months.

Health

Pomeranians are generally healthy dogs, but they are susceptible to hypothyroidism, alopecia X, luxating patella, and collapsing tracheas. These conditions are usually nothing to worry about because most reputable breeders will screen their stock for these health conditions. Getting your Pom from a reputable breeder is important for having a healthy dog.

tricolor pomeranian dog outdoors
Image Credit: Eve Photography, Shutterstock

Suitable For:

Because of their size, Pomeranians are excellent for smaller houses and apartments. They also make wonderful companions for older people because of their small size and alertness. They are fantastic with children, so don’t hesitate to leave your Pomeranian with an old enough child. Because of their intelligence and energy, they are amazing watchdogs as well.

Pros
  • Adorable appearance
  • Convenient size
  • Amazing with children
  • Friendly and outgoing with other dogs—for the most part
  • Easy to train
Cons
  • Excessively vocal
  • Require regular grooming
  • Sassy temper

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Which Breed Is Right for You?

After reading about each of these amazing and adorable two breeds, you should be able to make an informed decision about which dog is perfect for you. Depending on your location and living conditions, you may want to acquire a Pomeranian that can adapt to any living scenario, while Samoyeds are only suitable for houses with larger backyards.

Both breeds are incredibly intelligent and affectionate, excellent for small and big families, and very easy to train. Both breeds have sassy tempers, while Pomeranians tend to be more so and even go after bigger dogs. No matter which choice you make, you won’t regret your decision!

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Featured Image Credit: (L) Galy Jonathan, Shutterstock | (R) Jumpstory

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