Karelian Bear Dog: breed description and content

The bear Karelian dog is also called the Karelian husky; it belongs to the hunting hunting breeds. They took it out as a station wagon in relation to game hunting, it is perfect for almost any hunt: for birds, elks, bears and other animals. She got her name after her tremendous qualities in a bear hunt were recorded. Fearlessness of the dog was striking, so the term "bear" was added to the Karelian name.

Karelian Bear Dog was first received as a result of crossing huskies of Arkhangelsk descent and Finnish dogs. The first puppies appeared in the second half of the 19th century in Karelia, where Finnish and Arkhangelsk breeds were rather common as hunting dogs. As a result of breeding, representatives of a new breed were obtained who were able to combine the best quality indicators of their ancestors. Used dogs of new breed for hunting of dimensional animals.: elk, wild boars and, of course, bears.

In the 1930s, the breeding and development of Karelian husky intensified, the first breeders and nurseries appeared, who achieved recognition of the breed at the best exhibition forums. The breed was officially recognized by dog ​​handlers. Unfortunately, the war had a negative effect on dog breeding, the number of individuals was reduced almost to complete destruction. Of the surviving dozens of dogs after the war, it was possible to restore the breed. They were guarded during the hostilities, taken to Europe, preserved and even developed.

According to the standard, individuals of a Karelian dog have an average height at the withers, well-developed muscles and strong bones already at the age of puppies (at 3 months). By gender, this breed is dimorphic. Height depending on the sex varies from 48 to 60 cm. As for weight, it does not exceed 23 kg in both bitches and males. Admit more weight is strictly prohibited, otherwise the hunting characteristics are reduced: activity decreases, speed decreases, weight interferes with energetic movements.

The description of the appearance of the breed includes the following characteristics:

• wedge-shaped head with a large forehead convex type;
• smooth line of transition of the forehead to the face, tapering near the nose, deep;
• the mouth is thin, the lips are stretched and fit well to the jaw, completely hide the teeth;
• medium sized ears like a triangle, stand, slightly rounded to the ends;
• eyes are proportional, not too large, the look is very intelligent, does not mow, is serious;
• eye shade is standard brown, other tones are more often rejected;
• strong muscular neck, short, bent shape;
• body elongated, greater than the height of the dog;
• the back is sloping, muscular, strong;
• deep and bulky chest;
• legs are hardy, strong, muscular;
• front paws slightly smaller than the rear;
• the tail is small, it is bent by a ring;
• there are scanty representatives with a tail length of not more than 5 cm or completely without it, although this is allowed with great reservations.

Separately, it is necessary to consider the possible colors of the animal and the type of coat:

• the undercoat is thick, very fluffy, the coat is rather stiff, straight;
• elongated hair on the back and neck, if we compare it with the other zones - limbs, body, snout;
• puppies and adults of Karelian huskies are of a non-shiny black color;
• wool has a bronze sheen;
• there are white spots with pronounced boundaries on the chest, neck, head, limbs and at the end of the tail;
• possible color of white and wolf type with black spots.

Karelians attract dog breeders for their tremendous qualities, and they are fearless in character. They are distinguished by extreme persistence in achieving the goal, they are undemanding in their care, they perfectly adapt to any conditions, they are very hardy. When breeding, the emphasis was on the development of hunting qualities, since the purpose of breeding is exactly hunting. It is noted that hunting with Karels is always successful. The dog perfectly feels and searches for a game, masterfully pushes it.

Hunting extremely brings together Karel and the owner, they work in pairs, closely contact and quickly begin to understand each other, merging into one organism. However, it must be remembered that such a union is possible only in the case of hunting with one husky. If you want to arrange a hunt with several dogs, you will have to abandon this idea with Karelians: they do not tolerate each other's presence.

Karelians are not too trusting, especially for people whom they do not know well. If you see a representative of this breed, you should not pester him, come close, iron. Especially if the owner is not in close proximity. At the same time, Karelians incredibly love their owners, the family in which they live. They are affectionate, loyal, devoted, generous with tenderness, affection for all family members. At the same time, the owner of the dog is one and he will only obey him, the likes of the authorities do not recognize him.

Unfortunately, Karel does not get along well with other members of the animal world, so he is unlikely to make friends with other pets. The hunting instinct says to him: all animals are potential prey, it is unlikely to retrain a dog. It is not recommended to start several Karelians. This is a dog-leader, he needs to dominate, so this neighborhood will provoke constant conflicts and fights.

It is recommended to acquire such a dog with a hunting purpose, traditional for him. This breed is not suitable either for guard purposes or for decorative. Lack of serious physical activity will lead to the fact that the dog is bored, will lose all its qualities, become irritable, aggressive. The absence of a permanent load will lead to health problems and diseases. In addition, the behavior becomes outside the norms of adequacy, A dog can spoil things from boredom, conflict.

Before you start a dog of this breed, you need to think about whether you have all the conditions for its maintenance and quality development. Karelov can not be kept in the apartment - This is the first condition that should not be ignored. Dogs are very fond of freedom, their nature does not make restrictions, in such an environment they wither. The dog must move absolutely freely, so experts recommend keep the dog in the aviary.

Walking on a leash will not fix the situation, the dog needs a lot and free to run. Best of all, these dogs live in private type homes outside the city with the ability to run across a large area for walking, fenced with fairly high fences. The aviary should also be spacious, allowing you to run. As often as possible, the dog must be let out for free-range on the territory or in the forest under supervision.

Such a restriction in the conditions of detention is offset by the ease of care for Karelian husky. Care activities are elementary and do not require special skills. The hair of dogs is not long, so it is not confused, mats are not formed on it. Animals molt every six months, but not too much. Combing wool is necessary, but no more than once a week when shedding is better to do it every day. Combing is done with a conventional metal brush.

