In many websites authored by non-Russian writers and even in well respected publications, a myth about origins of the Russo-European Laika circulates. We offer two samples picked out of different websites designed to inform visitors about the Russo-European Laika.

Sample one: “This is an awesome dog who hunts bear, moose, wolf and boar. Closely related to the Karelian Bear Laika, the Russo-European Laika was developed by Russian breeders who crossed the Karelian Bear Laika with the Utchak Sheepdog. The latter is an absolutely fearless animal that doesn’t think twice when meeting up with any large like animal such as himself. This dog is certainly not a family pet. The Russo-European Laika inherited much of the Utchak’s fearless nature and will not hesitate to attack a full-grown animal. If this trait could be focused properly, the breed would be a truly powerful guard dog”. In fact, the Russo-European Laika hunts all kinds of small and big game and great majority of dogs hunts squirrels, capercaillies and black grouse. It is true that the Russo-European Laika is a bold and aggressive hunting dog suitable to go after moose, wild boar and bear, but he is and affectionate and 100% loyal family dog. He would bark at unfamiliar people, but never quick to bite. It clearly said in the breed standard that aggressiveness to humans is not typical of the breed. How about “Utchak Dog”? Such a breed did not and does not exist in Russia. Russo-European Laikas originated from aboriginal dogs of NE part of European Russia and there were no need to cross them with any other imported breed.

We do not know who introduced this false statement about interbreeding with the Utchak Dog, but it was repeated by many, who wrote about the Karelian Bear Dog. Here is sample two: “Closely related to the Laika, the Karelian Bear Dog is descended from an old Finnish breed to which Russian breeders introduced Utchak Sheepdog blood.” Unfortunately Mark Derr also picked this up and included in his article about Karelian Bear Dogs published in Smithsonian.

We hope that lovers of Karelian Bear Dogs and Russo-European Laikas will be interested to read information about origin of the Russo-European Laika based on original documents.

Best aboriginal Laikas of Komi, Arkhangelsk Province and Perm Province served as original breeding material for creation of the Russo-European Laika as a purebred.

In 1947, research worker of the All-Union Institute of Hunting Industry, E. I. Shereshevsky offered a new classification of aboriginal Laikas. It was based on geographic principle instead of existed at that time ethnographic principle; Likas were named by names of nations of peoples, to whom they belonged. According to the new principle, formation of each Laika breed should be based on fusion of local aboriginal and similar to each other types of dogs (landrace breeds) into one breed of larger geographic area. Then, in 1947, based on this principle, All-Union Cynological Meeting accepted and ratified four hunting Laika breeds, one of which was the Russo-European Laika.

However, the breed still should be developed. Kennel of the All-Union Reasearch Institute of Hunting Industry (VNIIOZ) played most important role in the process. E. I. Shereshevsky and V. E. Koon led the breeding work. They mated Champion Pootik 65/l with his sister Pomka 76/l. They both originated from black and white male Muzgar brought from Pomozda District, Komi Autonomous Republic and West Siberian Hanty type Laika female named Pityukh-II. As a result of this breeding, puppies were of rather uniform type, black and white and with good conformation and hunting ability. This type of dogs became a basis for the first written breed standard of the Russo-European Laika.

Further formation of the breed was relatively fast and completed by 1952, when Cynological Committee of the Headquarter of Hunting Industry of Russia (Glavokhota) approved the standard of the breed.

Line of Champion Pootic 65/l had high quality dogs constantly passing their conformation type, when mated with bitches of Zyryan type dogs. Champion Pootik and his offspring were good breeding dogs, but subsequent inbreeding inevitable in the beginning of the development of the breed had its negative effects. Some dogs with poor bone and nervous deviations appeared. Besides, restrictive breeding of only black and white dogs resulted in loss of good shape of head, snippiness and weakened cheeks. Therefore, it became necessary to add fresh blood dogs with good typical of the breed characteristics. For this purpose, in 1956, a new line of male named Bublik (owner’s name is Gelobov) was added. Bublik’s son named Druzhok 103/l was brought from Leningrad. Males of this line passed a strong bone, prominent cheeks and typical of the breed coat color and fresh blood into inbred line of Pootik 65/l.

Besides this, in 1960, male named Sharok b/n (owner’s name is Borisov) was brought out of hunting regions of Komi Autonomous Republik and produced several typical representatives of the breed and in late 60th a group of males became a breed line with the female named Dymka 1008/l (owner’s name is Leonov).

By 1964, there was a considerable number of similar type dogs meeting requirements of standard of the breed Russo-European Laika. Important pedigree lines and groups had been formed. Results of dog shows and field trials confirmed high quality of these dogs and the breed grew in popularity among hunters with Laikas.

Bibliography:

1. Studbook of Russo-European Laika dogs, 1951-1966.
2. All-Russian Pedigree Book of Hunting Dogs (Volumes I-VIII).
3. Dog Show and Rating Reports on Russo-European Laikas put together by experts at Moscow Dog Shows, No. 27-36, 44-55.
4. Reports on field trials and contests of Laikas in Moscow, 1962-2000.
5. These sources on the history of the Russo-European Laika are stored in private libraries of members of Moscow Society of Hunters and Fishermen and in public libraries.

One question remains. What kind of dog the Utchak Dog is? We would like other members of R-PADS and guests to help us to find answer to answer this question.