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Yakutian Laika

intelligent / active / affectionate
Foundation Stock Service >>

Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.

Height

21-23 inches

Weight

40-55 pounds

Life Expectancy

10-12 years

Breed Traits & Characteristics

Affectionate With Family
  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    100% 100%
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    100% 100%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    100% 100%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    80% 80%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    40% 40%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    60% 60%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    20% 20%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    80% 80%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    100% 100%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    80% 80%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    60% 60%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    100% 100%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    80% 80%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    100% 100%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

Affectionate With Family

  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    100% 100%

How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.

Good With Young Children

  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    100% 100%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.

GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS

  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    100% 100%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    80% 80%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    40% 40%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    60% 60%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    20% 20%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    80% 80%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    100% 100%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    80% 80%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    60% 60%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    100% 100%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    80% 80%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    100% 100%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

About the Breed

Laikas from Yakutia is employed for hunting, sled dragging, and herding. They were created in antiquity as essential helpers for Yakutia natives. This adaptable dog will be content to remain at your side or to take part in agility, coursing, herding, or sledding. The Yakutian Laika served as a man’s indispensable and devoted assistant for decades in a society where even the smallest act of weakness may result in death. It was always treated with respect by its human family, who cared for it more like a member of the family than just another pet. This indicates that it matured into a wonderful companion dog who was devoted, animated, and biddable. The breed forms especially strong ties with children, with whom it is incredibly kind and considerate. However, despite its friendliness, socializing is still necessary to some extent, ideally from a young age.

The Yakutian Laika is generally pleased to get a new playmate, but it might be a little reserved with strangers. Dog breeders viewed human aggression as a serious flaw and painstakingly removed it from their dogs’ traits. The breed has exceptionally sensitive ears and a nose, making it a superb watchdog. But all that barking is done is expressing Yakutian Laikas are quite accommodating of other dogs because they used to pull a narta (sled) in close cooperation with numerous other dogs. The breed definitely wants to have one or more constant canine companions, and it may be introduced to the household with another dog without too many problems, though it should still be done with the appropriate prudence.

This breed’s second main function was hunting, and it still has a strong prey drive. Its interactions with smaller and larger creatures should therefore never be left unattended. If the Yakutian Laika and the household cat were raised together, they would most likely get along, how excited it is at the prospect of meeting someone new. Due to its outgoing personality, this dog is unlikely to be a good guardian.

What To Expect When Caring For a Yakutian Laika

Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.

Health

The Yakutian Laika is a hardy breed, thus prudent breeders look for conditions like hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, bloat, and specific eye anomalies to keep him that way.

Grooming

If the Yakutian Laika is not combed frequently, his seasonal shedding might become out of hand. He should typically be brushed once a week to avoid matting and tangles. It is a good idea to brush him every day when he is heavily shedding to prevent hair from getting everywhere. When grooming, use a metal comb and pin brush. Your job might be a little bit easier if you have a deshedder or detangler. The Yakutian Laika is a working dog, so severe coat clipping is not required. To prevent snow, ice, and other debris from building up and aggravating him, trim between his foot pads.  His coat naturally repels dirt and he does not have an odor, so bathing should only be done two to three times a year. Trim his nails when needed, usually every two to three weeks. Clean his ears each week as part of his grooming routine.

Exercise

The Yakutian Laika is a sled dog with a well-defined prey drive. The breed thrives on regular exercise and sufficient training. With a medium-high energy level, they love to run alongside a bike, do sled or rig running, or play fetch in the yard. They play well with other dogs they are familiar with, but are wary of strange dogs and people. Usually, they warm up quickly, but supervision is a good idea in new situations. Yakutian Laikas are not suitable for people who cannot spend time with their dogs.

Training

Training the Yakutian Laika is a rather pleasant and easy task thanks to his biddable nature and keen intelligence. This dog has a strong inclination to independent thinking so he won't follow the handler's orders unless he fully trusts him. Pulling a sled is an inborn talent of this breed, and it doesn't need much training in this respect.     The Yakutian Laika seeks human leadership and guidance, but he doesn't respond well to corrective training techniques. He works more eagerly if the learning process is based on positive reinforcement and tasty treats. As with any other dog, the Yakutian Laika should learn certain rules and norms of decent behavior in human society, so elementary obedience training is imperative.

Nutrition

The Yakutian Laika should do well on high-quality dog food, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared with your veterinarian's supervision and approval. Any diet should be appropriate to the dog's age (puppy, adult, or senior). Some dogs are prone to getting overweight, so watch your dog's calorie consumption and weight level. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Give table scraps sparingly, if at all, especially avoiding cooked bones and foods with high-fat content. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog's weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.

History

The Yakutian Laika is a recently created dog breed with a lengthy past. This working breed was developed in the Yakutia region of Russian Siberia, where the native Yakute people used dogs as workhorses in the past. In addition to being kept as pets, they were employed for hunting, reindeer herding, and as draft animals. Their pelts were frequently employed in religious rituals. Their primary responsibility was in transportation. The first known people to utilize dogs to pull sleds were the Yakutes.

The breed was flourishing around the middle of the 1800s. But as technology advanced, the demand for dogs decreased, and their population fell. The Yakutian Laika was reclaimed by a group of enthusiasts in 1998, and the Russian Kynological Federation officially recognized the breed in 2004. These magnificent puppies have been steadily making their way overseas since the invention of the Internet.