Yakutian Laika Dog Breed Information

Posted on May 14, 2019, Modified : Nov 22, 2019 Zina

Breeds

Country of Origin	Russia
Nicknames and Other Names	Yakut Laika
Scientific Name	Canis lupus familiaris
Breed Type	Purebred
Group	Sled Dog Herding Dog
Bred For	herding livestock and pulling sled
Size	Medium-sized
Recognized By	AKC
Life Span	10-12 years
Ideal Weight	40-55 pounds (male and female)
Ideal Height	21-23 inches (male and female)
Fur Type	Dense, medium length, coarse undercoat
Common Colors	Black and White, Gray and White, White and Red, White
Markings	Black markings, Tri-color markings, Buff markings
Availability	Rarely available
Achievements	None
Suitable for Apartments	Not suitable
Used in World War	No
Most Similar To	Samoyed

The Yakutian Laika, also known as Yakut Laika is a medium-sized bred as working dogs and hunting dogs. It is a versatile dog with an excellent sense of smell, vision, and hearing. They are known to be aggressive towards their prey but extremely gentle and kind towards the human being.

The Yakutian Laika is a sled dog with a strong and muscular body. The coat is double with a medium length outer coat and dense undercoat that is soft to touch. The eyes are wide-set, almond-shaped that is either blue or dark brown in color.

Origin and history

The Yakutian Laika was originated in the Arctic belt of Yakutia, Russian Siberia. It was first documented in the 1800s and were used by native Yakute people for hunting, herding as well as a family companion dog. They were mainly used for pulling sleds where each sled had a team of 11 dogs.

In the mid-1900s, the need of Yakutian Laika diminishes and slowly their number began to decrease. But luckily, a group of people worked to reclaim the breed and they succeed.

Yakutian Laika pulling sled — Yakutian Laika dogs pulling the sled.
Image Source: AKC

In 2004, it was recognized by the Russian Kynological Federation. The American Kennel Club has kept this breed in the Foundation Stock Service (as of April 2019) since 2017.

Is Yakutian Laika Child-Friendly?

The Yakutian Laika is a child-friendly dog as it is very loving and protective towards children and can make a great playmate for them. However, they do not tolerate harsh behavior, so small children should be properly supervised. They get well with older children who know how to handle and behave around dogs.

Small kid’s interaction with Yakutian Laika should always be supervised.

Yakutian Laika is child friendly — A girl playing with her Yakutian Laika.
Image Source: Instagram-@estherkeizer

Temperament, Behavior, and Personality

Temperament: The temperament of the Yakutian Laika is active, intelligent, and affectionate. At one hand, they are a very hard working dog which is active and fully devoted to its work. On the other hand, it does great as a family companion as it loves to be around family and is protective of them.

Behavior: Yakutian Laika is a working dog, which needs to be involved in regular activities to keep itself occupied. If they do not get their required activity, they can become anxious and could even get depressed. To avoid this behavior, they should be regular exercise.

Personality: The personality of the Yakutian Laika is gentle, loyal, and obedient. They are loyal to their family and are very devoted to them. They are wary of strangers that do not let anyone pass without a proper introduction. Therefore, they are great watchdogs and guard dogs.

Trainability

Training Yakutian Laika is not a difficult task to do as they are very smart and obedient. However, they are not for a novice owner but they need an experienced dog owner who knows the dog’s temperament and behavior.

Establishing a firm and consistent leadership is very important as they have to take you as their leader. Use positive methods of training by rewarding them with treats and lots of vocal praises. This will motivate them and keep them focused on the training.

Facts

Yakutian Laika was used for delivering mails in the 1800s.
It is the first breed known as a Russian sled dog.
The Yakutian Laika did not only assist their owners but hunted mammals and birds by themselves.

Health Issues

General Health	Healthy
Common Health Issues	Hip Dysplasia
Hypoallergenic	No
Vaccination Required	Rabies, Canine Distemper, Kennel Cough, Leptospirosis, Canine Parainfluenza, Canine Parvovirus, Canine Coronavirus
Shedding	Moderate Shedder
Drooling	Average Drooler
Grooming	Moderate Grooming Required
Weight Gain Potential	Average
Separation Anxiety	Low Chance
Allergies	No
Diets and Supplements	Protein: 25% Fat: 10% Glucosamine Omega-3 and 6 Fatty Acids Antioxidants

Yakutian Laika is generally a healthy breed with a life expectancy of 10-12 years. During these years, they can face the following canine diseases:

Deafness: Deafness is not a life-threatening condition and does not affect the daily lifestyle of your dog. It can be genetic inherent which do not have a proper treatment. However, there is various ears equipment that can make its life a little easier.
Hip Dysplasia: It is a condition that is occurred by the underdeveloped or dislocation of the hip joints. It can cause sharp pain on your dog’s back causing it difficult to move from one place to another. A proper treatment after consulting a vet is necessary.