Vladimir Putin truly loves our smaller brothers, and especially dogs. Several pets live in his residence, which often accompany the president at business meetings and during unofficial visits, and appear with him at photo shoots. An article about which dogs Putin currently lives with him and what they look like, and we’ll also tell you where and for how much you can buy the same breed of dog.
Connie is the first and favorite presidential dog
Connie Polgrave is a purebred jet black Labrador retriever born in 1999. Connie was the president's first dog - smart, obedient and loyal.
Connie was the President's first dog
At first it was purchased for the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations to participate in search and rescue activities. She was raised by professional dog handlers. The dog weighed about 35 kg, its height reached 55 cm. Later, in the early 2000s, this dog was presented to V.V. Putin by the head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations S.K. during his visit to the canine center. Shoigu.
They say that Vladimir Vladimirovich liked Connie from the first meeting, and it was a mutual choice. The dog caught the owner’s gaze, guessed his wishes, and enjoyed communicating with him. She often attended negotiations and other high-level events simply because Putin liked her presence. The dog enjoyed it too. Connie was a true companion to the president in his difficult work for the good of the country.
The President and Labrador Connie liked each other at first sight
On the day of the 2003 State Duma elections, Connie gave birth to 8 puppies, which were placed with good people, including:
- one of her daughters was sent to work in the Vladikavkaz rescue service;
- puppy Connie was given to a pensioner from the Rostov region;
- another puppy went to a Smolensk schoolgirl (at her request);
- two kids went to the President of France, and later (after his death) began to live with the presidential widow in Prague.
In 2007, the press jokingly discussed the issue of Connie as the successor to the President of the Russian Federation.
Connie lived with the president longer than other dogs and died in 2014, when she was already 15 years old.
Video: Connie is V.V.’s first dog. Putin
What does the dog look like in the photo?
Today, Verny has fully matured and turned into a gorgeous dog weighing 70 kg and 65 cm tall . According to dog handlers, up to 3-4 years of age, the Alabai begins to grow up, and until that time the dog behaves like a teenager.
Experts also claim that the dog presented to the president can be considered one of the best representatives of the breed in Russia. The dog has a strong immune system, a balanced character and excellent genes.
Verny was born from purebred parents who were tested for adequacy and was chosen by experienced specialists from several hundred other babies..
At the time of President V. Putin’s arrival, the puppy was a little over one and a half months old, its weight was about 7 kg, with a size of 35 cm.
According to dog experts, the baby promised to grow up to be quite large, balanced and independent.
And they were not mistaken, the presidential pet is distinguished by such qualities as:
- Courage.
- Calm.
- Activity.
- Curiosity.
- Independence.
- Stubbornness.
At the same time, the presidential Alabai retained a certain amount of aggression, as befits a Central Asian shepherd dog.
“He is clearly the leader of the pack among the president’s other dogs, but the relationship in it is still built on mutual respect,” say the kennel employees.
Buffy
Buffy is a large beautiful dog, representing the breed of Bulgarian Shepherd Dogs, Karakachan dogs, with long hair of brown, white and black colors. The charming puppy was presented as a gift to V. Putin (then Prime Minister) in November 2010 by Boyko Borisov, Prime Minister of Bulgaria.
Vladimir Vladimirovich came on a visit to Sofia at that time.
Putin received a puppy from the Bulgarian Prime Minister as a gift
At birth, the dog was named Yorgo, but Vladimir Vladimirovich did not like this name. Already in Moscow, following the results of an announced all-Russian competition, the puppy was given a more euphonious name - Buffy.
Putin was delighted with the fluffy gift, later named Buffy
Loyal and stubborn Sharplanin Shepherd Dog
On January 17, 2022, Serbian President A. Vucic pleased the respectful guest V. Putin with a new pet named Pasha. It was a Sharplana Shepherd puppy. The head of the Russian Federation was presented with the present during a short visit to Serbia.
Adult representatives of this Balkan shepherd breed reach a weight of 40 kilograms and a height of 60 cm at the withers. The head is quite large in relation to the body. The dog has a sharp mind, loyalty and a slightly stubborn character. Externally, the shepherd is similar to the Caucasian. This breed is designed to protect its owner, his property and territory. In the Serbian mountains, the Sharplana Shepherd Dog is still used by patrols that guard state borders. Initially, in the area where the breed was bred (Shar Planina), shepherds used these dogs to guard their flocks. She is resistant to low temperatures and fearless. Can fight with a wolf and even a bear. But it is difficult to call it a truly service breed, since its stubbornness makes it difficult to train. But they do not lack courage and affection for the owner and his environment. This shepherd perceives its owner as an alpha male and is ready to carry out all his orders. Representatives of the breed cannot be called aggressive or kind. They stick to the golden mean. New people are treated with caution.
The three-month-old puppy that was given to Putin does not yet show his temperament at this age. He, like any child, is very playful and active. A one-year-old dog will already have a more balanced character.
The cost of a Sharplana Shepherd puppy reaches three hundred euros. This affordable price is explained by the prevalence of the local breed in Serbia. These dogs are kept even in small settlements. But for professional foreign breeders the cost increases to 1000 euros. Such offers can be found in the Czech Republic or Hungary.
Yume
This red female dog is from the Akita Inu dog breed. Representatives of such Japanese dogs are famous for their high intellectual abilities and show amazing devotion and love for their owner.
The three-month-old puppy was presented to the head of the Russian Federation by representatives of Japan at a meeting in July 2012. With this gift they wanted to thank the Russian state for its assistance in the work to eliminate the consequences of the accident at the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant.
Putin named this dog, a gift from the Japanese, Yume (Dream)
Putin chose the name of another favorite himself. "Yume" is translated into Russian as "dream".
