Nenets Laika: breed description and cultivation

Dogs are considered the first human friends since primitive times. There are rock carvings of these animals next to people, made during the Mesolithic period. Many of the oldest breeds eventually ceased to exist, acquiring new features in the process of evolution. But in the vastness of the Far North, a representative of one of the most ancient breeds of dogs lives next to a person. This is a Nenets Laika or Reindeer Spitz. A loyal friend, a reliable guard, a responsible shepherd and a good hunter - so many merits a four-legged helper of a man living among the endless snows.

The history of the Nenets Laika begins during the Upper Paleolithic. The ancestor of the breed is considered to be the ancient peat dog, from which all types of European Spitz descended. Due to the fact that the northern peoples lived in isolation for a long time, the Nenets Laika was able to preserve the purity of its blood, and the breed has not undergone significant changes since ancient times. There are two versions of the appearance of the breed.According to one of them, the reindeer herding spitz is an indigenous representative of the animal world, who still served the primitive inhabitants of the Arctic lands. There is no specific evidence for this theory.

According to another, the descendants of the peat dog to the Yamal Peninsula were brought from Europe by the Scandinavians who moved there for permanent residence. Already from them the deer husky got to the Sami. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Lapps came to the Kola Peninsula, where they met with the Nenets, who grazed their herds there without four-legged helpers. Then the Nenets received the first representatives of the Nenets Laika breed from the Lapps.

Before meeting with the Nenets, the reindeer herding spitz was used as a hunting dog. But thanks to a long life next to people in difficult conditions, representatives of the oldest aboriginal breed acquired such important features:

• strong and adaptive psyche;
• light constitution;
• good hunting skills.

Such skills allowed the dog to become an excellent shepherd for large reindeer herds, without which the life of an indigenous inhabitant of the northern lands is unthinkable. Interesting facts were revealed by the studies carried out by the Institute for Problems of the Development of the North of the SB RAS. Since the Nenets acquired the reindeer herding husky, dogs have become an integral part of the economy for any reindeer breeder. “Without dogs, a person is not a person, a shepherd is not a shepherd,” say the native Nenets, emphasizing their dependence on a faithful helper. Noting a good owner, they mention not only the number of deer in herds, but also how many good working dogs he has. Until recently, a highly trained shepherd dog was equated to a deer for the price.

The Nenets call their Laikas "veniku", adding definitions for age and gender:

• hani-vyniku - a puppy up to one year old;
• khor-vyniku - adult male;
• echa-vyniku is a female.

In some areas of the north, residents also distinguish huskies with short hair, calling them "yando". This term denotes a cross between the Nenets and Russian European Laikas. The common name for shepherd's Laikas among the Nenets is "Neney-Veniku" (Nenets Dog), all other breeds among the indigenous inhabitants of the northern regions are called "Lusa-Veniku" (Russian Dog).

Today, the reindeer herding dogs of the Yurak are known all over the world thanks to the artificially bred decorative breed of Samoyed Laikas. The breed is based on white representatives of the Nenets dogs, distinguished by a dense physique, a fox head shape, thick fluffy hair and a developed intellect. Unlike the Samoyeds, the Nenets Laika has no color restrictions, except for tiger, which is outside the breed and is not recommended for breeding. According to established standards, a purebred individual is characterized by a description containing the following features.

• Wedge-shaped muzzle expanding from the nose smoothly passes into a well-defined forehead, which flows into a distinct occipital protuberance. Strong jaws hide large white teeth behind dry, tightly closed lips. The color of the nose is mostly black, but in lighter specimens it may be brown.
• Standing wide apart small ears set high and highly mobile. The tips of the ears are directed slightly forward and upward.
• Small eyes with an intelligent expressive look, they are almond-shaped and slightly sloping towards the bridge of the nose. Depending on the color, the iris of the eyes is yellow in brown dogs of various shades and brown in the rest. Sunken or protruding eyes are faults in the breed.
• Muscular, lean, set at an angle of 45-50 ° neck of medium length passes into a pronounced withers, especially noticeable in males.
• Strong short back, smoothly turning into a straight and slightly convex loin, flows into a wide straight or slightly lowered croup.
• Deep, moderately wide breast oval shape passes into a lean belly, hidden by long hair.
• A relatively long tail in a calm state is twisted upward in a ring, but in a state of arousal it takes the form of a lowered log or sickle.
• Legs straight parallel, hind legs set slightly wider than front ones. The legs are equal in length or slightly longer than half the height of the dog at the withers. Feet are oval with slightly bent toes and strong nails. The profitable toes characteristic of the Nenets Laika need to be removed, but the original owners of the breed consider this defect to be a hallmark of a fast and good dog.
• Straight elongated coarse wool rich in soft, dense undercoat. An adult dog has a thick collar, rich trousers and long hair on the underside of the tail, where it can reach a length of 250 mm.
• The anatomical differences between males and females are pronounced. Males vary in height from 44 to 52 cm, while females grow from 40 to 45 cm. Males are more square in shape and are more massive than females. Their coat is significantly rich even in summer.
• The movement of the dogs is easy. The typical gait for the reindeer herding spitz is the gallop and accelerated trot.

