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The Yakutian Laika © Yakut Republican Dogbreeders Association
Brief History: Yakutian Laikas can be used for reindeer herding, pulling sleds and hunting. The Yakutian Laika was developed in very ancient time for native peoples of Yakutia involved with hunting mammals and birds; the dogs were their indispensable assistants. This is a versatile dog with excellent sense of smell, hearing and vision, strong hunting drive, endurance; they are aggressive to predators and soft and gentle to humans. Yakutian Laikas are not demanding to conditions of life and easily endure hostile climate of the north. Under harsh conditions of Yakutia, they are excellent working dogs; they can work in small groups and from dawn to sunset. Peoples of vast territory of Yakutia have been reindeer herders and hunters since ancient time and the dogs were their indispensable assistants. Origin and subsequent formation of the breed are still not quite known, but because of the hard to access country and extreme natural conditions, Yakutain Laikas have lived as primitive aboriginal breeds; they were rarely confined and mated free. Naturally, local type dogs could be preserved only under conditions of complete isolation from dogs of other breeds. First scientific descriptions of dogs of Yakutia were published in late XVIII Century, when first geographic studies of the north were conducted. Prince Shirinsky-Shikhmatov wrote in his monograph about Laikas: “Researchers of the north, of course, could not overlook northern dog; they could not disagree with hard fact that presence of this dog makes life of northern people possible. It is even more strange that so little attention was paid to description of dogs of he north; their ancestral aboriginal type and numerous varieties remain obscure. There are as many types of Laikas as ethnic minorities of the north; varieties of Laikas differ clearly from each other, each has its own peculiarities and their division is indisputable”. This monograph was written in 1898. Russian Geographic Society gave task to Mr. Maak to investigate Vilyuisk District. “Review of Vilyuiks District of Yakutian Provionce” was published in 1877. Maak wrote: “I saw dog of very typical appearance and very common in Siberia, which was fox-like”. In 1896, V. L. Seroshevsky published a book “Yakuts”, edited by N. I. Veselovsky. Describing dogs of Yakuts, Seroshevsky divides them into two groups, 1) guarding and hunting dogs and 2) maritime sled dogs. He wrote: “even most poor Yakut having no other animals, has at least one dog”. Yokhelson (Johelson?), 1898, in his publication “Hunting Industry in Kolyma Territory of Yakutian Province” and described the Tungus Lajka used for sledding and hunting dogs. He wrote: “There are two breeds in of dogs, one is so-called Tungus Laika, a pointed-eared dog of nomadic reindeer herders and polar sled dog”. All researchers described dogs of Yakutia as one breed of “polar sled dogs”. Yokhelson wrote: “Sled dog is a burden animal not only of nomads living in not forested country, but also of settled near the river Russians and russified minorities and the dog of majority of cattle keeping Yakuts. Except southwestern part of the territory, one can find 5-6 dogs in every yurta, which are used for howling firewood and other works needed by the household. The polar dog is not big, 50-60 cm at the shoulder… In the appearance, with his prick ears, oblique set eyes, thick coat and broad massive head, pointed muzzle, low carried tail (when the dog is tired, eats or in a bad mood), the dog is very similar to wolf. Among them, there are shaggy dogs, and somewhat blunt muzzle not different from our Spitzes … Generally, type of Kolyma sled dog is diverse and, perhaps, it is a mix between Kamchatka and Eskimo sled dogs with another imported breed.” It stands to a reason that other dogs relocated here together with new immigrants. Both Sero[evsky and Yokhelson described the Yakutian Sled Dog similarly: “Legs relatively thick and short, chest, which is used to pull sleds, perfectly developed; neck is thick and short. Face is unusually intelligent and with melancholic or grim expression”. In principle, it remains so today and the dogs little changed with the spreading civilization in the Yakutian north.	© Evgenia Arbugaeva © Lena Sidorova © Evgenia Arbugaeva

The Yakutian Laika © Yakut Republican Dogbreeders Association

Brief History:

Yakutian Laikas can be used for reindeer herding, pulling sleds and hunting. The Yakutian Laika was developed in very ancient time for native peoples of Yakutia involved with hunting mammals and birds; the dogs were their indispensable assistants. This is a versatile dog with excellent sense of smell, hearing and vision, strong hunting drive, endurance; they are aggressive to predators and soft and gentle to humans. Yakutian Laikas are not demanding to conditions of life and easily endure hostile climate of the north. Under harsh conditions of Yakutia, they are excellent working dogs; they can work in small groups and from dawn to sunset. Peoples of vast territory of Yakutia have been reindeer herders and hunters since ancient time and the dogs were their indispensable assistants.

