West Siberian Laika

Steady, evenly-tempered. A vigorous dog with very well developed sense of scent and detecting game, with an alert, sensitive and pronounced passion for hunting, is equally keen to hunt feathered as furred game. Self-confident and alert towards strangers.

This native Russian hunting breed comes from to the Ural, West and East Siberia forest area and was selected from Khanty and Manci hunting dogs. In the beginning of the 20th century the first standards of Vogul (Mansi) and Ostyak (Khanty) Laikas were created by Russian cynologists. In 1947 the new qualification of Laika breeds was offered and closely related Khanty and Mansi off-springs were united into one breed. The new breed standard for Zapadno-Sibirskaya Laika was approved in 1952.

Nowadays Zapadno-Sibirskaya Laika is the most prevalent hunting breed in Russia and widely spread in all wooden areas of the country from Karelia to Kamchatka. The breed seems to be especially popular in its native/original areas. Foundation stock from kennels of dogs with stable inheritance of work and well established quality in type and ability to work has been introduced in all cynological centres of the Russian Federation.