One of the most ancient aboriginal breeds that have survived to our times, it is distinguished by its balanced character. Due to the way of life next to a person, evil, disobedient individuals were destroyed, leaving no offspring. Therefore, the modern dog has good adaptability and good nature in relation to the owner and his family, considering them to be his pack, which needs to be protected.

All owners of a reindeer herding husky note the dog's intelligence and his ability to make independent decisions even in non-standard situations. The dog clearly understands the permitted limits of its capabilities, often acting on an intuitive level and focusing on the previous actions of the owner. Laika is very patient with small children, allowing her to fiddle with her fur and not showing aggression even when the baby hurts her. But he is wary of unfamiliar adults and may show a negative reaction if he tries to stroke her.

The reindeer herding spitz turned out to be a good guard who will reliably protect the owner's property from any offenders, whether it be a person or another animal. The famous Soviet zoologist and naturalist Spangenberg describes such a case from the life of her husky, when she not only drove a domestic cat away from a bowl of open butter, but also tried to wrap this piece with her nose in paper on which it was lying, which is a rather difficult task for a dog. But she did it, although no one taught her such tricks.

The husky is best suited for free content in a private house, where it has the ability to move a lot, but dogs of this breed are not very suitable for apartments. In the natural environment, the dog independently copes with personal hygiene, since the Nenets have never looked after the appearance of the dogs. But when keeping a dog in an apartment, it needs regular combing, especially during the molting period. You can bathe the deer race once a year or do without this procedure. You can trim the nails, clean the ears and wipe the eyes as needed.

The husky is not picky about food. Among the Nenets, she plays the role of an orderly, eating everything that remains after cutting the carcass of a deer, as well as leftovers from the master's table. In urban conditions, the dog can be fed with meat, fish, offal. Also on the menu are cereals, vegetables and vitamin supplements.As with any dog, the Pomeranian should not be given sweets, harsh spices, and fried or smoked foods.

Raising a Reindeer Spitz is very easy. An intelligent and quick-witted dog quickly understands what the owner demands of it and happily fulfills all the requirements. For training a puppy, it is not recommended to use harsh methods, since a smart dog grasps everything, as they say, on the fly.

Training for the profession begins when the puppy is about a year old. In the process of training, they use "gingerbread", but sometimes it is necessary to punish the dog. After the punishment, the dog is tied up, as he can take offense and run away. But on the other hand, the dog does not make a second mistake. Laikas are trained according to the profession where it will be used. For the Nenets, the duties of a shepherd dog are divided into the following roles:

• you-malambada - those who gather the reindeer into the herd;
• ty-tavana control the movement of the herd, making independent decisions about the speed and time of movement;
• malta-myta return the strayed reindeer at the direction of the shepherd or guided by their scent;
• the mercho-myta organize the circular movement of the reindeer herd, preventing them from scattering.

Shepherd dogs are mainly appreciated, but hunting dogs are not approved by the Nenets, as is the use of reindeer races as sled dogs. The husky has shown itself well as a companion dog. The natives of the north know that a reindeer herding dog will help to find a way home in a blizzard, lead a bear aside or bring a killed bird.

Although reindeer breeders do not believe that hunting instincts are necessary for Nenets huskies, in other regions smart and balanced dogs are often used precisely as hunting assistants. Savvy dogs quickly understand which animal is of interest to the owner, and help to find and track down even in trees or in wetlands. At the same time, the dog does not bark in vain and is not distracted by the environment. Criminologists use the reindeer herding husky to search for prohibited substances. The Nenets dog has also found its application in the Ministry of Emergency Situations, where it is trained to find people in trouble.

For even more information about the features of the Nenets Laika dog breed, see the next video.