Origin and subsequent formation of the breed are still not quite known, but because of the hard to access country and extreme natural conditions, Yakutain Laikas have lived as primitive aboriginal breeds; they were rarely confined and mated free. Naturally, local type dogs could be preserved only under conditions of complete isolation from dogs of other breeds. First scientific descriptions of dogs of Yakutia were published in late XVIII Century, when first geographic studies of the north were conducted. Prince Shirinsky-Shikhmatov wrote in his monograph about Laikas: “Researchers of the north, of course, could not overlook northern dog; they could not disagree with hard fact that presence of this dog makes life of northern people possible. It is even more strange that so little attention was paid to description of dogs of he north; their ancestral aboriginal type and numerous varieties remain obscure. There are as many types of Laikas as ethnic minorities of the north; varieties of Laikas differ clearly from each other, each has its own peculiarities and their division is indisputable”. This monograph was written in 1898. Russian Geographic Society gave task to Mr. Maak to investigate Vilyuisk District. “Review of Vilyuiks District of Yakutian Provionce” was published in 1877. Maak wrote: “I saw dog of very typical appearance and very common in Siberia, which was fox-like”. In 1896, V. L. Seroshevsky published a book “Yakuts”, edited by N. I. Veselovsky. Describing dogs of Yakuts, Seroshevsky divides them into two groups, 1) guarding and hunting dogs and 2) maritime sled dogs. He wrote: “even most poor Yakut having no other animals, has at least one dog”. Yokhelson (Johelson?), 1898, in his publication “Hunting Industry in Kolyma Territory of Yakutian Province” and described the Tungus Lajka used for sledding and hunting dogs. He wrote: “There are two breeds in of dogs, one is so-called Tungus Laika, a pointed-eared dog of nomadic reindeer herders and polar sled dog”. All researchers described dogs of Yakutia as one breed of “polar sled dogs”. Yokhelson wrote: “Sled dog is a burden animal not only of nomads living in not forested country, but also of settled near the river Russians and russified minorities and the dog of majority of cattle keeping Yakuts. Except southwestern part of the territory, one can find 5-6 dogs in every yurta, which are used for howling firewood and other works needed by the household. The polar dog is not big, 50-60 cm at the shoulder… In the appearance, with his prick ears, oblique set eyes, thick coat and broad massive head, pointed muzzle, low carried tail (when the dog is tired, eats or in a bad mood), the dog is very similar to wolf. Among them, there are shaggy dogs, and somewhat blunt muzzle not different from our Spitzes … Generally, type of Kolyma sled dog is diverse and, perhaps, it is a mix between Kamchatka and Eskimo sled dogs with another imported breed.” It stands to a reason that other dogs relocated here together with new immigrants. Both Sero[evsky and Yokhelson described the Yakutian Sled Dog similarly: “Legs relatively thick and short, chest, which is used to pull sleds, perfectly developed; neck is thick and short. Face is unusually intelligent and with melancholic or grim expression”. In principle, it remains so today and the dogs little changed with the spreading civilization in the Yakutian north.

© Ruth Limbacher	© Evgenia Arbugaeva
© Sabine van Wel	© Evgenia Arbugaeva

General appearance:

The Yakutian Laika is a sturdy, proportionally built, slightly rangy, medium size dog with well
developed coat, which is sufficient for surviving under harsh arctic conditions. The Yakutian Laika is
active, agile, curious dog with a friendly and obedient character, very sociable and absolutely not aggressive.
His major purpose is sledding and hunting.

Body structure: Sturdy, with well developed bone and muscles.

Deficiencies: Slightly light or coarse body built; poorly developed muscles.Faults: Sharp deviation from the type.

Important proportions:

Height at shoulder. Males are 55-56 cm (optimum 55 cm). Females are 52-55 cm (optimum 54 cm).

