How to train a Laika

You and your dog can have a fulfilling experience when training a Laika. Laikas are intelligent and highly instinctive animals that learn quickly and react well to praise. Training sessions will go more smoothly and enjoyably if you know how to communicate effectively with your Laika, whether you’re starting with basic commands or working on more advanced abilities.

Laikas enjoy mental stimulation and are naturally good at solving problems. Including interactive exercises and games in your training regimen will help to keep your Laika motivated and involved. This breed responds best to a structured approach with defined expectations, so patience and consistency are essential.

We will go over useful hints and methods in this guide to assist you in properly training your Laika. You’ll discover techniques that will strengthen your relationship and assist your Laika in developing into a well-mannered and contented friend, from building a strong foundation to handling typical problems.

Briefly about the breed: character, psyche, features

Laika are a collection of distinct species bound by similar characteristics, physiology, and purpose rather than a distinct breed. Any kind of laika is an independent dog that loves its freedom and has a keen sense of hunting. Russian hunters love Laikas, and there are five different kinds of Laika hunting.

Table 1: Breeds that belong to the Laika category

Illustration	Breed
	West Siberian Laika
	East Siberian Laika
	Yakut Laika
	Karelo-Finnish Laika
	Russian-European Laika

The comparative table shows that Laikas are all fairly large, stocky dogs with erect, sensitive ears and fluffy tails that are curled toward the hips or cereals. The Laika breed of dogs has the same goal, which is to assist a hunter, even though they were bred in different places and at different times. In some cases, their bloodlines even crossed.

Laikas are full partners of foot hunters; in contrast to hounds and spaniels, which accompanied horseback hunting or retrieved water game, the success of the entire hunting event frequently depends on the dog’s skill. As a result, training the dog is crucial and should take precedence over trusting its instincts.

Laikas searching for a boar in the wild

To be clear, laikas of any kind are only appropriate for working dogs; owning one of these pets without intending to go hunting is foolish. A novice who purchases a puppy "for beauty" will face many difficulties from Laika’s strong hunting instincts, and the dog will never make a good friend or protector of the home.

Crucial point Laikas need frequent trips to training and hunting events, as well as multi-hour walks in the outdoors every day. If not, the animal will turn unruly, hostile, and anxious. The most frequent result of poor Laika care is the animal escaping. Laikas, incidentally, frequently flee from neglectful owners and join hunters, heeding nothing more than the "call of nature."

A Laika’s owner must undoubtedly be a skilled hunter.

Laikas and hunting qualities

Maybe a Laika is the best dog a foot hunter can find. This breed is a harmonious blend of intelligence, great physical stamina, and outstanding natural hunting ability. Six primary hunting attributes in Laikas are highlighted by experienced hunters.

The first quality is smell.

We are not talking specifically about the sense of smell, but rather about a combination of such senses as hearing, sight and scent. Adult trained Laikas are able to detect an animal a hundred or more meters away from themselves. At the same time, Laikas are divided into those who find the smell of prey in the air (including if the animal is in a tree), those who follow only the trail, “reading” the smell from the ground, and those who use hearing and smell. Note that the sense of smell is an innate quality of a dog, and the owner"s task is not to spoil it. Thus, dogs lose their sense of smell if they do not go hunting for a long time, as well as with regular inhalation of strong odors (gasoline vapors, paints and varnishes, smoke).

Early on in their lives, husky puppies develop a sense of smell.

Quality No. 2: Look for a meal.

Another natural trait shared by huskies is their quick search for game. However, through training and drilling, the owner can modify the dog’s search capabilities, unlike sense of smell. A well-balanced diet, the dog’s physical development, and animal care all play a significant part in this.

Voice data is quality number three.

The word "bark" refers to the way a dog alerts a person when it finds an animal, which is how the breed got its name. As a result, the pet’s vocal cords need to be protected; avoid letting the dog strain in vain and make sure the collar doesn’t squeeze the throat. Naturally, during training in hunting skills, the dog is taught to only bark at the appropriate times in order to avoid frightening the game.

A moment prior to the voice being given

Fourth quality: disposition toward the prey.

Possibly the most crucial characteristic of a hunting dog. A Laika needs to understand that the prey needs to be carefully given to the owner. It is not acceptable for a dog to try to eat, tear, or flee with the game that it has caught. As soon as the animal or bird is in its mouth, the animal needs to be trained to bring it to the owner’s feet.

5. Tenacity is a quality.

This phrase from hunting refers to the dog’s need to pursue, follow, and bark at its prey until its owner issues the proper command. Dogs that lack persistence only hunt because they are passionate about it and don’t stop of their own free will. A good working dog would never be so obstinate.

