How to distinguish Samoyeds and Silver Foxes?

Many people might be wondering how it is possible to confuse Samoyeds and Silver Fox dogs?

Haha, here we mainly refer to distinguishing Samoyed and Silver Fox puppies.

Because the puppies of these two breeds look very similar (especially those under 2 months old), and their prices are completely different, many dishonest dog sellers often disguise Silver Fox puppies as Samoyed puppies for sale.

Below we introduce 10 differences between Samoyeds and Silver Foxes:

1. Size difference: Samoyeds are a medium-sized dog; males are 53.3–59.7CM, females 48.3–53.3CM, while Silver Foxes are medium-small sized. Adult Silver Fox height is about 35 cm with a weight around 8 kg. Therefore, Samoyeds are relatively larger. So, a puppy being large does not necessarily mean it is a Samoyed, but a small puppy is likely a Silver Fox! When purchasing, it is not recommended to buy a Samoyed that is smaller in size.

2. Personality difference (Silver Fox is timid, Samoyed lively): Samoyeds are intelligent, playful, and active dogs willing to interact with people. Silver Fox dogs, crossbred from the German white fox dog and Japanese dog, are overly dependent on their owner, overly sensitive, and tend to bark when the owner leaves or when there are noises around.

Overall, Silver Foxes are timid, while Samoyeds are lively.

3. Mouth difference: The biggest difference between Samoyeds and Silver Foxes is their mouth. Samoyeds have a wider, shorter mouth. The flesh on both sides of the mouth is thicker compared to Silver Foxes. Samoyeds' mouths should be short and wide; the shorter and wider, the better. Some Samoyed puppies have slightly square, very straight mouths, which suggest they are not very purebred.

4. Tail difference: Samoyeds never curl their tails (not meaning the tail is always straight, but never curled into a ring). The tail of a Samoyed should be carried over the back or to one side of the body, not drooped or tightly curled, and lies relatively close to the body.

5. Eye difference: Samoyeds have typical almond-shaped eyes, whereas Silver Foxes’ eyes are relatively smaller and rounder. Also, Samoyed puppies sometimes show a slight blue tint in the whites of their eyes near the iris, which disappears as they grow. This is normal and nothing to worry about.

6. Face difference: The face shape differs as well. Samoyeds have a more pronounced forehead (like a monkfish with a big forehead). Simply put, the angle between the face and the nose bridge is larger. Silver Foxes have a less obvious forehead, with a much smaller angle.

7. Ear difference: Samoyeds’ ears are thicker, while Silver Fox ears appear thin. Regarding small Samoyeds, since they are generally larger than Silver Foxes (often disguised as fake Samoyeds), if a supposedly young “Samoyed” puppy has ears standing up early, it is likely a Silver Fox. Samoyed ears typically stand up between around two months to 100 days, by which time the body is already relatively large.

8. Coat difference: The coat texture differs greatly. Samoyeds have softer, fuller coats. Silver Foxes’ coats resemble impure Pomeranians on the market—harder and more wiry, lacking the soft, smooth feel of a Samoyed’s coat.

Samoyeds have a double coat: the layer close to the skin is down fur for harsh cold resistance, even puppies have a thick coat. You can feel this thickness by touching. Crossbreeds have sparse coats with needle-like hair, not soft.

Silver Fox fur color tends toward snowy white, looking almost dyed, with a brighter shine than Samoyeds. Samoyeds’ coat color tends to be milky white, cotton-like, with less shine overall giving a fluffy impression.

9. Paw difference: Samoyed paws resemble those of Huskies; Silver Fox paws resemble those of Pomeranians.

10. Expression difference: Silver Foxes have no distinctive expressions. The sweeter the Samoyed’s expression and face, the better.