Laika is Russian - literally - for "barker"!!
The Soviet Union launched a dog named "Laika" into space aboard
the Sputnik 2 space capsule.
Laika is also the name for a type of hunting dog. There are
three breeds - the Russian European Laika, the East Siberian Laika
and the West Siberian Laika. Note that Laika, the dog that went to
space, is in fact a mongrel.