Laika is a type of hunting dog of Northern Russia and Russian Siberia, and is a generic name for several breeds. Laika is also the given name for the mongrel who was the first dog in space.

The Russian word laika (Russian: лайка) is a noun derived from the verb layat' (Russian: лаять, to bark), and literally means barker. As the name of a dog variety, it is used in Russian cynological literature (not only in Russian, but sometimes in English as well) to refer to all varieties of hunting dogs traditionally kept by the peoples of the northern Russia and adjacent areas. This includes not only the three or four breeds known as Laikas in English, but also other standard breeds that Fédération Cynologique Internationale classifies together with them as "Nordic Hunting Dogs" (Group 5, Section 2 of the FCI classification).

Thus, the Norwegian Elkhound (FCI 242 and 268) is known in Russian literature as Norwegian Elk Laika (норвежская лосиная лайка), and the Finnish Spitz (FCI 49) as Finnish Bird Laika (финская птичья лайка).

In Russia the word laika is sometimes used less strictly, to refer not only to hunting dogs but also to the related sled dog breeds of the tundra belt, which the FCI classifies as "Nordic Sledge Dogs". The Samoyed may be occasionally referred to as the Samoyed Laika (Самоедская лайка) - however, this name also refers to the nationally recognized (in the Russian Kennel Federation) Nenets Herding Laika.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org