There are very few internationally known dog breeds that first come to mind when you think about Russian dog breeds. Only a handful have gained traction outside of its native country.
However dogs like the Siberian husky and Samoyed are all from the ice cold transcontinental country. But did you know that Russia is also home to other cool dog breeds. In this we have listed “Top 10 Most Unknown Russian Dog Breeds”.
Black Russian Terrier Dog :
The Black Russian Terrier is one of the fiercest working dogs to originate from Russia. They were bred to work and their powerful body shows it. Black Russians can grow up to 30 inches tall and weigh between 80 to 130 pounds. These big dogs are not just about the brawn they have the smarts too (1).
Taigan Dog :
The Taigan dog formerly known as the kyrgyzstan tanni is a sight hound developed in Kyrgyzstan. When it was still part of the soviet union some refer to these dogs as the Russian greyhound, due to their uncanny resemblance. They were bred to hunt in the extreme regions of the Tangshan mountain range. Taigans were capable of tracking down deer, foxes, wolves and even marmots (2).
Yakutin Laika Dog :
The Yakutin Laika is a Russian dog breed originating from the northernmost part of Russia. Specifically they're from the region bordering the arctic called the sukkah republic. In this ice-cold region the Yakutin Laika served many jobs, not only do they pull slaves but also herd reindeers and hunt wild game they do it all (3).
Russo-European Laika Dog :
Russo-European Laika is one of the few dog breeds developed from Russian land race dogs. These spitz type dogs were bred in the 1940s for a program aiming to produce top hunting dogs. And surely enough Russo-European Laika is some of the best dogs when it comes to duck hunting. Unlike other hunting dogs they're very vocal which helps with communication during hunts (4).
South Russian Ovcharka Dog :
The south South Russian Ovcharka or Russian sheepdog for short was developed in Ukraine when it was still part of the Soviet Union. They’re primarily found along the massive grasslands between the black sea and the sea of azov. In the region they serve primarily as herding dogs for rural farms. These dogs are highly adaptable shepherds capable of withstanding a wide range of temperatures (5).
Also Read This : All Dog Breeds - Names and Pictures | Complete List of Dog Profiles
Russian Hound Dog :
The Russian Hound is a popular scent hound that was developed in Russia. However they were developed much earlier than the harlequin hound in the 18th century. These dogs have a specialized hunting job and would often work in conjunction with Russian Borzois. Russian hounds would flush game out to where hunters and borzois would be waiting to chase (6).
Russian Harlequin Hound Dog :
The Russian Harlequin Hound also known as the anglo-russian is one of the two most popular scent hounds to originate from Russia. They were developed by crossbreeding the Russian hound with the English foxhound. As a result they're superbly skilled in tracking red game namely foxes and wolves (7).
Franziska Bolonka Dog :
There are two variations of the Russian Bolonka breeds. One of which is the Bolonka a white-coated lap dog though the word Francis saya means French. These dogs are actually of Russian origin, however the development of these dogs were inspired by popular French dogs, such as the Bichon Frise and Toy Poodle (8).
East Siberian Laika Dog :
The East Siberian Laika is a Spitz type Russian dog. They originated from the region that's east of the yensei river in Siberia. Though they were bred for hunting they're very versatile dogs that can do it all. Even after domestication for many years they still retain those wolf-like qualities that they inherited from their ancestors (9).
Moscow Watchdog :
The Moscow watchdog is the Russian cousin of the Saint Bernard. These dogs are actually a crossbreed of the Saint Bernard and Caucasian Shepherd. These massive dogs were developed in the Soviet Union and can weigh up to 150 pounds. But unlike the Saint Bernard, Moscow Watch Dogs are active dogs that require a lot of physical activity. They were bred during World War II when Russia needed a helping hand in managing the rising crime in the country. So they were assigned as guard dogs around government properties. Such as warehouses railroads and labor camps (10).
