Meet Birgit, a 4-year-old Samoyed beauty.
I met her on a sunny Boxing Day in Wandsworth. It was hard to miss her as she was bouncing around happily, white and fluffy like a snowflake. Birgit played with such a verve and vigour that I simply could not take my eyes off her, and immediately decided to approach her owner.
It was a cold day and people hurried around wrapped up in as many layers of clothing as possible. Birgit, however, was unperturbed by the wintry weather, and in fact seemed to enjoy it. Samoyeds are a Siberian breed and as such, their thick, double-layered coat is particularly well suited to cold temperatures. The Swedish origins of her name suit her perfectly, bringing up images of snowy wilderness.
Her owner tells me that Birgit adores fun and games more than anything else, and it does not surprise me. Samoyeds are working dogs, bred to pull sleighs and herd reindeer in sub-zero temperatures, which means that they need plenty of exercise and have to be kept busy. The sheer energy of Birgit's bouncing around would rival a small power station. She was running around, jumping up and hopping about like a furry white kangaroo.
When I managed to get her sitting down to pose, I was taken aback by how graceful and beautiful she was. Her dark eyes shone in her happy white face, and I dare say, she was almost flirtatious in her bubbly buoyant attitude. Just look at the come-hither look in her eyes! No wonder her owner adores her, and she is clearly the apple of his eye.
For Birgit's coat to look as stunning and snow-white as it is, she needs a lot of brushing and a monthly bath. Interestingly enough, Samoyed's coat is semi-waterproof so it takes a long time to get it soaking wet. Samoyeds are a resilient and hardy breed. The first dog to reach the North Pole with Roald Amundsen was a Samoyed so the breed has a long history of serving the humans in the most inhospitable and challenging conditions on earth.
It was a real pleasure to meet Birgit. She was a truly adorable little spark, and brought a spirit of white Christmas to the otherwise snow-free London.
If you want to find out more about Samoyeds, please visit The Northern Samoyed Society.
