Husky News

Sue Stein has owned Samoyeds for 16 years.

The breed, whose name sounds like some sort of Russian car rather than a canine from the Arctic tundra, is not suited for everyone. The dogs are sweet and lovable, Stein says, but also very active.

"They’re a lot of fun, but a lot of work," the Paradise Valley woman says.

Stein’s current Samoyed, Nina, is well-suited for cold climes and does not enjoy the Valley’s heat. In summertime, Stein takes Nina outside at 5:30 a.m. and brings her in no later than 6.

Nina’s thick white coat, though impractical in Phoenix, is quite a draw. Strangers will approach and comment about it. In fact, Stein has been collecting hair from her dogs over the years. The hair is soft, almost like pashmina, she says, and she plans to have it spun into yarn.

"It’s sitting in a couple of huge boxes," she says. "My husband thinks I’m crazy."

How did you choose your pet’s name? Her adoptive name is Nina. We thought it was appropriate not to rename her.

Where did you get your pet? Nina was adopted last year through the AZ Sammy Rescue organization. She is the third homeless Samoyed that we have adopted since 1989. She was terrified of being alone at first; however, she adapted rapidly and is now happily adjusted in her new home.

What is your pet’s worst habit? She is skillful when it comes to what we call her "cookie monster routine." When anyone enters the house, us included, she barks and carries on and does tricks until she gets a dog treat. Because of her size and loud bark, visitors who don’t know her ways are terrified.

Has your pet ever embarrassed you? Nina loves car rides. She once had the opportunity to jump into a friend’s car parked in our driveway while they were visiting our home, thinking they would take her for a ride. The car had dark velour upholstery. Nina has a lot of white fur. Needless to say, we could not coax Nina out of the car before she shed balls of white fur all over the interior. The velour material acted like a fur magnet and (the fur) took hours to remove.

How do you celebrate your pet’s birthday? Since Nina was adopted and we don’t know when her birthday is, we celebrated her first year of being with us in October. Every day is a birthday for Nina. Long walks in the morning, getting constant attention, seeing visitors every day (we work out of our home) and hanging out with her family and kitty friend are all special.

What is the best thing about your pet? We consider Nina a wonderful gift. We cherish every minute with her and feel so lucky to have found her so we can give her the loving home she deserves. She is a clown that makes us laugh, and she gives hugs and kisses with reckless abandon. Because she has such a traffic-stopping showy white coat, she attracts attention wherever we go. People who are otherwise shy and children of all ages eagerly are drawn to Nina.

Source: The Arizona Republic