What is the recognized subspecies classification for the domesticated Yakutian Laika?
Canis lupus familiaris
The scientific classification places the Yakutian Laika, as a domesticated canine derived from the gray wolf (*Canis lupus*), specifically within the subspecies designation *Canis lupus familiaris*. This nomenclature acknowledges both its species lineage traceable to the gray wolf and its distinct status as a domesticated animal that has been selectively bred and utilized by humans for millennia. While *Canis lupus* identifies the species level shared with wild wolves, the addition of *familiaris* signifies its deep, intrinsic link to human history, particularly demonstrated by its development by the native Yakut people for crucial survival tasks within the extreme environment of Yakutia. This distinction separates it taxonomically from its wild ancestors even though the core genetic structure remains shared.
