The hunting reflex is strongly developed. Appearance of dogs of the Borka-Panda strain of the West Siberian Laika is characterized by so-called “zverovatost”, a peculiar primitive similarity to wild ancestors that is characteristic of Laikas in general. Coat color is predominately gray with white, pure white and with spots. Body is well developed with deep and long chest. Shereshevsky describes his West Siberian Laikas as follows: “Body structure is strong temperament is well-balanced, but live and alert height at the shoulder 55-60 cm (22-24 inches) coat is well developed with thick undercoat. Majority of these puppies was distributed among individual hunters of different provinces of Russia to create more sources of quality West Siberian Laikas. Total number of puppies of the West Siberian Laika raised in this Kennel was about 400, including the first, the second, the third and the forth generations. Champion-Ayan was mated with several not related to each other bitches and produced over 60 high quality puppies. Tayozhny was another not related male, which was bred with Panda. This male was highly rated and both field trials and dog shows in 19. Among them, Champion-Ayan was selected as the best. They produced several puppies, which grew outstanding hunting dogs. These dogs were not related to each other, but had a typical conformation of aboriginal West Siberian Laikas. In 1944, a bitch named Panda and a dog named Borka were brought from Khanty-Mansi National Province. He was a leader of a team working in the Government’s Kennel of All-Union Research Institute for Hunting Industry. Shereshevsky obtained most important dogs and used them for breeding. Other groups of purebred West Siberian Laikas had been formed in Gorky (Nizhny Novgorod), Perm and Novosibirsk. In 40th and 50th, Government’s kennels played a very important role in the establishing of the West Siberian Laika as a purebred. From time to time new typical looking dogs without pedigrees were brought from remote provinces and used for breeding.

Lines of his dogs can be traced in pedigrees of many West Siberian Laikas. Dogs of his breeding became important in the formation of the breed in the entire Russia. By 1944, in Moscow, there were many excellent West Siberian Laikas, among which most outstanding dogs belonged to I. Other important dogs of West Siberian Laikas of Moscow were males Ulf and Ural, female Damka and some other dogs. A Hanty type Laika male named Mishka was born in 1924 from dogs of Obdorsk. The second group of purebred West Siberian Laikas originated in period from 1920 to 1930, in Moscow. The Sverdlovsk group of purebred West Siberian Laikas remained very important before and after World War II. He sired many outstanding dogs that were transferred to individual hunters and Government owned kennels. The first group originated from a male named Grozny in Sverdlovsk. In the beginning, two groups of the West Siberian Laika were formed.

They bred them pure to the type and avoided crossings with Laikas of Karelian, Zyryan and other types. In 1920 to 1930, hunters of Sverdlovsk (Ekaterinburg), Moscow and some other cities raised dogs brought from North Ural and the Ob River basin. Dogs of Mansi and Hanty attracted Russian hunters, because of their exceptional hunting ability, size, strength, endurance and extraordinary beauty. The West Siberian Laika was established by selective sampling of aboriginal dogs of Mansi (Voguls) and Hanty (Ostyak). Similar dogs have been used by native peoples and Russians of Ural and West Siberia long before they became registered as purebreds under the name the West Siberian Laika. Ancient Russian princes used big long-legged Laikas before invasion of Tataro-Mongols. Light built and fast Laikas of Voguls (Mansi people) have been well known to Russian hunters.

Laika dog breed