A dog rests in front of a homemade wooden sled loaded with the woven birch mats which are used as a flooring in the tent. 
The Nenets keep well-trained dogs to help with the herding of the reindeer. These dogs are the origin of the "Samoyed" breed of dogs. The dogs work hard and are important members of the household, and are treated with respect. Hot stew is cooked for them, even when the people may eat frozen raw meat. The dogs come and go from the chum as they please, often sleeping on the beds with the people.
Unlike the western Samoyed breed, the Nenets dogs display a wide range of colors and markings.