As you’d expect from such a vast, wild and untamed country, Russia’s dogs tend to be large and formidable creatures. Many of these breeds are the result of the domestication of the feral dogs which lived in packs throughout the forests and tundras, with several others the result of cross-breeding these landraces with more familiar pre-existing European dogs. While some of these dogs are quite unfamiliar outside of their homeland, our list also includes a number of breeds who are extremely popular pets and companions all over the world.
Dog breeding standards are upheld in Russia by the Russian Kynological Federation, established in 1991.
Table of Contents
Bankhar
Size: Giant
Height: 66-84 cm (26-33 inches)
Weight: 50-60 kg (110-132 lbs)
Coat and Colour: Either short or long; in black and tan, red or black
Life Expectancy: 15-18 years
Group: Livestock guardian
Personality
Otherwise known as the Mongolian Mastiff, the Bankhar is an ancient breed derived from landrace dogs which is thought to be the progenitor of all modern livestock guardian dogs. They are intelligent, independent and extremely tough, bred to fend off unwanted attention from wolves, bears, eagles, snow leopards and even human beings in some of the world’s most hostile weather conditions. However, with their families these dogs are gentle giants, affectionate, extremely loyal and protective. The Bankhar can be an extremely intimidating or even dangerous breed and are therefore recommended for experienced dog owners only.
Black Russian Terrier
Size: Very Large/Giant
Height: 68-76 cm (27-30 inches)
Weight: 45-60 kg (99-132 lbs)
Coat and Colour: Rough, thick and wavy; in solid black
Life Expectancy: 9-14 years
Group: Guard dog
Personality
In spite of the name, this imposing dog is not a terrier at all. However, several terriers were used in the seventeen different breeds used in its development in the Soviet Union during the 1940s and the modern dog retains a familiar, terrier-like gait. Black Russian Terriers are versatile dogs who have been used for many different purposes, both civilian and military, and are noted for their stamina, intelligence and obedience. They are also particularly agile and quick on their feet for such a large dog. Black Russian Terriers are very energetic dogs who require regular structure and mental stimulation in addition to regular exercise. Should their prospective owner be able to meet these demands, a Black Russian Terrier will make an excellent family pet, although they are naturally rather aloof with strangers.
Borzoi
Size: Very Large/Giant
Height: 68-85 cm (27-33 inches)
Weight: 27-48 kg (60-105 lbs)
Coat and Colour: Medium length, silky and wavy; in any colour, pattern or combination
Life Expectancy: 9-14 years
Group: Sighthound
Personality
Otherwise known as the Russian Wolfhound, the distinctive Borzoi is one of the largest breeds of sighthound. They are calm, athletic and independent-minded dogs who can be problematic to train due to a stubborn streak and a low boredom threshold for repetitive tasks. This generally doesn’t present too much of a problem, however, as by nature the Borzoi is a gentle, quiet and well-mannered dog who are very affectionate with their owners. They are a sensitive breed who are easily startled, which can present a problem for unwary owners when one also factors in the Borzoi’s strength, size and speed! These charming dogs are currently experiencing an upsurge in popularity due to their comically long-muzzled appearance being used in countless memes on social media.
Caucasian Shepherd
Size: Giant
Height: 67-75 cm (26-30 inches)
Weight: 45-77 kg (99-170 lbs)
Coat and Colour: Straight and coarse with a thick undercoat; in any colour, pattern or combination except solid black, blue or liver
Life Expectancy: 10-11 years
Group: Livestock guardian
Personality
Another giant livestock guarding dog, the Caucasian Shepherd is a gentle giant when they are with their family, soft, kindly and patient animals who are excellent with children and even other family pets. However, if you are unfortunate enough to cross a Caucasian Shepherd, it will be a different story altogether: when threatened these massive dogs can be absolutely ferocious, a legacy of their breeding for protecting flocks of sheep from wolves and human intruders. As a result, this breed is banned outright in Denmark and is even subject to restrictions within its homeland. They are not recommended for inexperienced owners.
Chukotka Sled Dog
Size: Medium/Large
Height: 53-65 cm (21-25½ inches)
Weight: 20-30 kg (44-66 lbs)
Coat and Colour: Short to medium double coat; in grey, white, red, fawn, brown, black, tan or piebald
Life Expectancy: 12-14 years
Group: Sled dog
Personality
These intelligent, hard-working, obedient and athletic dogs are very closely related to the Siberian Husky and, in fact, both breeds were originally developed by the Chukchi people from around the Bering Strait in eastern Russia. After the Soviet Union stopped exporting these dogs to America in the 1930s, the American population were given the name Siberian Husky while the Russian dogs retained the Chukotka Sled Dog name. They are friendly, sociable and extremely trainable dogs who were bred to work closely together in teams and to run all day in frozen and otherwise impassable conditions. It makes them rather eccentric, if charming and very biddable, pets: they favour living in large groups where possible and are decidedly unsuited to hot weather conditions.
