The Nenets Herding Laika is an aboriginal spitz from Russia, said to be relatively unchanged from the Prehistoric era! This very old breed is the ancestor to many well-known spitz breeds today including the Samoyed. While virtually unknown to most of the world, they are recognized by the Russian Kynologic Federation who accepted the standard in 1994. Despite surviving near-extinction during the Soviet era, they are still low in numbers and not recognized by the FCI or the major registries in the United States. As evidenced by their name they were originally created to herd – particularly reindeer, although were sometimes also used to pull sleds.
Nenets Herding Laikas are intelligent and were bred to make their own decisions when needed. This means that obedience training may have some rocky moments when the dog decides there are better things to do! This said, with a bit of patience on the owner’s part, the breed actually can be very trainable and learns quickly. Make sure to stay firm yet fair, and be consistent in training. Furthermore, he is adaptive and versatile to enjoy a variety of dog sports including carting, herding, sledding, agility, conformation, tracking, flyball and competitive obedience.
Nenets are ultimate outdoor athletes and able to succeed in a number of physical tasks including search-and-rescue, customs services, police work, and service dog work in addition to their sled-pulling and herding capabilities. They were designed to work with people and therefore don’t do well in homes where they will be left to fend for themselves most of the day. They can be prone to separation anxiety. This breed can live happily with a large family or a single person, just as long as there is enough interaction to keep him happy.
Nenets Laikas are alert and curious by nature and may bark to alert when people come to the door although are not guard dogs. They enjoy meeting people and are fairly friendly when introduced to new humans (including kids) and animals alike. For best results, they should be socialized from an early age and exercised frequently to keep from becoming too hyper. This is a high-energy breed but not an aggressive one. In fact they are known for their pleasant temperament.
As might be surmised from their glorious coats, Nenets do shed a lot and need daily brushing when actively blowing coat! Despite their small-medium size they do have an abundance of hair after all. The double coat consists of a coarse outer coat and a thick, water resistant undercoat. The coat tends to be on the longer side and includes a visible neck frill as well as thick hair underneath the paw pads which allows the dog to move easily in snow. Other physical traits of this breed are the wedge-shaped head, small erect ears covered with thick hair, and slightly slanted eyes. Colors include grey, fawn, black, brown, red, white, black/tan, piebald or patched. The overall impression of the breed should be that of an enduring and energetic dog that can easily perform it’s duties.
The Nenets Laika is not an apartment dog as he is too high energy and playful to be content in a small space. He needs lots of room to stretch out and run, in addition to regular structured exercise. Making sure he stays physically fit will help to keep him healthy throughout his 13-14 years of life. In general the breed is hardy and no health issues plague this spitz in particular, but exercise is important to make sure he gets the most enjoyment out of life! Furthermore, while he was developed to live in a cold and icy climate, he can live in any climate as long as his owner uses common sense. Air conditioning, frequent brushing and keeping him out of the sun in hot temperatures will help keep him happy.
Image By Sergey.vlad.popov