Nenets Herding Laika

 

 

ORIGIN: Russia.

 

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE STANDARD. Russian Kennel

Federation, 1999. Developed by the Coordination and Science Board on Domestic Dog Breeds of the Russian Institute for Cultural and Natural Heritage

 

FUNCTIONALITY. Traditional function of reindeer herder in the original habitats, search-and-rescue service, companion dog.

 

 

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND. the Nenets Herding Laika is an aboriginal breed developed a few centuries ago for herding reindeers by the Nenets of the North of Europe and the Yamal Peninsula. Today the breed is widely used in the traditional reindeer breeding areas on the North and the North-East of Russia.

Functional conformation, compact size, high adaptability and well-developed sensory organs make it possible to use this breed for other purposes than its traditional reindeer herding function, most notably for search-and-rescue and customs services.

 

GENERAL APPEARANCE. Medium-sized, agile, enduring and energetic dog. Similarly to other spitztype dogs, it has a wedge-shaped head, erect ears, thick coat and the tail carried over the back. Strong build and substance. Well-developed muscles. Clearly pronounced sexual dimorphism.

 

MAIN PROPORTIONS.

• In dogs, back length is approximately the same as height at the withers. The bitches may have a longer back.
• Muzzle length is equal to or slightly shorter than the length of the cranial section.
• Chest depth is approximately one half of height at withers.
• Length of forearms is equal to or slightly longer than one half of height at withers.

 

BEHAVIOUR AND CHARACTER. The dog has a lively and agile temper, is easily trainable, can be trained different skills. Can be wary of strangers.

 

HEAD. Medium-sized, proportional to the body, wedge-shaped, moderately pointed. Upper line of the cranial part is parallel to the muzzle.

 

CRANIAL REGION:

Skull: moderately broad and almost flat between the ears. Length of the cranial region is equal to or is slightly more than its width. Slightly protruding forehead. Pronounced occiput.

Stop: transitions from forehead and cheeks to muzzle are well pronounced and enhanced by a smooth change in hair length.

 

FACIAL REGION:

Nose: medium-sized, preferably black, but grey or light-brown colours are acceptable. Brown coat has a matching nose colour.

Muzzle: smoothly narrowing towards the nose. Muzzle length is equal to or slightly shorter than the length of the cranial region. Straight nose bridge.

Lips: dry, close fitting, preferably fully pigmented.

Jaws/teeth: Strong jaws. Sufficiently large white teeth. Front teeth are evenly positioned. Scissors bite, direct bite is acceptable. Absence of premolars due to injuries is not a reason for a lower score, a missing molar is acceptable though not desirable. A missing М3 is acceptable.

Cheeks: well-pronounced, but not protruding.

Eyes: medium-sized, oval, slightly slant, neither deep set nor bulging; from dark brown to hazel in colour. Lighter coat may be matched by eye colour of the same tone, although brown is preferable. Brown coat must be matched by brown eyes. Intense and lively expression.

Ears: erect, mobile, relatively small, shape close to isosceles triangle. Set high and wide apart, with slightly rounded tips directed upwards and slightly forwards, with well-developed protective hair on the inside.

 

NECK

Medium long, set at approximately 50° to the horizon line, dry, muscular, oval in cross-section.

 BODY

Withers: well-pronounced, especially in dogs, medium long.

Back: strong, straight, broad, muscular.

Loin: short, slightly protruding, broad, muscular.

Croup: long, broad, slightly sloping, muscular.

Chest: sufficiently deep, oval in cross-section. Chest depth is approximately one half of height at the withers.

Belly: moderately tucked in.

 

TAIL. Set sufficiently high, reaching the hock joint or shorter, carried over the back in a circle or in a semi-circle when the dog is agitated, log-shaped or sickle-shaped and dropped behind the back when the dog is at rest.

 

LEGS

 

FORELEGS: muscular, straight, parallel when viewed from the front.

Shoulder-blades: medium long, oblique, muscular.

Upper arms: oblique, with shoulder joint angle 90—100°.