East Siberian Laika
Size: Medium/Large
Height: 51-66 cm (20-26 inches)
Weight: 18-30 kg (39½-66 inches)
Coat and Colour: Medium length and coarse, with a soft thick undercoat; in black and tan, white, grey, red, brown or black, in any pattern or combination
Life Expectancy: 12-15 years
Group: Hunting dog/Sled dog
Personality
A type of Spitz dog that originated in Siberia, the East Siberian Laika is a versatile breed that has been used for hunting a variety of game as well as as a sled dog. They are friendly, well-balanced dogs but ones who retain an enormous passion for the hunt and an ability to spend extended periods in frozen conditions. East Siberian Laikas are noted for their natural suspicion of strangers which also makes them good watch dogs, but their lack of aggression towards humans means they are not suited to guarding. This breed likes to spend plenty of time in the company of their human families, but their stubbornness and relative difficulty of training makes them a tough dog for inexperienced owners.
Moscow Watchdog
Size: Giant
Height: 64-69 cm (25-27 inches)
Weight: 45-68 kg (100-150 lbs)
Coat and Colour: Medium length with a thick undercoat; in brown and white
Life Expectancy: 9-11 years
Group: Livestock guardian/Molosser
Personality
The distinctive Moscow Watchdog was the result of the cross-breeding of St. Bernards with Caucasian Shepherd Dogs, trying to capture the most desirable qualities of each. In spite of their size and power, this breed is generally considered to be extremely gentle with a kind temperament. With good training and socialisation there is no reason why these enormous dogs would not be ideal family pets – provided prospective owners have the space to house them! The Moscow Watchdog is also something of an outlier for dogs of this size in terms of their levels of energy, requiring a great deal of vigorous daily exercise. All of these traits add up to a dog that is not suitable for inexperienced owners.
Moscow Watchdogs are not yet fully recognised as a breed by the International Kennel Federation (FCI) but they are widely shown as such throughout its homeland and are currently under consideration for official status.
Nenets Herding Laika
Size: Small/Medium
Height: 40-50 cm (16-19½ inches)
Weight: 10-15 kg (22-33 lbs)
Coat and Colour: Short or long with a soft undercoat; in grey, red, brown, white, sable, black or piebald
Life Expectancy: 12-16 years
Group: Herding dog
Personality
Also known as the Reindeer Spitz, the Nenets Herding Laika is a spitz-type dog descended from a landrace of wild dogs native to central northern Russia. These were domesticated by the aboriginal Nenets people and employed for their ability in both hunting and herding reindeer, as well as being used as sled dogs. In recent years they have also proved particularly adept as search and rescue dogs, yet despite their versatility are still largely unknown outside of Russia and Scandinavia. They are very energetic, intelligent and self-assured dogs whose eagerness to please and affection for humans makes them very easy to train. They are a sociable, hardworking breed and these present the only real challenges for a prospective owner: the Nenets Herding Laika will require lots of regular exercise, mental enrichment and human company to truly thrive.
Russkiy Toy
Size: Very small
Height: 20-28 cm (8-11 inches)
Weight: 1.5-4 kg (3-9 lbs)
Coat and Colour: Short or long; in black and tan, blue and tan, brown and tan or red
Life Expectancy: 10-12 years
Group: Ratting dog
Personality
A tiny dog with very large and pronounced ears, the Russkiy Toy is often mistaken for a Chihuahua. Its name is misleading: these are not true toy dogs at all, but instead were bred as ratters and watchdogs. The breed today retain many of these traits, particularly those of the watchdog: Russkiy Toys are a very alert, active and vocal breed who are very reserved with unfamiliar people. However, with their human family they tend to be cheerful, affectionate and deeply loyal dogs with a protective nature that belies their diminutive size. Russkiy Toys come in two distinct varieties, short or long-haired, and caution ought to be taken when caring for this breed as they can be rather delicate dogs who are prone to bone fractures.
Russo-European Laika
Size: Medium
Height: 52-60 cm (20-24 inches)
Weight: 20.5-25 kg (45-55 lbs)
Coat and Colour: Short to medium length; in black and white or grey and white
Life Expectancy: 10-12 years
Group: Domesticated wild dog
Personality
Originating from the forests on the borders between Europe and Russia, the Russo-European Laika is another example of a landrace spitz-type dog that was domesticated by humans and used as an all-round hunting dog and companion. They are lively and cheerful dogs who retain a great love of spending time outdoors. They have a strong prey drive, but are more likely to alert their human companion or chase their quarry up a tree than to attack it personally. However, this breed are also excellent family pets with a strong love of humans of all ages. Russo-European Laikas are eager to please and very receptive to training, obedient and happy to have a job to do. This breed will require a good deal of exercise every day and are also not particularly suited to houses with dogs or other pets. They are also very wary of strangers and will often loudly alert their human pack to their presence – “Laika” is the Russian word for “bark”.
