East Siberian Laika

The East Siberian Laika comes from the vast forested regions of Siberia, where local peoples used it to hunt large game, including bear, and to pull sleds, so the breed combines both hunting and draft work in one type. It's the largest of the four Russian Laikas, built for long routes across harsh, sparsely populated country. The medium-length double coat with its dense undercoat lets it work outdoors in seriously low temperatures. A male weighs up to 23 kilograms, sturdy without being bulky. Temperament runs independent and hardy, shaped by a history of making decisions far from human help. Life expectancy runs 10 to 14 years.

Browse dog food sized right for this breed

East Siberian Laika: how old in human years?

51–64 cmHeight
17–23 kgWeight
10–14 yrsLife expectancy

Hokkaido

FCI group: Spitz and Nordic/Ancient-type Dogs
FCI section: Section 2: Nordic Hunting Dogs
FCI: 305
Country of origin: Russia

Energy level

5/5
Trainability

3/5
Family friendly

3/5
Grooming need

3/5

At a glance

Height

Males 55–64 cm

Females 51–60 cm

Weight

Males 18–23 kg

Females 17–22 kg

Life expectancy

10–14 yrs

Coat

double coat, medium length (medium-length)

Temperament & Family Life

East Siberian Laika's average temperament and family-life score for this breed is moderate.

Family friendly 3/5
Good with children 3/5
Good with other dogs 2/5
Friendly with strangers 2/5
Intelligence 4/5
Trainability 3/5

Exercise, Energy & Space

East Siberian Laika's energy and exercise needs are high.

Energy level 5/5
Exercise need 5/5
Apartment friendly 1/5
Prey drive 5/5
Hunting instinct 5/5

Guarding & Alertness

East Siberian Laika's guarding and alertness traits are moderate.

Guarding instinct 2/5
Watchfulness 4/5
Barking level 3/5

Grooming & Care

East Siberian Laika's grooming needs are moderate.

Shedding 4/5
Drooling 1/5
Grooming need 3/5

Living with the East Siberian Laika

A squirrel freezes at the top of a pine, and down below the Laika circles the trunk, barking loudly and rhythmically, never taking its eyes off the branches until the hunter arrives. The East Siberian Laika is a Russian hunting dog that finds game, holds it with its bark and so shows the hunter where it is. It does most of that work on its own, far from people, and the independence shows in everyday life too.

It has a great deal of energy and needs a great deal of exercise: long, varied walks, ideally in the woods, running, search and tracking work. Without that, it will invent its own pastimes, and you won't like them. It is clever and learns fast, but it listens when it sees the point, so training has to be consistent and interesting. Its prey drive and hunting instinct are very strong: off-lead time belongs in secure, fenced places, and cats and small pets are genuinely at risk.

With its family it is friendly and devoted, but not clingy; it is reserved with strangers and announces visitors loudly. It may not get on with other dogs, so introductions need thought. A flat does not suit it. It does best in a house with a garden, with an active owner or a hunter for whom the forest is a second home.

Grooming and coat

The East Siberian Laika wears a double coat: a medium-length, harsh outer coat over a dense, soft undercoat that let it sleep in the snow of the taiga. It is more than enough for a Baltic winter, and it sheds heavily, especially when the undercoat changes: then hair comes out of its flanks and tail in whole tufts. Most of the year a brush once or twice a week is enough; during the moult, go over it daily with a wide-toothed comb or an undercoat rake so the old hair doesn't mat.

It rarely needs a bath; a well-kept double coat sheds dirt on its own and hardly smells of dog. The ears are upright and well aired, but check them weekly anyway, and after hikes in the forest look between the toes and at the nails.

How to do it:

By age:

Health and possible conditions

We don't have reliable health information specific to this breed, so we don't list conditions here. Keep up regular vet check-ups, and if you are getting a puppy, ask the breeder about the parents' health testing.

This is general information, not veterinary advice. For your own dog's health, tests and treatment, see a vet.

Food for medium breeds — cheapest per kg

This list is chosen by the breed's weight (23 kg) rather than the breed itself: shops label food by dog size, so every breed of the same size gets the same list. Prices are updated daily.

≈ 280 g of dry food a day, from €15,29 a month For a neutered, normally active 20 kg dog. Calculate for your dog