Training can begin as early as two to three months of age.

Some of the first things we do with a puppy include: socialization, basic house training, introduction to domestic animals, getting used to car rides, walking in hunting grounds, leash training, and familiarization with various types of game. For introducing them to game, hides of previously hunted animals kept in the freezer can be used, or even better, freshly hunted game. An excellent opportunity for training a young Laika is exposure to a freshly shot wild boar, caught at night while on a stand.

In many cases, the wild boar does not drop immediately at the shot but “carries the hit,” which gives us the chance to train the dog on a blood trail. Later, a well-trained Laika will be very useful in finding wounded wild boar in dense cover. We all know how dangerous tracking a wounded boar can be.

These dogs can also be trained to retrieve if we plan to hunt pheasants or ducks with them. Later, the puppy can be introduced to wild boars in an enclosure, but care must be taken to avoid injury, as trauma can occur in a young dog. It is also important not to overuse the enclosure; the main and predominant training should take place in the hunting grounds. The more time we spend with the dog in the field and the more game we hunt in front of it, the better the dog will become.

Laikas are very vital dogs, free from hereditary diseases, and they can hunt well into old age, even after ten years.

Vladan Milosavljević