Samoyed
Size: Medium
Height: 46-56 cm (18-22 inches)
Weight: 16-30 kg (35-66 lbs)
Coat and Colour: Long, thick double coat; in solid white
Life Expectancy: 12-14 years
Group: Herding dog
Personality
A spitz-type dog that is closely related to the Nenets Herding Laika, the Samoyed takes its name from the Samoyedic people of Siberia, where this breed originated. Samoyeds are a typically versatile Russian breed, adept at pulling sleds, herding, hunting or as a watchdog or carriage dog. They are extremely affable, friendly and sociable dogs, noted for their happy expressions. They make excellent companion animals, with a playful nature that will occasionally lurch into mischief if the dog feels bored or starved of attention. Samoyeds also love to pull – a relic of their sled dog heritage – and will often require training to not yank their owner around town when they are on their lead.
Siberian Husky
Size: Medium
Height: 51-60 cm (20-23½ inches)
Weight: 16-27 kg (35-60 lbs)
Coat and Colour: Medium length with thick undercoat; in any colour, pattern or combination
Life Expectancy: 12-14 years
Group: Sled dog
Personality
The Siberian Husky is an offshoot from the Chukotka Sled Dog, developed by the Siberian Chukchi people and imported into North America at the beginning of the 20th Century for work with frontiersmen and in polar exploration. They are an extremely high energy dog with relentless stamina and endurance, as well as enormous versatility: a Siberian Husky is equal to more or less any outdoor challenge that a dog could reasonably be expected to complete. They are a very family-oriented dog in the home and can be trusted with children. However, being confined indoors will quickly make this dog extremely hard work, with destructive behaviour and escape attempts fairly common with the breed. It would be a grave mistake to take on the responsibility of owning a Siberian Husky if you did not already have an active, outdoor-oriented lifestyle.
South Russian Ovcharka
Size: Giant
Height: 62-66 cm (24½-26 inches)
Weight: 48-50 kg (106-110 lbs)
Coat and Colour: Shaggy, coarse and thick; in white, ivory or grey
Life Expectancy: 9-11 years
Group: Livestock guardian
Personality
Also known as a South Russian Shepherd Dog, these massive shaggy sheepdogs retain the confident and fearless bearing of an animal bred to spend days alone on hillsides protecting their flocks from bear or wolf attacks. However, they are also cheerful and easygoing dogs with a strong loyalty towards their human families. When surrounded by familiar people, the South Russian Ovcharka is an extremely gentle and docile animal. However, they are very dominant dogs whose first reaction when they perceive a threat is to attack. Combined with their size and strength, a South Russian Ovcharka without the proper training and socialisation can be a very dangerous dog. Indeed, this breed are banned outright in Denmark.
West Siberian Laika
Size: Medium
Height: 51-61 cm (20-24 inches)
Weight: 18-25 kg (40-55 lbs)
Coat and Colour: Harsh and straight with a thick, soft undercoat; in black, wolf grey, pale red, white or particolour
Life Expectancy: 12-15 years
Group: Hunting dog
Personality
The wolf-like West Siberian Laika was developed from wild landrace dogs and domesticated into all-round hunting animals, exploited for their combination of many of the most desirable traits from both sight- and scenthounds. However, the West Siberian breed is a typical Laika in its love of barking and is now mainly used by hunters as a pointing dog. They are an affectionate and very sociable breed, loyal to their family and uncharacteristically welcoming of strangers for a hunting dog. They ought to be supervised around children or other animals, however, as they can become aggressive if provoked. West Siberian Laikas are not recommended for owners who do not live active lifestyles, as this breed needs a lot of daily exercise to burn off their excess energy.
Yakutian Laika
Size: Medium
Height: 53-59 cm (21-23 inches)
Weight: 18-25 kg (40-55 lbs)
Coat and Colour: Long and coarse with a thick double coat; in white with bicolour or tricolour patches
Life Expectancy: 10-12 years
Group: Sled dog
Personality
A versatile husky-type dog from the Arctic coast of northern Russia, Yakutian Laikas have been used for hundreds – perhaps thousands – of years as herding dogs, hunting dogs or sled dogs as well as as companion animals. They retain a strong hunting instinct and can be aggressive towards predators or threats, but when properly socialised make excellent family pets, with very soft and gentle natures towards their human families. Although they are naturally suspicious of unfamiliar people, with time and supervision they will quickly adapt to new faces. Indeed, this breed is very used to spending time with other dogs and will usually play very well with their canine friends. However, they are not recommended for homes with cats or smaller animals due to their strong hunting instincts. Yakutian Laikas are not recommended for owners who don’t lead active lifestyles, as this breed requires plenty of daily exercise in open spaces.