Laika (from the Russian Лайка, a bree of dog, literally meaning, "Barker" or "Howler") was a Russian space dog (c. 1954–1957) that became the first earthling to orbit the Earth. Laika, a stray, originally named Kudryavka (Russian: кудрявка, literally meaning, "Little Curly-Haired One"), underwent training with two other dogs, and was eventually chosen as the occupant of the Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 2 that was launched into space on November 3, 1957.