Karelian huskies almost do not stink of dog, this is their undoubted advantage. It is often not recommended to wash dogs of a given breed, because the dirt does not particularly stick to them. Water procedures are carried out using special dog shampoos.

After each walk in the warm period, it is necessary to conduct a thorough examination of the dog, its skin, and wool, as mites and fleas settle well there. Experts advise check your dog daily for external parasites. There is a wide range of anti-parasitic drugs that must be used.

Careful care of the ears, teeth and eyes is needed on a regular basis. Cleaning from various kinds of pollution is carried out constantly, it allows you to track signs of infectious diseases. Processing and purification are carried out as the occurrence of pollution, it prevents the development of inflammatory processes.

Claws are clipped only if they are not ground off naturally when the dog lives in the apartment. This is done with the help of special claw clippers.

In order for an animal to develop well and not be sick, it is necessary to regularly visit a veterinarian, plan vaccination, treatment for helminths, parasites. Karelian huskies live up to 15 years, if the care and maintenance are properly organized.

The breed has a strong immune system, so dogs rarely get sick, there are no genetic predispositions for any diseases. Pathologies are extremely rare, so all diseases have the character of acquired. All this happens due to inadequate care, lack of vaccinations, improper feeding.

For a dog to be healthy, it must be properly fed. A good diet allows the husky to be hardy and strong. At the same time, the dog eats very little, especially if you compare it with representatives of other breeds of this size with an active lifestyle. Gluttony dog ​​unusualtherefore it is difficult to overfeed her, she eats as much as she needs for saturation, the rest will remain in the bowl. It is necessary to monitor the number of calories in the diet, especially in winter, in the hunting season.

Feeding can be organized both with special mixtures and in natural form.. If you make a choice in favor of the latter, you must carefully consider the diet, it must be balanced and made up in this way - ½ protein component, that is, meat, the second half should consist of the following components:

• healthy cereals, slow carbohydrates;
• vegetables, fruits as a mineral and vitamin complex;
• offal;
• sour in the form of yogurt, kefir, sour cream, cottage cheese products.

Not recommended and even prohibited:

• feed the dog with food from a regular table;
• give her pastries, pastries;
• smoked products of any type;
• sweets, chocolate, other sweets;
• pickles and preservatives;
• pork;
• bones of tubular type;
• potatoes;
• unhealthy grains such as semolina;
• salt, spices, seasonings - it can harm its smell, in this case the hunter's qualities will decrease or be lost.

If you decide to feed the dog with ready-made feeds, you must choose a mixture of high-end premium, good quality, proven manufacturer. Feed must be intended for active breeds. Both dry and wet food can be used, the former do not need to be soaked. In this case, it is necessary to increase the amount of available water for drinking.

To organize the nutrition of an adult dog should be twice - in the morning and in the evening. Karelians are fed at least 4 times. The diet of puppies and mature dogs is similar, but in the case of feeding puppies increase the amount of sour milk.

Karelian husky education should start from the first day it appears in your home. The nature of the dog is quite specific, so you should not miss the time. Dog breeders do not recommend to start this breed to people who first get a dog, it is better if there is at least a modest experience in raising and training hunting dogs. The character of Karel is independent, freedom-loving, independent, it is important from the first acquaintance to put yourself as a master with a firm hand. The dog must clearly understand who is the owner, to whom to obey and initially be within the boundaries of the permissible.

There is no need to teach the dog hunting skills, because it genetically incorporated these skills. The most important thing is to form a clear habit of teamwork and only after it. This is the most difficult moment in the Karelian training. If a person is initially able to show himself as the owner and gain a foothold in the dog’s mind at this position, there should be no problems in training.

In addition, there is another difficulty in educating Karel - the hunter's instinct too strongly developed pulls him free. This problem will be solved by systematic studies and perseverance. Dog handlers warn against battering during training: cruelty, aggressive behavior, curses, shout do not affect the dog the way you want it. Rather, the effect will be the opposite: the dog will become angry, aggressive, disobedient, stubborn.

Walking a dog is an excellent means of education, it should be done at least twice a day. Control of the dog at this time makes it possible to once again demonstrate who is the master in the house. Best of all, if you walk the dog in a muzzle from the first days, walk in different places so that the dog learns to navigate and becomes familiar with the diversity of the surrounding world.

At first, the dog is walking on a leash. She will need to get used to it, moreover, she will be so controlled. After the dog has been trained, it is possible to give him the opportunity to walk without a muzzle and a leash in a wooded area. At the very beginning of your relationship, the dog simply will not obey and will run away after birds and cats, despite your protest.

The responsibilities of the owner include:

• the development of hunting skills;
• regular honing them;
• refusal of physical influence unless absolutely necessary;
• socialization of the dog, that is, gradual training to other animals, as the husky perceives them all as prey;
• Do not transfer the dog's training, otherwise it does not recognize the owner.

To develop hunting skills are essential:

• clear and complete understanding;
• confident execution of commands;
• fixing the main commands in the mind of the dog, it must run forward, approach the owner, run back, obeying unquestioningly;
• knowledge of the owner's intonations, ability to respond correctly;
• calm when shots and other events of a distracting nature;
• search skills;
• orientation skills;
• ability to distinguish traces;
• confident aportirovka.

In other countries, a dog is often taught narrowly specific actions, such as scaring bears. However, the main purpose of the dog - universal hunting. The weather conditions are not important for them, the dogs are very hardy. Be sure to consider the fact that Karelians are extremely fearless, not afraid to come close to predators, so they often die during the hunt.

For more information about the bear Karelian dog, see the following video.