Skip to Content

How Fast Can Samoyeds Run? The Greatest Running Partner Ever.

How Fast Can Samoyeds Run? The Greatest Running Partner Ever.

Samoyeds were bred for hunting and herding which means they are naturally fast runners. They are energetic dogs and need a lot of exercise because of how much energy they have. They can even qualify as long-distance runners, however, they prefer a more even paced run than constant sprinting.

This is a result of their herding instincts as they tried to keep up with the herd. They were built for endurance, even though they can achieve speed. So they will actually make better jogging partners than sprinting partners. Nevertheless, a Samoyed can get to some pretty fast speeds if they want to.

How Fast Can Samoyeds Run? Samoyeds can run up to 30mph, which is roughly 50kph. This is when they are sprinting for short distances. On average, a Samoyed’s pace is around 5mph or 8kph. This will vary based on age and overall health. Nevertheless, Samoyeds, also known as Sammies or Smilies, love to run and want to keep up with their owners.

Samoyeds are naturally agile and strong dogs with plenty of endurance. Given their ancestry of being hunting, herding, and sledding dogs, running alongside humans is not anything new to them. But if you want a Samoyed to keep up with you over long distances or at faster paces, they will need to be trained.

They can be built up to keep up on long hikes up to 10 miles or even more based on health. While their max sprinting speed is 30mph, their comfort level is much less. However, since the average running speed of a human is around 8mph, a Samoyed can easily be trained to keep up with that.

How Fast Can a Samoyed Run?

The top speed for one of these beautiful herding dogs is 30mph or 50kph. They are most comfortable between 5 and 10mph and can keep up that speed for hours at a time.

Samoyeds can easily run 100 miles on a given day because they are so energetic. Granted, running 100 miles is predicated on them not exceeding 20mph and usually, they are not running more than 5 miles at a time.

Given their history of being sledding, herding, and hunting dogs, Sammies have a lot of endurance, agility, and a desire to work alongside humans. These all play a part in Sammie’s top speed, but also Sammie’s most comfortable speed.

Outside of age and the health of a Samoyed, the biggest factor in how fast they can run is temperature. Sammie’s hail from the cold regions of Siberia and they have thick fluffy coats.

While these coats can provide cooling insulation in hot climates, more heat will prevent a Samoyed from running as fast or as long. Conversely, when it is too cold, a Samoyed will also slow down because they are conserving energy.

In general, you will want to jog with your Samoyed for peak health opportunities, occasionally you can push your Sammie to the limit with sprints and agility tests. This way, you can see them hit those top speeds and they can have some enrichment activities which keep their brains working well.

Overall, their medium size, build, and athleticism helps them to be amazing running partners. They have a lot of energy (Samoyeds are not lazy dogs) and endurance which leads them to be great runners and to get a lot of enjoyment from running.

How Fast Can Samoyeds Run
How Fast Can Samoyeds Run? – Samoyeds can run up to 30mph

Are Samoyeds Good Running Partners?

Samoyeds will absolutely love running alongside their owners. This is especially true for younger Samoyeds over a year old. It is best to wait until a Sammie is at least a year old so that their growth plates are all situated. Larger Sammies that are expected to be over 21 inches tall might need to wait until the 18-month mark to start really getting into running.

As your Samoyed gets older, you may need to watch out for certain health issues that can arise from an active lifestyle. Mitigating with joint-supporting nutrition and regular trips to the vet can also help. Some health issues to watch out for include:

  • Breathing difficulties
  • Dehydration
  • Gastric Dilatation – which happens when a Sammie eats and then runs immediately afterwards
  • Joint issues and repetitive stress injury
  • Over-heating – something to watch out for in warmer climates especially
  • Paw damage from running on certain surfaces such as hot pavements
  • Volvulus Syndrome – you ran read more about it here.

Samoyeds are ideal jogging partners despite this. They like being with people and they like having tasks. Jogging with your Samoyed can fill this niche in their life. Regular runs can also keep Sammies from getting destructive because they are bored.

When planning runs with your Samoyed, consider running in the mornings or evenings to mitigate a lot of temperature-related problems. Also, do warm-ups with them so they are not jumping right into running from doing anything previously.

Are Samoyeds Good Running Partners
Are Samoyeds Good Running Partners – Yes!

Can Samoyeds Run Long Distances?

Samoyeds can absolutely run for long distances and durations. Usually, around the three-mile mark, you’ll want to take a break and hydrate. This is imperative in warmer climates and hotter weather. It might be best to only do longer runs in the cooler months and do shorter distances when the weather is warm.

Typically, the best distance to run with a Samoyed is between 2 and 5 miles, but this will vary based on Sammie’s age and health, as well as the temperature outside and the type of running you are doing with them.

In general, it is best to look out for a Sammie slowing down or having breathing issues throughout the run. After the run, look out for a Samoyed being overly fatigued, refusing to go up or downstairs, and being lethargic regarding other types of play.

It is possible to overexert a Samoyed. Too many intense runs or too frequent runs can cause the dog to lose interest in the activity altogether and predispose them to more injury.

When considering running long distances, make sure to factor in the weather. If it is more than 70 degrees Fahrenheit or 21 degrees Celsius, it won’t be safe for a Sammie to do any vigorous exercise due to their fluffy coat.

Also plan on taking your Samoyed on runs that aren’t on pavement or concrete. Trail running and grass running are perfect for them. If the only option is the street running, consider training your Sammie to wear paw protectors.

Can Samoyeds Run Long Distances
Can Samoyeds Run Long Distances?the best distance to run with a Samoyed is between 2 and 5 miles.

How to Train a Samoyed to Run with You?

Samoyeds are energetic dogs and need on average 40 to 60 minutes of exercise a day. Younger Samoyeds may need up to two hours of intense physical activity on a given day. So, training them to run with you is a great way to let them work off some of their excess energy while getting your workout in as well.

You can’t immediately start running a Samoyed with you at max speed for max distance. Like humans, Sammies need to condition themselves. Start by running smaller distances at easier paces and over time increase the pace and the distance until they are keeping up with you.

As an intelligent breed, Sammies may also get bored with too much routine, so you may need to mix up the route or add some additional exercise into their routine. Varying the duration and pace can also help mitigate your Samoyed getting board. Other exercises include hiking, swimming, and agility training.

If you are training an older Samoyed to start running with you, you’ll want to get a clean bill of health from a vet before starting them on any training regimen. Sammies need to have good joints and also not be overweight. Running long distances at elevated weights can actually cause more damage to a Samoyed’s body than it will help drop the weight.

Additionally, if your Samoyed has an injury or gets an injury when running, you’ll need to let your Sammie rest and recover completely before slowly bringing them back into the running routine. It’s the same as it is for humans.

Conclusion

Samoyeds can reach a top speed of 30mph though they are most comfortable between 5 and 10mph. They will definitely enjoy running with their human but will need to be trained to do so. Before the Sammie is old enough and after they need to retire from their running careers, they will need to be enriched by other methods because they will still be energetic.

Running with your Samoyed is an achievable goal and they are considered an easy breed to run with. It is just also important to keep their safety and wellbeing in mind.