[3] Laikas resemble those dogs that originally accompanied humans since prehistory worldwide, until they became replaced with lop-eared, specialized for certain style of hunting, cultured breeds.

In large sparser populated parts of Russia, this process came at a later time and aboriginal Laika types still remain with hunters in remote northern and northeastern provinces of the country.

[4] Deforestation of land for agriculture and industrialization in later 19th-early 20th Centuries accelerated replacement of Laikas with other popular at the time dogs.

Russian experts of the late 19th century distinguished dozens of varieties of aboriginal Laikas, each associated with a particular ethnic group of indigenous people of northeastern Europe and Siberia, but none of them had been considered as purebred and pedigreed.

[7] Laikas belong to northern primitive breeds retaining traits of their wild ancestor, the wolf, in the appearance and behavior.

Females of the West Siberian Laika are good mothers and, if conditions permit, dig their own whelping dens, give birth to puppies and raise them without any assistance as soon as the food is available.

Many West Siberian Laikas are aloof with a strange person, avoid hands and watch him suspiciously.

Many West Siberian Laikas accept a new owner with difficulty and need time to adjust to a new place.

It is exceptionally intelligent and emotional dog, observant to the habits of its master and mood, often can foresee intentions.

West Siberian Laikas that are kept well exercised, busy with hunting and contacts with other dogs, animals and people, are content, obedient and never bark without a reason.

However, its extraordinary interest in wildlife demands special attention because the dog may tree some animals and stay far behind for some time.

The West Siberian Laika is a great psycho-therapy dog for able bodied active people, who like to walk a lot or hunt.

It needs regular exercising between hunting seasons by going on a walking trips in order to stay healthy and fit.

They were introduced in 2004 in Karuizawa, Japan, a popular resort town 170 km northwest of Tokyo, where they reduced the number of bear incidents from 255 in 2006 to four in 2017.

Mansi and Khanty use reindeer and, in some cases, horses as a draft animal, but good hunting dogs are never used to pull sleds.