A Laika and the hunter need to collaborate.

Sixth quality: compliance.

An additional crucial element for a hunting canine. This is a skill that the owner needs to work on directly, going to a training ground as soon as the puppy is old enough. A husky should have hunting skills in addition to knowing simple commands and blindly following its owner.

Raising a husky puppy

The owner should begin the puppy’s education as soon as it enters the home. Not that training is necessary, but it is important for the infant to know its role in the family (a person should always be the leader) and the fundamental rules regarding acceptable behavior.

Puppies must be raised carefully, beginning in the early days of their owner-dog relationship.

So, by three months the puppy needs to be taught to respond to a nickname and come to the call of the owner (be sure to reward the baby with a treat for success), wear a collar and a leash, explain to the dog where its place for sleeping and eating is, and also make it clear that it should play with toys, not the owner"s things. When the puppy starts going for walks, it needs to be encouraged for "toilet business", and also taught to walk next to a person, on a slack leash. By this age, it is time to enroll the dog in general training, individual or group obedience classes.

Obedience for a Laika

It is erroneous to think that general training is not necessary for a hunting dog. Only after the animal has been trained, socialized, and trained toward humans can you hope to have success with a Laika in the hunting process. It is true that in a large forest area with lots of interesting things to see, it can be challenging to let a dog go if it does not respond to the owner’s command to "come to me."

Every basic command must be understood and obeyed by a Laika.

Due to their intense hunting instinct, Laikas can attack small dogs in addition to taking in birds or street cats as prey. You require an OKD course in order to prevent such issues. We advise taking group classes with a dog trainer to train a Laika puppy. As a result of working in their surroundings, the pet will be better socialized and won’t be distracted by other dogs. Additionally, an expert will assist in facilitating the greatest possible interaction between a person and their pet.

Course on general training (OKD)

The dog should observe the owner’s upbeat demeanor throughout obedience training and always receive affection, praise, and treats as a reward for good work.

Likes are awaiting the start of training.

Clicker training of a husky

Once the puppy has started obedience classes and is making progress in his training, the training needs to get more complex. Even though the OKD program allows the dog to obey commands both verbally and through gestures from the owner, it won’t always be practical for the hunt. Since the husky is far away, it’s possible that it won’t notice the gesture and the hunter won’t yell a command, frightening the animal. A clicker or other similar device will be very helpful in this situation.

Dog clicker

A clicker is a little device that genuinely produces a quiet click sound when a button is pressed. The dog must be trained to respond to a set number of clicks rather than a voice command in order to perform tasks. It is true that using a clicker to cover the whole spectrum of commands available is challenging, but it is possible to reinforce the fundamental ones. How would one go about doing that?

You must begin with something easy. You must utter the command "Come to me" while pressing the clicker if the dog is already familiar with it. You should give your pet some praise and a treat when it comes running. Moving forward, the command must always be followed by a single click of the clicker. A few days later, you can try simply clicking without giving the command aloud; if the dog runs, you can write it off as a lesson learned.

A clicker is used by many Laika owners.

Utilizing the clicker as a reward, some people take advantage of dogs’ natural instincts. In other words, when a command is successfully performed, the pet always receives a treat and hears the clicker click. With time, even in the absence of food encouragement, the dog starts to react favorably to this sound. However, using a clicker to give commands to hunting dogs allows you to do so virtually silently.

It is possible to teach a dog that the commands "Come," "Sit," and "Next" require one, two, and three clicks, respectively. During the hunt, the owner can decide which commands are crucial to him and "transfer" them to the clicker. The dog will then be under control even in the stillness of the forest, and you won’t have to worry about startling away any animals or birds that won’t be particularly sensitive to the device’s clicks.

Video – Clicker training

When done patiently and consistently, training a laika can be a rewarding experience. Because of their intelligence and desire to please, these dogs are receptive to methods of positive reinforcement. You and your Laika can develop a strong bond by giving clear instructions and rewarding good behavior.

To keep your Laika interested, keep in mind that training sessions should be brief and enjoyable. Frequent exercise, in addition to socialization and exposure to various settings, will help produce a dog that is confident and well-mannered. Since every dog learns differently, exercise patience and persistence.

You’ll discover that your Laika not only picks up commands but also flourishes as a contented, well-mannered friend with commitment and the appropriate training. Savor the training process and the benefits it will have for your friendship with your pet.

Because Laikas are bright, active dogs that respond well to constant, positive reinforcement, training them can be a fulfilling experience. You can use your patience, clear communication, and goal-setting skills to help them learn important commands and behaviors while also fostering a strong bond with their natural enthusiasm.

Video on the topic

training a husky puppy

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