KARELIAN FALLACIES: WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ AS MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT THIS BREED OF DOG AS YOU CAN BEFORE DECIDING IF ONE IS RIGHT FOR YOU. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE TIME TO PROPERLY TAKE CARE OF A KARELIAN (EXERCISE, AREA TO RUN, KENNEL CAPABLE OF HOLDING THE DOG, ETC.), YOU MAY BE BETTER OFF WITH A DIFFERENT BREED THAT REQUIRES LESS MAINTENANCE. ALTHOUGH THERE IS ALOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE KARELIAN AVAILABLE, EVERYTHING YOU READ WILL NOT ALWAYS BE ACCURATE. HERE ARE A FEW THING WE HAVE READ THAT SIMPLY AREN'T VALID:
1. KARELIANS CANNOT BE HUNTED IN A PACK OR WITH HOUNDS. ALTHOUGH THE BREED IS CLASSIFIED AS "DOG AGRESSIVE", THEY CAN AND WILL HUNT WITH HOUNDS OR IN PACKS IF PROPERLY SOCIALIZED OR RAISED WITH THEIR COMPANIONS.
2. KARELIANS MUST BE BRUSHED DAILY. KARELIANS "BLOW" THEIR COAT ONCE OR TWICE PER YEAR MUCH LIKE A WOLF OR COYOTE. ALTHOUGH BRUSHING CAN SPEED UP THIS PROCESS, DAILY BRUSHING IS SIMPLY NOT REQUIRED.
3. KARELIANS ARE AGRESSIVE TOWARDS CHILDREN AND CANNOT BE TRUSTED ALONE WITH THEM. ANY DOG CAN BE AGGRESSIVE TOWARDS CHILDREN IF THEY ARE BEING MISTREATED OR HURT. THE KARELIAN IS ONE OF THE LEAST LIKELY BREEDS TO BITE A HUMAN FOR NO REASON. THE RUSSIANS CONSIDERED VISCIOUSNESS TOWARDS HUMANS IN THE FIELD OR AT SHOWS TO BE A MAJOR FAULT OF THE BREED AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THESE DOGS WERE DESTROYED. THIS HELPED SIMPLY BREED OUT HUMAN AGGRESSIVENESS IN THE BREED. KARELIANS ALWAYS BARK WHEN SOMEONE VISITS YOUR HOUSE OR APPROACHES UNANNOUNCED. BITING IS A DIFFERENT CASE. DOG/ANIMAL AGGRESSIVENESS IS A MAJOR TRAIT OF THE BREED AND SHOULD NOT BE MISINTERPRETED.
4. KARELIANS GET TOO HOT IN WARM CLIMATES BECAUSE OF THEIR DENSE FUR. ALTHOUGH ANY DOG THAT IS DARK COLORED DOES GATHER MORE SUN AND HEAT, THE KARELIAN SIMPLY DOES NOT SLOW DOWN ANY MORE THAN ANY OTHER HUNTING DOG IN THE SAME CONDITIONS. THEIR DRIVE TO HUNT AND KEEP GOING MAKES THEM EVEN MORE ACTIVE THAN OTHER BREEDS IN HOT WEATHER. KARELIANS ALSO SHED THEIR WINTER FUR LIKE SOME OTHER BREEDS AND THEREFORE LOSE MUCH OF THEIR UNDERCOAT IN THE SUMMER.
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN BUYING A KARELIAN BEAR DOG
UNDERSTAND THAT A KARELIAN BEAR DOG IS ONE OF FOUR TYPES OF LAIKA. LAIKAS ARE HUNTING DOGS FIRST AND FOREMOST. TO BUY A KARELIAN OR ANY TYPE OF LAIKA AND PUT IT IN A SITUATION WHERE IT CAN NEVER HUNT AND RUN IS VERY SAD. EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM IS GEARED TOWARDS HUNTING: SPEED, AGILITY, EXTREME ENERGY, A GREAT TRACKING NOSE, NATURAL TREEING OF GAME AND A VERY AGGRESSIVE NATURE TOWARD GAME THAT IS CAUGHT OR TREED. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT YOUR DOG HAS TO HUNT EVERYDAY OR AT ALL AS THEY HAVE MANY USES , BUT YOU WILL NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN OUTDOORS AND TURNED LOOSE, THEY WILL INSTINCTUALLY GO INTO A HUNTING MODE. TO TRY AND BREAK THEM OF THEIR HUNTING INSTINCT IS AKIN TO PUNISHING A LABRADOR RETRIEVER FOR NATURALLY FETCHING A STICK. THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND AS THIS IS THEIR GENETIC MAKEUP AND HAVE BEEN BRED FOR THAT PURPOSE. IF YOU ARE UPSET THAT YOUR DOG WILL CATCH, KILL AND EAT RODENTS, RABBITS, SQUIRRELS ETC. NATURALLY, THEN ANOTHER BREED MAY BE BETTER FOR YOU. A KARELIAN THAT IS KEPT UP AND NEVER ALLOWED TO RUN AND WORK WILL SOON TRY TO ESCAPE AND GO HUNTING WITHOUT YOU. EXCESSIVE BARKING SOON FOLLOWS. A KARELIAN THAT IS TURNED LOOSE IN A RURAL SETTING WILL SOON RID IT'S OWNERS OF RODENTS, SNAKES, WILD HOUSECATS, RACCOONS, PRAIRIE DOGS, SKUNKS ETC. THESE DOGS DO NOT TRANSFER WELL. BY THIS, I MEAN THAT WHEN YOU RAISE A KARELIAN FOR A YEAR AND THEN TRY TO SELL IT OR GIVE IT AWAY, IT MAY SPEND YEARS TRYING TO GET BACK TO YOU. SOMETIMES THEY ACCEPT A NEW OWNER, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. OFTEN TIMES THE DOG ENDS UP DEAD OR IN A DOG POUND. BE SURE YOU HAVE TIME FOR THE DOG YOU BUY! OUR DOGS ARE BRED FIRST AND FOREMOST FOR PERFORMANCE JUST AS THE RUSSIANS AND FINS HAVE BEEN DOING FOR CENTURIES. WHEN WE BREED OUT THEIR NATURAL INSTINCTS FOR THE SAKE OF COLOR PATTERNS AND SHOW RING ABILITY, WE WILL HAVE LOST THE BREED. |
