West Siberian Laika vs Briard - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

West Siberian Laika vs Briard - Breed ComparisonBriard is originated from France but West Siberian Laika is originated from Russia. Briard may grow 8 cm / 4 inches higher than West Siberian Laika. Briard may weigh 17 kg / 38 pounds more than West Siberian Laika. Both Briard and West Siberian Laika has almost same life span. Both Briard and West Siberian Laika has same litter size. Briard requires High Maintenance. But West Siberian Laika requires Low Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Herding dogs
Sporting dog
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France
Russia
Height Male:
61 - 69 cm
24 - 28 inches
56 - 61 cm
22 - 25 inches
Height Female:
58 - 65 cm
22 - 26 inches
53 - 58 cm
20 - 23 inches
Weight Male:
30 - 40 kg
66 - 89 pounds
16 - 23 kg
35 - 51 pounds
Weight Female:
25 - 35 kg
55 - 78 pounds
14 - 20 kg
30 - 45 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 12 Years
12 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
8 - 10
6 - 10
Size:
Large
Medium
Other Names:
Berger de Brie Berger Briard
WSL, Zapadno-Sibirskaia Laika
Colors Available:
Uniform black, fawn, grey or blue.
gray, white, white with patches
Coat:
Double, wavy, long, fine
double coat
Shedding:
Moderate
Seasonal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Courageous, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Protective, Stubborn, Sweet
Affectionate, Aggressive, Alert, Energetic, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Protective, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
High Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
No
Yes

History

briardThrough myth and legend, the Briard is thought to be a very ancient dog. A French herding breed, a Briard type of dog appears in writings as early as the end of the 14th century. According to legends the Briard was owned by Napoleon, Charlemagne, Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson. As a cross between the Barbet and the Beauceron, the Briard came into popularity following its appearance in a Paris dog show in 1863. Bred originally to guard and herd sheep, these intelligent, independent dogs were often left on their own. Because they both guarded and herded, their size and structure as well as their personalities were different from other dogs that worked sheep. Those that herded only were fast, agile and smaller. Those that only guarded were heavier, bigger and stronger. The Briard was in-between these two types of breeds. He was well suited to any kind of farm work and guarded the crops from the sheep’s desire to eat them. They moved the sheep from one grazing area to another and then to their holding area at night. No humans had to assist the Briard in this work once they were trained.

During World War 1, the Briards were drafted into service as messengers, sentries and search dogs for lost or injured soldiers. In that time frame the breed served almost to the point of extinction. Breeding programs following the war brought them back. Today the Briard is a home companion, a police dog, as well as both military and civilian search and rescue dogs.

west siberian laikaThe West Siberian Laika come from the Khanty and Mansi tribes of West Siberia and Ural. They are a primitive breed used for hunting and come from the spitz and wolf lines. They retain many of their primitive looks and traits to this day. They were pre-historic companions to human hunters and remain so today in the northern regions of the Russia. They were never sled dogs but pure hunters throughout their journey to a domesticated breed. They hunted in the forests of the mountainous regions and were adapted to hunting in the woods. When their prey was hunted almost to extinction, the Laikas were also in danger of disappearing.

From the early days of the 1900’s through the first World War, there were several campaigns to save the WSL from extinction. A breed standard was developed around the 1930’s. Following the war the breeding programs became more uniformed and followed the standard that was in place. World War II disrupted it again, but once again it was resumed after the war.

The breed was once again threatened by industrialization and deforestation in the early 20th century, as they were replaced by newer, more popular breeds. There were thought to be dozens of aboriginal Laikas with various groups attached to different groups of indigenous hunters.

Following the second World War and the ever increasing detail of breed standards, the Laikas were divided into four pure bred groupings: the West Siberian Laika, the East Siberian Laika, the Russ-European Laika and the Karelo-Finnish Laika. All of these breeds are Laikas because they are bark pointing hunters.

They were imported to the U.S. in the early 1990’s by a Russian immigrant. Vladmir Beregovoy is credited with bringing the breed to the States. There are now about 300-400 West Siberian Laika’sin the U.S. They are a very emotional breed, very in touch with his human’s feelings, habits and intentions. He is a barker for sure who hates to be left alone. An intense breed with the need for companionship and a purpose. They will do anything to escape a pen if left alone for long periods of time.

The breed is protective of its people with other animals and some are wary of strangers. He needs an active family to match his active spirit. They will bark at all wild life including all the squirrels in your yard. So if don’t want a “barker”, don’t get a West Siberian Laika.

They are recognized by the United Kennel Club, the American Canine Association the Dog Registry of American and the Federation Cynologique Internationale

Description

briard puppy - descriptionThe Briard is a powerful, intelligent and independent working dog. They have a straight topline and their height is almost the same as their length. They have long, large, rectangular heads with wide muzzles. Their noses are also square and jet black while their side set, large eyes can be black-brown or black. Their ears have traditionally been cropped but with more countries outlawing it, they can now have natural ears set high on the head. They have a tail that is feathered and low-cut. The feet of a Briard are round, compact and large.

