Flat-Coated Retriever is originated from United Kingdom but Nenets Herding Laika is originated from Russia. Both Flat-Coated Retriever and Nenets Herding Laika are having almost same height. Flat-Coated Retriever may weigh 7 kg / 16 pounds more than Nenets Herding Laika. Flat-Coated Retriever may live 3 years less than Nenets Herding Laika. Both Flat-Coated Retriever and Nenets Herding Laika has almost same litter size. Flat-Coated Retriever requires Moderate Maintenance. But Nenets Herding Laika requires High Maintenance
The Flat-Coated Retriever traces its heritage to 19th century England. A popular gamekeepers’ dog, the actual descendants of the breed are not entirely known. Like so many well-established breeds, there are many lines of thought about the breed line. There is an unverified line of ancestry that includes the St. Johns Water Dog – an extinct breed from North America. Another story has Canadian sailors bringing their Newfoundlands to England and mixing them with Colliers and Setters. This story has more truth to it and it took 20 years to establish the final breed type.
The breed was originally a retriever with two purposes – to retrieve the hunters’ bounty on land and on water.
The Flat-Coated Retriever was then introduced to the United States as a gun dog. By 1873 it was a “stable type” and in 1915 the AKC recognized the breed. After this, their popularity grew quickly until the American public fell in love with the Golden Retriever and the Labrador Retriever. Then the Flat-Coated Retriever’s numbers and popularity fell. The irony was that both the Golden and the Labrador credited the Flat-Coated Retriever as an ancestor. The survival of the breed was questionable following World War Two. They were brought back by a specific breeding program in the 1960’s.
Breeders in the ‘60s made sure they bred for both show dogs and companion animals. The Flat-Coated Retriever survived and is less popular than other retrievers, but he has his fans. The breed is more popular in the United Kingdom than it is in the United States in part because of Best in Show wins at Crufts
There is a large variety of Laika dogs as the word is almost a generic term for a type of Russian hunting dog. They are found in Northern Russia and Siberia and there are several recognized by the Federation Cynologique International including the East Siberian Laika, the Russian European Laika, and the West Siberian Laika. These Siberia Laika are crosses between the aboriginal dogs of Siberia and northern Russia. The word Laika means a barking dog and comes from the word meaning to bark. These laikas are working dogs, hunting pointers that were bred specifically for their barks.
All the dogs in this category are loyal and affectionate. They are hard workers and hunters/herders and sled dogs. Of the official Laika groups including the Nenets Herding Laika, there is the Karelo-Finnish Laika, the Northeasterly Siberian Laika, the West Siberian Laika, The Russian European Laika, Eastern Siberian Laika. The Laika are wary of strangers, noisy and rowdy.
The Laika breed known as the Nenets Herding Laika is also called the Reindeer Herding Laika. The breed is pretty ancient, developed by the Nentry tribe at about the same time that the nomads were developing the Samoyed. Like the Samoyed breed, the Nenets Herding Laika herded Reindeer. The artic breed originates from Russia and can be used for transportation and hauling as well.
While their temperament and history are very much the same as the Samoyed, they are recognized as separate breeds. However there are many aficionados of both breeds believe that the Samoyed and the Nenets Herding Laika are the same breed. For many the Samoyed are simply a white version of the Nenets Herding Laika.
The Nenets Herding Laika is also know as the Samoyed Laika, so you can see how close if not the same, these two breeds are. The Nenets Herding Laika was bred by the Nenet peoples. The Samoyed is all white while the Nenets is any variation of black, gray, piebald, red, white, sable and brown.
The dogs herd and guard reindeer, keeping the herd together and moving them from one pasture to another. They will also stay with a stray reindeer until they are found. They will do this whether they have food or water. They will bark to try to bring the people’s attention to the lost reindeer. They are also an excellent hunting and retrieving, swimming dog.
The Nenets are also known as Yurak Samoyeds and they are the largest group of Samoyedic peoples today. They live on both sides of Russian Ural Mountains in northern Russia and the Yamal Peninsula. They move large herds of reindeer to the winter lands south of the Artic Circle from the north – about 600-900 miles. It is believed that the Herding Laika originated with this group of people but spread beyond them. They were shipped to far northeast Siberia to be bred and shared with reindeer herding tribes there.
There is a longhaired or rough coated variety and a shorthaired variety. The Nenets consider the work routine of both varieties the same, but they believed that the shorthaired version was a more ancient than the longhaired version.
The Flat-Coated Retriever has a straight and strong topline with unique head, strong jaws, a long muzzle and small ears. His eyes are dark brown almonds with a friendly and intelligent expression. He has an arched neck and a moderately long tail. The Flat-Coated Retriever is more of an athlete, lighter and certainly more elegant than any other type or breed of retriever.
This is a medium sized dog , muscular and strong. Slightly smaller than the Samoyed, the Nenets Laika weighs about 40-55 pounds and is 18 inches tall. The ears are typical Spitz ears and the tail is carried up over the back. The Nenets Herding Laika can have gray, piebald, black or tan coats and some can be solid white and look just like a Samoyed. The coat is a thick, double coat with the undercoat very wooly.
The Flat-Coated Retriever is great with children. Just be careful they don’t knock over small children in their enthusiasm.
They are confident great family dogs. They are “thinking dogs” and need something to work for or they will work for themselves. They can be clowns.
They are adaptable although their size might preclude small locations without yards.
Smart, thinking all the time, they are very trainable. However, they are considered the “Peter Pan” of dogs – they never grow up.
Flat-Coated Retrievers have their share of health concerns from dysplasia to cancer. The breeds problems include:
Hemangiosarcoma, Osteosarcoma, Malignant Histiocytosis, and Fibrosarcoma. Studies show that about half of all Flat-Coated Retrievers die of cancer.
For the most part the Nenets Herding Laika is a healthy breed and very hardy. They do however have some propensities for some illnesses and conditions.
Diabetes Mellitus – can be treated with medication and is usual seen in middle age -after 7 years of age.
PRA – Progressive Retinal Atrophy – Slow loss of vision and this is a genetic disease – leads to blindness.
He will be a medium size dog. Feed puppies 3-4 times a day about a 1/8 cup of high-quality food. Feed a puppy food designed for medium size dogs or specifically for retrievers.
Feed 2 times a day about !/2 cups of dry food per meal. Do not overfeed. They have a tendency to be obese.
Maintain a healthy weight and avoid exercise before and after meals. The good news is dysplasia and epilepsy are rare in the breed.
They are very energetic and need good exercise. Long walks and a yard to run in. Remember they are hunting dogs and will chase to retrieve things so don’t let them off leash outside your yard. They will excel at agility, tracking. Rally, obedience, swimming, hunting, and jogging. They make great therapy dogs.
Be careful that your pup doesn’t grow too fast. They are open to injuries if they grow too fast. Low calorie with protein and not a lot of fat. half a cup of high quality medium breed dog food 3X a day.
1 1/2 cups high quality medium breed dog food.
athletic and agile
At leaset a walk or two every day. Don’t get overheated as they are used to cold weather. Would be good at agility and herding exercise.