Representatives of the Japanese delegation saw the grown-up gift - Yume - again during negotiations in 2016.
The Russian President came to negotiations with the Japanese delegation along with his grown-up dog Yume
How picky?
The president's Alabai is perhaps his only pet who is absolutely not picky about food . He can eat completely simple food, such as porridge with meat, which he is fed 3 times a day.
Thousands of years of selection are taking its toll. Such a dog will take all the necessary substances even from simple porridge and will be full and satisfied. Moreover, this will not affect the dog’s appearance or performance at all.
The same can be said about the content.
The pet does not require much care or special conditions, although in the presidential nursery they are exemplary . The dog is not only well looked after, but all its needs are met, one of which is the need for activity and exercise.
Often the president himself pays attention to his pet.
Loyal
Faithful is a gift from V.V. To Putin for his birthday from the head of Turkmenistan in October 2022.
The President of Turkmenistan presented Putin with an Alabai puppy
This thoroughbred dog received his nickname for the devotion and loyalty inherent in the Alabai, to whose breed he belongs. Alabais are smart animals and good guards. Their height can reach 90 cm. The color of the president's dog is white with pale brown spots.
An Alabai puppy will grow into a reliable guard and devoted friend
Other pets of Vladimir Putin
The Russian President is known for his love not only for dogs, but also for other animals. That's why they gave him other pets:
- white goat Tale for the New Year holidays in 2003;
- tiger cub Masha for his birthday in 2008. Subsequently, the animal was given to the Gelendzhik Zoo.
Most of all, Vladimir Vladimirovich has donated horses, which are located at his residence in Novo-Ogarevo.
- Oryol trotter , donated in 2000 by the former governor of the Oryol region Yegor Stroev.
- Akhal-Teke stallion brought to Putin's kennel in 2001 by the then President of Bashkortostan Murtaza Rakhimov.
- Five Arabian horses (Aizis, Ibn Maruf, Hakim, etc.) - from the King of Jordan Pervez Musharraf.
- Akhal-Teke horses - from the heads of Turkmenistan: Saparmurat Niyazov and Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov.
- Kabardian horse named Kazbich , donated by Nalchik as a gift from Kabardino-Balkaria, and others.
The most famous horse of the Russian President is the mini-horse Vadik : his height is only 54 cm
Pets are an outlet for Putin, and his love for them is known throughout the world. They are able to quickly dispel sadness and melancholy, and games and walks with them in the fresh air do not leave any owner indifferent, especially Vladimir Vladimirovich. Apparently, this is why many heads of regions of Russia and other states give him furry pets as a sign of respect and respect for the people of the Russian Federation.
Pasha
When the Russian President visited Serbia in January 2022, he received a new pet from Aleksandar Vucic, the President of Serbia, a three-month-old puppy Pasha.
Pasha was presented to the Russian leader by the President of Serbia
Pasha is a descendant of champions, a Sharplanin shepherd dog. Dogs of this herding breed weigh up to 40 kg and reach a height of 60 cm at the withers. Outwardly they resemble Caucasian Shepherd dogs. These animals are smart, loyal to their owner, a little stubborn and good guards. Shaggy Pasha has a beige coat.
Sharplaninka Shepherd Dogs are similar to Central Asian Shepherd Dogs
Alabai Verny
“I want to buy a dog like Putin’s, I don’t know the name of the breed, it’s big and beautiful!” — such search queries were sent by Russians after seeing touching photos of the president kissing a shaggy puppy. We are talking about Vepaly's alabai, donated in 2022 in Sochi, whose nickname translated from Turkmen means “faithful.” The Central Asian Shepherd Dog is the national treasure of Turkmenistan, known throughout the world.
Unlike other presidential pets, the alabai is completely unpretentious in food and eats everything that is given to it. Now Verny is a young male, distinguished by courage, devotion, excellent health and irrepressible energy. Despite their impressive size and menacing appearance, Alabai are as vulnerable as children and love their owner very much. They need supervision and training. It is noteworthy that from the very beginning Verny did not find a common language with the other inhabitants of the nursery; he often conflicts with anyone who encroaches on his freedom or the desired bone.
Sherkhan
Sherkhan was presented to the head of Russia during his visit to Bishkek (March 2019) by the President of Kyrgyzstan.
The puppy Sherkhan, presented to the President of the Russian Federation, is a representative of the Taigan hunting breed
The black dog is a representative of the hunting breed Taigan (Kyrgyz hound). Such dogs are on the verge of extinction: there are about 1 thousand of them left.
The Kyrgyz Greyhound is a cross between a greyhound and a wolfhound.
Sherkhan is a representative of the hunting breed Kyrgyz hound
All four-legged pets of the Russian President live in Novo-Ogaryovo, his residence near Moscow.
Putin's dogs are at the presidential residence Novo-Ogarevo
Akita Inu - the living treasure of Japan
In March 2011, the Japanese islands were subjected to devastating natural disasters - an earthquake and tsunami. Russia was one of the first to rush to the rescue of its eastern neighbor. Russian rescuers showed dedication in searching for victims during the disaster. In gratitude for his support and participation, the prefect of the northern Akita region presented the Russian leader with a rare gift - a puppy of the local Akita Inu breed.
The Japanese highly value the Akita Inu for its loyalty and devotion. Animals are considered the national treasure of the Land of the Rising Sun. They are called the “treasure of Japan.” There are very few purebred Akitas left, about 2.5 thousand individuals, so each one is worth its weight in gold.
In the entire history of the breed, the Japanese presented Akita puppies as gifts to foreigners only three times. The first to receive this honor was the American writer Helen Keller. She twice became the owner of the extraordinary Japanese breed.
