Samoyeds are known for their fluffy white coats that make them look like white wolves. While other breeds of dogs have a wide range of colors to their fur, some Samoyed fans will argue that it only has one: white.
Do Black Samoyed Dogs Exist? Samoyeds do not have black fur, but there are color variations other than white. The American Kennel Club recognizes three variants besides white: biscuit, cream, and white and biscuit. However, there is some disagreement between Kennel Clubs as to which colors a pure Samoyed can have.
Keep reading to learn why Samoyeds only have light colors for their fur and why you should be wary of anyone claiming they have black Samoyeds. There are also some suggestions for other breeds with black coats that share characteristics to Samoyeds to consider instead.
Can Samoyeds be black?
Is there a black Samoyed? While some other breeds look like black Samoyeds or mixed breeds with the Samoyed that can result in black fur, black fur is not considered a standard coloring for Samoyeds.
Samoyeds are genetically inclined to have light furs such as white and cream, so be wary of any breeders or advertisements that claim to have black Samoyeds. They are either trying to make a quick buck or haven’t done their research on Samoyeds.
Dogs that look like black Samoyeds
The only way you will get close to having a black Samoyed is through other breeds that have similar characteristics or a mix that may have a Samoyed parent. Here are some of the breeds that you might want to consider in place of a black Samoyed.
Belgian Sheepdogs
Belgian Sheepdogs are like Samoyeds in that they are both medium-size digs that have a heritage of being herding working dogs. Belgian Sheepdogs are very trainable, high-energy, and intelligent, all characteristics of the Samoyed. Belgian Sheepdogs should only have black fur though they may have some white marks on the chest, paws, or muzzle.
Eurasier Dog
Eurasiers are also medium-sized dogs that come in various colors, from black to red and fawn. They are intelligent like Samoyeds, but they are calmer and more gentle, so if you’re not as active as a Samoyed requires, you might be better off with a Eurasier, especially if you have a young family as they are very family-friendly dogs. These are really black Samoyed looking dogs.
Pomeranian Dogs
Pomeranians are much smaller than Samoyeds while still having a lot of the same physical characteristics. Pomeranians are descendants of other sled-pulling dogs similar to the Samoyed, which might explain why these dogs think they’re much bigger than they are. Pomeranians are confident, active, and well suited for agility and obedience activities.
Much like Samoyeds, Pomeranians require a decent amount of exercise and mental stimulation to keep themselves out of trouble while still being ideal family dogs. They come in a variety of colors, including black but also white and red.
Mutt Dogs
If you are looking for something that still has some Samoyed in it but with a darker coat of fur, you will need to find a mixed breed. Other mixed breeds will look similar to Samoyeds even if they don’t have any direct lineage with Samoyeds.
Check out your local rescue to see if they have any mix that resembles a Samoyed with some variations in coloring.
Are Samoyeds only white?
Samoyeds are usually only white, but there are several Kennel Clubs that acknowledge variations in coloring. It can alternate between four and five different colors, but most seem to agree that there are other colors besides pure white.
Standard Samoyed Colours According to Kennel Clubs
Since there is some difference between which colors are the standard for the Samoyed, here’s a table that compares a few of the Kennel Clubs’ accepted colors:
| Association | Recognized Colors |
| American Kennel Club (AKC) | Pure white, cream, biscuit, white; biscuit |
| United Kennel Club (UKC) | Pure white, cream, white; biscuit, all biscuit |
| Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) | White, cream, white; biscuit, white cream, all biscuit |
| Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) | Pure white, cream, white; biscuit |
A Samoyed with other coloring is usually a mixed bred of some kind and not considered a pure Samoyed. However, just because a Samoyed is not purebred doesn’t mean that they won’t still make excellent companions for an active and loving family or owner.
Pure White Samoyeds
When most people think of a Samoyed, they are likely thinking about a pure white Samoyed. They are the most popular and common as their white coats allow them to blend into the snow and serve as a better guard dog. Samoyeds have a heritage of pulling sleds and living in cold climates, so their thick white fur helped them better fulfill their jobs.
However, just because a Samoyed is born with white fur does not mean they will stay white as they grow. They may develop biscuit spots or become all biscuit as they reach maturity.
Cream Samoyeds
Cream Samoyeds are difficult for the average person to see the differences between them and white Samoyeds. They have lowly saturated coats that have a light yellow hue to them. However, there is only a slight difference in the coloring, and many people mistake them for white Samoyeds unless they know what to look for.
Biscuit Samoyeds
Biscuit is a term used for Samoyeds and Pekingese, which refers to a combination of yellow and brown with medium saturation. It is a strange coloring for the Samoyed because some Samoyeds are born white that grow up to turn biscuit, as some are born biscuit that grows up to turn white.
If someone is looking for a biscuit Samoyed, they should look for lines that consistently produce biscuit puppies. However, adoption makes it challenging to know what lines the puppies come from, so in most cases, it is a gamble whether the Samoyed will stay biscuit or not. This shifting of color makes biscuit Samoyeds the rarest color of Samoyed. It can also make them the most expensive.
White and Biscuit Samoyeds
A white and biscuit Samoyed has white fur as the base with biscuit spots. Some Samoyeds are born with biscuit spots only to turn pure white once they reach maturity. In contrast, others become fully biscuit, so white and biscuit Samoyeds can be challenging to identify as puppies.
Why are Samoyeds only light colored?
It is pretty clear to Samoyed specialists that Samoyeds are only light in color due to their genetics. Samoyeds have a heritage with humans who migrated to Siberia and needed guard dogs to blend into the snowy environment. Samoyeds with pure white and cream coats were more likely to be bred together to get similar coloring in their offspring.
However, biscuit coloring can occasionally pop up because of recessive genes and a dilution of the population now that Samoyeds spend their time being friendly companions instead of guard dogs. Whether a Samoyed has a white coat or a biscuit, one does not affect their personalities or health, so whichever color you decide to get makes little difference.
Why is my Samoyed puppy’s fur changing colour?
Samoyeds can have unpredictable coloring as they tend to go through several changes in their physical appearance as they age, especially when they hit double-digits. Even growing into an adult as two years old can result in a slightly different colored coat than a puppy.
Even how they coat changes can be unpredictable as it can either lighten or darken depending on the specific Samoyed. If you have a particular coloring you want your dog to have, then Samoyeds are probably not the right fit as there doesn’t seem to be a specific reason for their coats changing other than recessive genes.
Unless you can track their parentage and can see that they have consistent coloring over multiple litters, there’s no way to predict how or whether their coat will change over time.
Final Thoughts
Can Samoyeds be black? There are no pure Samoyeds that will have a black coat as they are genetically inclined to have light fur such as white or cream. There is some debate about what colors are standard for a Samoyed, but all Kennel Clubs agree that lighter coats mark a purebred Samoyed.
Other breeds have similar physical and natural characteristics, so if you want something that looks like a black Samoyed, there are alternatives. However, be careful of advertisements claiming to have black Samoyeds as they are either ignorant about Samoyeds or trying to take advantage of you.