Index of body format: 115-126.

Deficiencies: small deviations form the above body format.

Faults: square body format.

The Yakutian Laika is bold, outgoing, active, friendly and sociable.

Deficienices: Sluggishness and shyness.

Faults: Aggressiveness and extreme shyness.

Head is wedge-shaped, proportional to the size of dog.

Skull is rounded, voluminous and slightly longer then muzzle. Forehead is sufficiently high.

Stop is distinct.

Nose is large and well developed, black or brown, white dogs may have not well pigmented parts, but not
more then on 80% of it.

Muzzle is well filled before eyes, full, moderately broad, short, length of muzzle is approximately ½ length pf skull.

Lips are lean and free.

Jaw and teeth . Teeth are large, white, symmetric, scissors bite or straight bite or overshot

Deficiencies: small teeth, worn out too early for the age and poorly alined.

Cheeks are moderately pronounced.

Eyes are wide set, almond shaped, not protruding and not deep set. Eyes may be blue, dark brown or each eye
of different color (one blue and the other one brown). Eye lids are lean with black or brown rims like color of
nose. In white dogs, rims may be pigmented with interruptions.

Deficiencies: eyes are big and round, third lid is present and eyes are bulging.

Light head, flat skull and narrow long muzzle.

Faults: Very light or too coarse head, loose heavy body stricture and smooth transition from muzzle to forehead.

Ears are set high, broad at the base, triangular, mobile and prick or semi prick, thick and covered with thick hairs.
Ears are easily folded backward.

Deficiencies: low set ears, pendulous, too small with rounded tips ears.

Neck is sufficiently long, moderately set and muscular. Deficiencies: short neck or neck with dewlap.

Trunk is with rounded ribs, sturdy and muscular.

Top line is strong.

Withers is well developed, slightly sloped towards the base of tail.

Back is throng, even, muscular and broad. Back is twice as long as loins. Deficiencies: Insufficiently strong and broad
back. Faults: sagging, weak and not muscular back.

Loins: long muscular and broad. Deficiencies: weak loins. Faults: weak, sagging or humped loins.

Croup is strong, muscular and round. Deficiencies: Narrow, horizontal or strongly sloped croup.

Chest is broad, deep and round in cross section. Deficiencies: shallow chest and insufficiently rounded ribs.
Faults: the same deviations but in greater degree.

Tail is high set and curving in semicircle over the back. Deficiencies: too short or low set tail; tail is not carried
over the back. Faults: tail forming a ring over the back.

Legs are straight, parallel, strong and muscular.

Front legs are moderately long, strong, with well developed muscles.

Shoulder is obliquely set and muscular.

Elbows are close to body.

Forearm is straight and muscular.

Pasterns are short and strong.

Feet are compact with nails dark colored, dark pads and with well developed hairs between toes.
Deficiencies: somewhat straight angulations at shoulder/forearm joints, elbows directed outward
and feet directed slightly inward. Faults: curved forearms, excessively directed outward elbows, long,
weak pasterns and east-west feet position.

Hind legs are with strong bone and muscles. In view from behind they are straight and parallel.

Thighs are powerful, broad and muscular. Lower thighs are moderately long and muscular.

Angulations: hocks are well developed.

Tarsus is strong and sloped.

Hind feet are large, compact, and strong, with hard pads and hairs between the toes.
Deficiencies: poorly developed muscles, too close position of hind legs and too close to each other
hocks; to soft feet and toe pads and dewclaws. Faults: the same, but pronounced in stronger degree;
flat and splay feet.

Movement is quick, springy, energetic trot, when fast the dog is galloping.

Skin is thick, but without loose tissue under it.

Coat is thick, with well developed undercoat, shiny, straight and deep by touch. Well developed furnishing
on front legs and on hind legs; main on the neck is profusely developed. Tail is bushy with thick hairs.
Deficiencies: not enough fuzzy and thick hairs. Faults: wavy and too soft hairs.

Coat color any patchy coat color, black and white, gray and white, , with red spots and red and white.
Faults: any uniform coat color, except white.

Disqualifying faults include not typical coat color; males must have both testicles descended; complete
lacking of pigmentation on nose, eye lids or lips.