The Samoyed dog is named for the nomadic Samoyed people who came to northwestern Siberia from central Asia, or as legend puts it they came from the plateaus of Iran. Bred for the arduous work of sled-dog and reindeer herder, the powerful Samoyed is known for great endurance. These dogs lived as part of the family in the hide tents of their people, where one of their "jobs" was to keep the children warm in bed.