Chow Chow vs Samoyed

A Chow Chow
Photo: Gabrielle Costa lbrto
A Samoyed
Photo: PeCeT_full

Side by side

Chow Chow
Samoyed
Adult weight
20–32 kg (45–70 lb) (breed club figure)1
Males 20–29 kg (45–65 lb); females 16–23 kg (35–50 lb) (breed club figure)2
Height
No sourced figure
Males 53.3–59.7 cm; females 48.3–53.3 cm (breed club figure)2
Lifespan
Median 12.1 years3
Median 13.1 years3
Fully grown
11 months, both sexes4
Group
Spitz & primitive5
Spitz & primitive6
Coat
Double coat or short coat5
Double coat6
Shedding
Moults most as the seasons change
Grooming
A brush once a week
Exercise
A moderate amount
Plenty
Health
Inward-rolling eyelid (far more likely); Skin melanoma (far more likely)7,8
No sourced figure
Class
Watchdog
Family

Which suits you

Size
The Chow Chow is a little larger on average: about 26 kg (58 lb) as an adult, against 22 kg (49 lb) for the Samoyed.
Lifespan
In UK vet records the Samoyed lives longer: a median of 13.1 years, against 12.1 for the Chow Chow.
Exercise
Plan for plenty of exercise with the Samoyed, and a moderate amount with the Chow Chow.
Temperament
They differ most on affection (Chow Chow: likes its own space; Samoyed: a lap or leaning dog) and on voice (Chow Chow: quiet; Samoyed: very vocal).
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
Take the breed matcher

What they're like

Chow Chow
Spitz & primitive · Medium

In temperament it is reserved and independent: devoted to its own household, aloof with strangers and seldom demonstrative. It is often compared to a cat for its cleanliness and self-possession.

Samoyed
Spitz & primitive · Medium

In temperament the Samoyed is friendly, gentle and sociable. It tends to greet strangers with interest rather than suspicion, so it makes a poor guard dog.

The Chow Chow page →The Samoyed page →

Breed traits

Day to day
Chow Chow
Samoyed
Activity
Differs
Happy with modest walks
Needs lots of exercise
Intelligence
Differs
Easy-going, simple routines
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Differs
Needs an experienced owner
Needs steady training
With people
Chow Chow
Samoyed
Affection
Differs
Likes its own space
A lap or leaning dog
Loyalty
Differs
Sticks close to its people
Bonded to its family
Independence
Differs
Decides for itself
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
Chow Chow
Samoyed
Sensitivity
Average
Average
Voice
Differs
Quiet
Very vocal
Prey drive
Chases; needs managing
Chases; needs managing
Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour9. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home10,11.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes
The Chow Chow grows to the heavier adult, about 26 kg against the Samoyed's 23 kg.
Chow Chow
Samoyed
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More comparisons

Compare the Chow Chow with
Alaskan Malamute vs SamoyedJapanese Spitz vs SamoyedAmerican Eskimo Dog vs SamoyedSamoyed vs Siberian HuskyChow Chow vs Tibetan MastiffFinnish Lapphund vs SamoyedAll breed comparisons →

Sources

Parts of this page were written by AI ·