

Dmitrieva-Sulima considered the term "Northern Dog" to be the most appropriate name to apply to this numerous group of dogs. " Prince Shirinsky-Shikhmatov cataloged 13 breeds of laikas: Zyryan, Finno-Karelian, Vogul, Cheremis, Ostyak, Tungus, Votyak, Galician, Ostyak, Norvegian, Buryatian, Soyotian, Laplandian and Samoyed Laika. An avid bear hunter, Prince Shirinsky-Shikhmatov is described as "Being much interested in the natural sagacity and hunting capacity of the laïkas he procured some hundreds of specimens of different varieties and applied himself seriously to their study and breeding. Dmitrieva-Sulima's book, "The Laika and Hunting With It". Shirinsky-Shikhmatov's groundbreaking illustrated book, "Album of Northern Dogs (Laikas)" and M.G. Two of the first known published works on laikas were Prince A. The debate as to what dogs should be considered laika is as old as Russian cynology.

Indeed the word laika is often used to refer not only to hunting dogs but also to the related sled dog breeds of the tundra belt, which the FCI classifies as "Nordic Sled Dogs" and even occasionally all spitz breeds. This includes not only the three or four breeds known as Laikas in English, but also other standard breeds that the FCI classifies together with them as "Nordic Hunting Dogs" (Group 5, Section 2 of the FCI classification). As the name of a dog variety, it is used not only in Russian cynological literature, but sometimes in other languages as well to refer to all varieties of hunting dogs traditionally kept by the peoples of the northern Russia and adjacent areas. The Russian word laika ( лайка) is a noun derived from the verb layat' ( лаять, to bark), and literally means barker.

However a few laikas have specialized as herding or sled dogs. Generally, laika breeds are expected to be versatile hunting dogs, capable of hunting game of a variety of sizes by treeing small game, pointing and baying larger game and working as teams to corner bear and boar. Laika breeds are primitive dogs who flourish with minimal care even in hostile weather. Laikas ( / ˈ l aɪ k ə/ LY-kə Russian: Ла́йка, IPA: ) are aboriginal spitz from Northern Russia, especially Siberia but also sometimes expanded to include Nordic hunting breeds.
