Laika

THE FIRST DOG TO ORBIT IN SPACE http://www.theage.com.au/news/arts/skys-the-limit-for-typecast-animals/2008/04/17/1208025384678.html

"High Altitude Flight Dogs
Small, female, stray dogs were gathered from the streets of Moscow and taken
to a Russian research center nearby. Dogs were chosen as the scientists felt
they would be able to endure the long periods of inactivity better than
other animals. Females were chosen because they did not have to stand and
lift a leg to urinate. These dogs were trained to stay still for long
periods of time and wear such pieces of clothing as a pressurized suit and
helmet."
+ Laika (Barker) was launched into space in Sputnik 2 on November 3, 1957.
Laika, whose real name was Kudryavka (Little Curly), was a huskie-mix.
Huskies are called "laika" in Russian. Confused by the many Russian words,
the world came to know her by that name. Other nicknames given to her by the
Russian research scientists were Zhuchka (Little Bug), Kurdrajevskaya, and
Limonchik (Lemon). American newspapers of the time called her Muttnik. She
was the first living creature ever to be launched into earth orbit. She
lived anywhere from one to seven days before dying in space; no one seems to
be certain. She may have died from heat the day after launch when her
capsule bounced off the atmosphere; she may have died from cold or lack of
oxygen when her life-support batteries ran down some 7 days after launch;
she may have been gassed or fed poisoned food just before the batteries ran
down. Different sources vary. Sputnik 2 fell back to earth on April 14, 1958
and burned up during re-entry. Laika was the only animal Russian scientists
knowingly sent into space to die. There was no recovery method for true
orbital flights designed at that time. In 1998, 79-year-old Oleg Gazenko,
one of the lead scientists on the Soviet animals-in-space program, expressed
his deep regrets during a Moscow news conference: "The more time passes, the
more I'm sorry about it. We shouldn't have done it.... We did not learn
enough from this mission to justify the death of the dog."

text from http://www.silverdalen.se/stamps/dogs/library/library_space_dogs_russian.htm