Mary Allen
The West Siberian Laika is a friendly, intelligent, and even-tempered dog. This still very original and healthy breed gets along well with other breeds and is extremely patient with children.
The West Siberian Laika is a medium-sized, dry dog with a strong constitution. The well-developed skeleton is neither massive nor coarse. The musculature is strong and well developed.
West Siberian Laika – shows a strong and resolute nature
Appearance
These dogs have a robust and drying constitution with a hard, straight and dense coat and a well-developed undercoat that makes the top coat appear fuller. The head, ears and front legs are covered with short hair, while a dense mane forms around the neck.
Acceptable coat colors include salt and pepper, spotted, piebald, white, gray, black, red, and tan of all shades. The head forms an equilateral triangle with a long and pointed muzzle and a gradual transition from skull to muzzle. The eyes are oval, slanted and dark. The flexible, pointed and triangular ears have a high base. The tail can be curved or sickle-shaped and is carried over the back.
Care
The fur consists of rough, hard top hair with a lot of undercoat. Allowed colors are black with white markings, salt-and-pepper, and motley coat markings.
Temperament
The Jajka shows a strong and resolute character. He is social but reserved, less cheerful, and outspoken than the Husky. Its character seems to fall somewhere between that of the Siberian Husky and the Greenland Dog.
Upbringing
With the West Siberian Laika, training is almost unnecessary. The dogs are relatively quick to learn commands and love to work – they even do well in obedience and agility classes.
Attitude
It is not suitable for life in the city and requires a lot of space and a climate that is not too warm.
Compatibility
This still very original and healthy breed gets along well with other breeds and is extremely patient with children. The West-Siberian Laika is a real “philanthropist” and will bark when strangers appear, but it stays that way.
Movement
The West Siberian Laika has an average level of activity, but that’s not to say they should be “condemned” to being walked three times a day. It’s always best to remember that the dogs were originally developed for speed and endurance in deep snow and bred for size and strength.
History
The word Laika comes from the Russian “Lajatj”. Literally translated, it means barker or barker. This name is used by the Russians as a “collective designation” and was by no means limited to just one breed in prehistory. This is understandable as the homeland of these dogs stretches from the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Siberia to the Finnish-Russian border.
The frequently used designation for spitz-type hounds, which varied in size, coat type, and color but were very similar in type, is Laika. The resemblance to the Spitz dog types of northern Europe cannot be denied.
The Stone Age excavations of skeletons of the Laika, already frequently mentioned in the literature, point to this. Many indigenous peoples, such as the Vikings, the expeditions of biologists, geologists, etc. contributed to the spread of the Laika. In the past, indigenous peoples from present-day Siberia came to the North American continent via a land bridge in the area of the Bering Strait.