Sep 04 2008
What Kind of Dog was Laika?
If you are looking for a specific breed for the dog Laika, you won’t find one. For those of you who are aware of the dog, you’ll know that she was the first living creature to be sent into space aboard the Russian spacecraft Sputnik 2. The momentous flight was launched November 3, 1957 with Laika only surviving for a few hours in space, although this time span is debated and many claim she lived for several days.
Laika is actually a Russian word for “dog” and it generally refers to any breed that is similar to the husky. Laika, the dog, was believed to be a mongrel that may have been a cross between a husky and possibly a terrier breed, although any number of Nordic breeds could have contributed to the dog’s lineage.
Lakia was originally named Kudryavka and she had many nicknames over the course of her training. Although Laika died during the flight, her remains burning up in the atmosphere on April 14, 1958, the memory of that sweet little dog ignited a debate over the treatment of animals in the race for science.
Today, Lakia is remember in many places including literature and songs and the little monument found in Russia of a little dog perched atop a rocket.
Photo Credit: http://www.zarya.info/Diaries/Sputnik/Sputnik2.php
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