Elbows: points placed back parallel to the axis of the body.

Forearms: straight and parallel, bones oval in cross-section. Front pasterns: slightly oblique.

 

HINDLEGS: straight and parallel when viewed from the rear, set wider than forelegs, with sufficiently well-pronounced angulation.

Thighs: muscular, moderately long.

Lower thighs: muscular, moderately long.

Rear pasterns: moderately long, upright, the presence of dewclaws (polydactilism) does not influence the score.

 

FEET: oval, strong, tightly knit, with tough and thick pads, short and hard claws. Thick hair growth between the toes.

 

GAIT/MOVEMENTS. Free, easy, agile, coordinated. The characteristic gaits are gallop and moderate trot.

 

COAT

 

HAIR. The coat is double, outer coat has well-developed coarse and straight hair, undercoat is thick and water-resistant. The hair on the body is at least 8–10 cm long. Decoration hair is well-developed and forms sidewhiskers on the cheekbones, a collar on the neck and on the shoulders, feathers on the back side of forearms and trousers on the back side of thighs, trousers length reaches 15-20 cm. The longest hair is up to 25 cm and grows on the croup. The hair on the back side of pasterns is also long and thick.

There is a protective growth of brush-like hair between the toes increasing the surface of the pad and making the dog move easier on the snow crust. Muzzle, forehead and the front surface of limbs are covered with shorter dense hair.

 

COLOUR. Grey zones, red zones; the red may be of different intensity up to light-fawn; white, black, black and tan, brown, piebald, patched. Small speckles are acceptable but not desirable.

 

SIZE

For dogs, height at the withers should be 40 - 52 cm, preferable height is 46 cm.

For bitches, height at the withers should be 39 - 47 cm, preferable height is 42 cm.

Deviations from the height by more than +/-2 cm considerably decrease the breeding value of the animal.

 

FAULTS. Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault is regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and on its ability to perform its traditional work.

• Teeth worn down not appropriately to the age. Yellow, small, sparsely set teeth. Congenital absence of one or two first premolars. Absence of one molar.
• Wide, too narrow, too long muzzle.
• Ears too big, set too wide apart, slightly soft in carriage.
• Eyes slightly big, too small, slightly round, directly set.
• Tail set low or too high.
• Height deviation less than +/-2 cm.
• Slightly wavy hair.

 

 

SEVERE FAULTS

• Coarse or dry conformation.
• Coarse or light head not proportional to the conformation type.
• Too prominent cheeks.
• Snipy, blunt, snub muzzle, hawk nose.
• Abrupt or too smooth stop.
• Overdeveloped supraorbital ridge.
• Eyes too big, round, bulging, different in colour, sagging eyelids.
• Unpigmented eyelids.
• A missing front tooth, canine, missing premolars, including PM1 & PM2, not caused by an injury.
• Butterfly nose.
• Neck too short, too long, set low, flabby.
• Soft or roached back.
• Steep croup.
• Tail not carried over the back when alert or carried on the croup tightly knit.
• Bowed forearms, elbows turned out- or inwards, east-west pointing feet; pigeon-toed feet, soft pasterns, over-angulated pasterns. Narrow in hindquarters, upright hindquarters, sickle hocks, hocks too close or turning out.
• No feathering in male animals.
• Any faults in body or limbs preventing the dog from normal movement.
• Big, thick, soft ears. Not enough hair inside ears.
• Too anxious.
• Too shy.
• Wavy hair, short hair, soft outer coat, underdeveloped undercoat.
• Height deviation by more than +/-2 cm.

 

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS

• Aggressiveness, cowardice.
• Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
• Brindle, speckled patterns.
• Curly hair, no undercoat.
• Blue eyes.
• Ears dropped; semi-dropped.
• Unpigmented nose.
• Tail carried as tight double circle, stumpy tail, bobtail.
• Overshot bite, undershot bite, misaligned jaws.

 

NB:

• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy animals, with breed typical conformation should be used for breeding.