Yakutian Laikas are a breed with ancient origins developed by native
Yakuts for hunting mammals and birds, herding livestock, and hauling
game. The dogs were indispensable assistants and companions. In the
Sakha language, this breed is known as "Sakha yta", meaning "Yakut dog". Evidence of this breed can be found in archaeological remains dating 12,500 years ago. The first scientific descriptions of Yakutian Laikas were published in the late 18th century, when geographic studies of the north were conducted by Prince Shirinsky-Shikhmatov. He wrote in his monograph about Laikas: “Researchers of the north, of course, could not overlook northern dog; they could not disagree with hard fact that presence of this dog makes life of northern people possible. In 1896, Vlatslav Seroshevsky published the book “Yakuts.” Seroshevsky divides them into two groups, 1) guarding and hunting dogs and 2) maritime
sled dogs. He wrote: “even most poor Yakut having no other animals, has at least one dog”. From the 1940s to the 1990s, Yakutian Laika numbers were in decline. Breed population reached an all-time low of 3,000 in 1998 before revival efforts began. Reasons for their decline include: • the introduction of
mechanization in the Arctic, • reduced capacity to keep dogs, especially with reduced fish catches and collectivization of farming and reindeer herding, • decline of fur hunting, • and the introduction of disease. ==Characteristics==