The Briard is a double coated breed with a long beard and mustache. Their hair completely covers the head and the eyes so that they are not seen. They have prominent eyebrows as well.

west siberian laika puppy - descriptionThe WSL comes from the Spitz line and also directly descendent from the wolf. They look and act a lot like a wolf in many ways. They have retained much of their primitive traits. With a pointed, long muzzle, an almost square head, and square body, they have wolf colored coats of gray and red. They are mostly medium in size but some can be smaller or larger. Their head is shaped like a wedge, their eyes are typical almond shape and set deep in their head. They are brown or even darker. The muzzle is almost as long as the skull. Their lips are thin and black. The ears are straight up and pricked.

They have bodies longer than they are tall with a lot of musculature. They carry their tail high over their backs. With straight legs and forward feet, with gray, red and white coats, they still look like wild dogs.

Characteristics

briard dog - characteristicsAs mentioned previously the Briard is intelligent and independent. They are also loyal, rugged, protective and bond intensely with their humans. They are often aloof when it comes to strangers or even when new furniture is introduced into the household. They have to learn that anything new into the family environment is friendly and good. They are great with children and susceptible to separation anxiety because of their deep affection for their people. Socialization for puppies is a must. This will let them know that people and children, other dogs in general are not harmful to their families. They have great memories and once they learn something – right or wrong – it is almost impossible to change it. They were bred to be independent thinkers who acted on their own conclusions. This is still true of the breed today, making them appear to be stubborn.

They are great watchdogs, fearless and brave; willing to learn, eager to make you happy. They are basically gentle but that always runs up against their protective nature. A strong alpha leader is needed to handle this hard-working dog.

1 Children Friendliness – Yes they are ok with children but not unsupervised.

2.Special talents stamina, agility

west siberian laika dog - characteristics3.Adaptability This is not really an apartment dog though he can adapt. He needs outdoor space to run everyday. So if in an apartment find a dog park for everyday use.

4.Learning ability – Highly trainable and very smart. Independent thinker though might cause some issues.

Health Problems

briard puppies - health problemsBeing a large breed, the Briard shares many of the same health concerns as other large breeds. They have a few of their own as well. Typical issues for a Briard might include:

Hip and Elbow Dysplasia – bones don’t fit into joints.

Stationary Night Blindness – Congenital limited vision in the dark.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy/Degeneration –degeneration of the photoreceptors and retina.

Hypothyroidism – disorder of the thyroid.

Bloat (Gastric Torsion) – Stomach is distended and twists.

Cancer – Number 1 killer of all dogs.

Von Willebrand’s Disease – Blood clotting disorder.

west siberian laika puppies - health problemsHealth wise there are no genetic health issues known today. Since they were so wild, primitive and isolated there was not a lot of inbreeding to any standards. There are however some interesting health facts about the WSL.

• Females only come into estrus once a year, usually in the late winter. They are usually one to two or two and a half years old when this happens. The Russians who know them best frown on breeding them before they are at least two.

• They are subject to many of the same parasites and some diseases like any other canine. But they are not susceptable to any illness specific to their breed.

• Hunting accidents might bet he biggest health threat this breed faces at the moment.

• However with more dogs being bred for the show ring, this could all change and genetic issues could begin to pop up for them.

Caring The Pet

Feeding

briard dogs - caringIt is best to feed the Briard smaller meals 2-3 times a day to prevent bloat. Feed 3-4 cups total for the day of a dry dog food that is high quality and made for large breeds.

Health issues

Hip and Elbow Dysplasia – Can cause painful arthritis and lameness

Stationary Night Blindness – Congenital limited vision in the dark can vary from slight difficulty moving to complete inability to see in the dark.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy/Degeneration – Can lead to night blindness, limited or total blindness. Puppies with the disease can be blind before their first birthday.

Hypothyroidism – disorder of the thyroid.

Bloat (Gastric Torsion) – Stomach is distended and twists. Fatal if not treated quickly. Caused by eating a large meal quickly and either exercise immediately or drink a large amount of water right after eating.

Cancer – Number 1 killer of all dogs. Various types.

Von Willebrand’s Disease – Blood clotting disorder leads to excessive bleeding. There is no cure, but it is manageable.

Exercise and games

The Briard is a working dog and as such needs a job. They excel at agility, flyball, herding, obedience, confirmation and tracking. They need exercise and make excellent service dogs for people with disabilities and therapy dogs for those in emotional need.

west siberian laika dogs - caringperformance, working dog food. High in protein and fat is needed to maintain their lean muscle. Don’t over feed them as they will become obese and they will be unhappy if their physical activities are restricted, even if by their own weight. Be sure you break up their day’s food amount into 3-4 smaller meals.

2.Feeding the adult – Almost everything is equally true for the adult. They need a high protein and high fat food – a high performance food. Don’t over feed and give them at least 2 meals per day.

3.Points for Good Health – as previously mentioned this is a hardy and robust breed,

4. Games and Exercises They need a lot of exercise, have a strong prey drive and are very intelligent. A dog with those traits that does not get enough exercise will drive you crazy if he is not stimulated.

Comparison with other breeds

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  30. Briard vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Briard vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Briard vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Briard vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Briard vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Briard vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Briard vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Briard vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Briard vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Briard vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Briard vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Briard vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Briard vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Briard vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Briard vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Briard vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Briard vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Briard vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Briard vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Briard vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Briard vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison