Safety Essentials

Since Karelians are so intelligent and clearly possess the natural instincts of a keen hunter, why is safety such an important consideration? You can unintentionally expose your dog to unnecessary harm if you ignore the Safety Essentials.

The "Wild" in "Wildlife"

For centuries, KBDs and their ancestors sucessfully survived in extremely primitive habitats. Those of us who choose to share our lives with Karelians are generally adventurous folks ourselves, who live or enjoy recreation in areas where snow storms, ice, raging rivers, slippery slopes, or steep cliffs exist and bear, cougar or wolves roam. These habitats are frought with danger, hence the word "wild" in "wildlife." Despite all their natural athleticism and sharp instincts, we ask our Karelians to share our lives, and we owe it to them to keep them safe. We will then be able to rely on them to keep us safe.

RULE #1: Know your dog

If you gradually expose your Karelian to new, challenging situations, your dog will gain the confidence and agility necessary to avoid harm. In an unfamiliar environment, new scents can motivate your Karelian to pursue, and your Karelian can find itself unexpectedly in harm's way. It may appear, based on your dog's intelligence, that it can do anything. As the dog's owner, avoid gaining a false sense of confidence. Your Karelian is still a puppy until it is 18 months old. Just as you wouldn't throw a child who has learned to walk INTO a pool of water and expect him/her to swim, you owe it to your Karelian to expose it to natural wild habitats on leash under your control, first, before you expect your dog to figure life out for itself.

The importance of recall

An adult dog taught by an experienced handler to recall with a single command will astonish you with its talent. We continue to marvel at the inventiveness with which one of our dogs will, when called, find a way to get close to us. A puppy just a few months old who temporarily loses its way during a runaway exercise will search for its target in an organized route until it succeeds. An adult will leap onto a thin ledge, five feet off the ground, in one swift, seemingly effortless motion. Exposing your KBD to challenges will be an enjoyable experience for you and your dog so long as safety comes first.

RULE #2: You must be able to recall your dog before letting the dog run off-leash in an uncontrolled environment.