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What Do Samoyeds Eat? Healthy Food – Healthy Dog.

What Do Samoyeds Eat? Healthy Food – Healthy Dog.

Samoyeds are truly a special breed, with their cloud-like appearance and goofy attitudes. These hard-working herding dogs can build up quite the appetite, whether it be doing traditional herding work or taking a long hike with their owner.  Samoyed’s aren’t picky eaters, but it can still be overwhelming to choose food for your furry friend when the dog food aisle is full of dozens and dozens of options. Dry food, canned food, and raw food are the most popular Samoyed diets, but which food is best? Are there any benefits or drawbacks to these types of dog foods? 

What do Samoyeds eat? The best diet for Samoyeds is a high-quality diet that is high in proteins, vitamins, and nutrients. The Association of American Feed Control Officials, or AAFCO, has approved all dog foods on the shelves will provide a balanced diet for your Samoyed. That being said, if your vet approves it, there is no reason you can’t supplement with raw food once in a while. 

Now that you know what Samoyeds can eat, that still leaves a few other questions regarding the very best diet for these fluffy dogs. What about human table scraps, or the amount of food a Samoyed should be fed every day? 

While it’s easy to pick a random bag of dry kibble and feed it to your dog for every meal, choosing your dog’s diet is more nuanced than that. Not all dog food is created equal! As it turns out, feeding your Samoyed can be more nuanced than you ever imagined. 

In case you’re asking yourself about Samoyeds and the food they eat, we’ve compiled answers to some of the most asked questions! Read on to find out more. 

What Do Samoyeds Eat?

Samoyeds, like other dogs, are usually fed commercially made dog foods that have been carefully balanced to provide all the nutrients they need to thrive. That being said, there are both different types of dog food and different levels of quality.

The most common types of dog foods fed to Samoyeds:

Dry Dog Food/Kibble

The most popular type of dog food is by far dry dog food. This type of food usually comes in large bags, doesn’t need to be refrigerated, and has a much longer shelf life than other types of food. 

Kibble also has the added benefit of cleaning a dog’s teeth when chewed. The crunchy outer layers of the kibble scrape the teeth and help to remove plaque and other build-ups. 

The downside to kibble is that being completely dry, doesn’t provide your dog any extra hydration as wet food does. It’s also easier to hide questionable ingredients in dry dog food, so if you choose kibble as your main Samoyed feed, make sure the first ingredient is high-quality, like chicken or beef instead of meat byproducts. 

Canned Dog Food

While canned dog food might be your dog’s favorite type of food, it isn’t necessarily the best food for them. Wet dog foods sold in grocery stores or pet stores that are marked as being 100% nutritionally complete are a fine diet for your Samoyed, but there are some downfalls to this tasty choice.

Some canned foods are actually marketed as dog treats instead of dog food, meaning they don’t have to be nutritionally complete. Canned foods also have more liquid in them than dry foods, which helps with hydration, but it means that your Samoyed will need to eat more food to get the same amount of nutrients as a smaller serving of kibble. 

Wet canned foods also don’t help clean your dog’s teeth, so while it’s always important to keep on top of canine dental care, pay extra close attention when your Samoyed only eats canned food

What Do Samoyeds Eat
What Do Samoyeds Eat? Dog food which is designed for their age.

Raw Dog Food

The most controversial type of diet for your Samoyeds, a raw diet, also known as a BARF (bones and raw food), is the practice of feeding your dog the same sort of diet they would eat in the wild before they were domesticated.

Raw diets consist of uncooked bones with meat still on them, the meat itself, whole vegetables, and vegetable scraps. Some raw diets also have ground bone mixed in, since bones are full of calcium and phosphorus, two minerals that your Samoyed needs. 

Owners that feed a raw diet tout wonderful benefits for their dogs’ health, but many veterinarians are still against feeding a raw diet. Risks like bacteria from raw meat and malnutrition make feeding raw food a bad choice for older dogs or those with long-term illnesses.

If you’re considering switching your Samoyed to raw food, always consult your veterinarian first to work out a safe feeding plan. 

Can Samoyeds Eat Human Foods
Can Samoyeds Eat Human Foods? Yes but in very limited amounts.

What Human Food Can Samoyeds Eat?

Samoyeds, like other dog breeds, absolutely adore most human foods and would love to share a plate with you at the dinner table. Unfortunately, some foods that are enjoyed by us humans can actually be toxic to Samoyeds! 

If you want to share some snacks with your Samoyed, there are some safe human food options that you and your pop can both enjoy. 

Some of the human foods that Samoyeds can safely eat are:

  • White Rice
  • Boiled Chicken
  • Apples
  • Cottage Cheese
  • Carrots
  • Green Beans
  • Peanut Butter
  • Eggs
  • Plain popcorn

That being said, human food should always be considered a treat for your Samoyed and not a replacement for nutritionally balanced dog food.

Human food should always be given in small amounts and should be used as a special treat that is fed only occasionally. With any food that is outside the scope of your Samoyed’s regular diet, moderation is key.

The exception to this rule is that occasionally a vet will recommend feeding your Samoyed a bland diet consisting of boiled chicken and white rice when they are experiencing nausea. 

Do Samoyeds Eat a Lot?

There is no doubt that Samoyed’s are large dogs, with some males clocking in at over 60 pounds when fully grown! With a dog that size, you’d expect their diet to be equally hefty. 

Samoyed’s eat an average of 3 cups of food a day and should be fed twice a day. Samoyed puppies will need to be fed more often, and sometimes, eat over 3 cups a day during a growth spurt. 

For a Samoyed puppy, start with the recommended amount of food listed on the back of your dog food container. It should list the amounts for both adults and puppies. A good place to begin is with three meals a day, but if your puppy is ravenous between meals, you can try feeding smaller amounts more often throughout the day. 

Like any baby, Samoyed puppies are going to want to eat constantly. It’s important to strike a balance between giving your puppy all the nutrients that they need while also making healthy habits for adulthood. No one wants their adult Samoyed demanding a meal 4 times a day!

Once your precious pup is all grown up, its feeding schedule will change significantly. As an adult, a Samoyed should eat 3 cups of food a day, split between two feedings. This amount can be adjusted for larger, smaller, or senior Samoyeds. Just like humans, different dogs can have different diet requirements. 

As your Samoyed ages, they may have less of an appetite and lose weight. This isn’t ideal and may be a signal that it’s time to start adding vitamins to your dog’s food or to make the switch to canned food, which is more appealing to a Samoyed’s sense of smell. 

If any weight change, whether it be gain or loss, is dramatic or comes on quickly, consult your veterinarian right away. 

Are Samoyeds Food-driven?

Yes, Samoyed’s are food motivated and respond well to training involving treats!

Samoyed’s were originally bred to hunt, herd, and pull sleds across Siberia. With such important jobs, Samoyed’s had to be easy to train and respond well to commands. 

Modern Samoyed’s still responded extremely well to training, and this includes treat-driven training. One consideration when training your Samoyed with treats is to make sure they aren’t getting too much of a good thing! Treats should make up less than 10% of a dog’s daily caloric intake. 

It’s important to find a good balance between treats as rewards and praise as rewards. At the end of the day, you want your Samoyed to respond to commands even when there isn’t a dog biscuit afterward.