In 2017, the Turkmen leader presented Russian President Vladimir Putin with an alabai puppy as a birthday present, who named the dog Verny, which is Russian for loyal. Video, How the Australian Open is trying to stay Covid-safe, US congressman Wright dies after Covid diagnosis, Five revelations from Capitol riot arrests, Bitcoin jumps as Tesla buys $1.5bn of currency, UK variant spreading 'rapidly' through US, EU states expel Russian diplomats in tit-for-tat, South Africa halts AstraZeneca vaccine rollout, Biden win sees 'First Dogs' return to White House, located in a residential area designed for civil servants, reflects the breed's "pride and self-confidence". After all, we could do it differently, like in Turkmenistan: grab you by the scruff of the neck and give a good shaking.”, Do you live in one of the Stans cities, or have you spent time there? Šarplaninac dogs are an ancient landrace breed native to Serbia and North Macedonia. Russian president Putin was gifted a Turkmen shepherd puppy from the president of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. What happens to your body in extreme heat? Do you remember the time Vladimir Putin saved a dog from the pretty harsh looking grip of a visiting president? Turkmenistan's president has bestowed his favourite dog breed with the highest honour - a giant golden statue. Egypt's revolution: I saw the unimaginable happen, 'Easy money': Buying and selling fake Covid test results, Empty shelves: No custard creams for Brits in Belgium. The killings increased in the lead-up to the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, which Ashgabat hosted last month – and for which the Turkmen delegation saw no irony in naming an animated alabai, Wepaly, as its mascot. Dogs and horses are … State media subsequently published a report on a new “island of hope” for stray dogs: Turkmenistan’s first animal shelter, apparently set up with the support of government bodies. This breed presents a robust dog of greater than average size with great strength and power. Vladimir Putin is known as an avid dog lover. Despite the grandeur of the statue, much of Turkmenistan's population is impoverished. The alabai is a home-bred Turkmen variety of the Central Asian shepherd dog. Berdymukhamedov has dedicated books and poems to the dog breed, describing it as 'a symbol of achievement and victory', and once gifted an Alabi puppy to Vladimir Putin (pictured in 2017) VideoEmpty shelves: No custard creams for Brits in Belgium, The carmaker aiming to become a tech firm, How the Australian Open is trying to stay Covid-safe. He took it by the neck and held it in the air. In 2019, Berdymukhamedov also handed an Alabai puppy to then Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Last year, Berdymukhamedov inaugurated a 15-meter (nearly 50-feet) gilded statue honoring the dog in the Turkmen capital. Hacker tries to poison US city's water supply, Family sue Robinhood trading app over son's death, Lessons from Australia's hotel quarantine system, 'One of the most beautiful voices of our time', 'Exercising at night feels safer' Video'Exercising at night feels safer'. Why has this country reported no virus cases? “There’s nothing that gets [the] president more crazy than stray dogs and cats,” wrote one reporter of the multiple mass culls carried out under Berdymukhamedov’s orders. ), Under the grimly brilliant headline “Turkmenistan: It’s Murdering Cats and Dogs”, Eurasianet quoted activist Natalya Shabunts’s public appeal to the president “to put an end to the bloodbath”: “The barbaric execution of these unfortunate animals by numerous hunting squads has turned Turkmenistan into a nation of executioners and murderers.”. The Russian president is well-known for his love of animals. Turkmenistan prides itself in horses and dogs and honours its centuries-old herding traditions. Follow us on Facebook and share stories and pictures using #SecretStans on Twitter and Instagram, Every shade of beige: Soviet-era sanatoriums – in pictures, Berdymukhamedov: ‘We have a common friend – this is the world’s unique alabai dog. Family sue Robinhood trading app over son's death1, Hacker tries to poison US city's water supply2, Trump lawyers deny he encouraged Capitol riots3, US congressman Wright dies after Covid diagnosis4, Five revelations from Capitol riot arrests5, Bitcoin jumps as Tesla buys $1.5bn of currency6, UK variant spreading 'rapidly' through US7, 'One of the most beautiful voices of our time'8, EU states expel Russian diplomats in tit-for-tat9, South Africa halts AstraZeneca vaccine rollout10. Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov presents Vladimir Putin with an alabai puppy in 2017. Russian President Vladimir Putin, a dog lover, received a top breed puppy as a belated birthday present on October 11 from president of Turkmenistan. A smart and loyal dog, but with a stubborn character. At a much-documented meeting in Sochi, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov gave Vladimir Putin a Central Asian shepherd puppy for the Russian president’s 65th birthday (and perhaps to see if Putin might not feel like resurrecting Turkmen natural gas exports). Photograph: Maxim Shemetov/Reuters. It isn't the first time the breed has been honoured by the president - last year he devoted a book to the Alabay. Well it happened just over one year ago and remains one of the more bizarre moments between international leaders that we have ever seen. The Alabay is a home-bred Turkmen variety of the Central Asian shepherd dog and is listed under the country's national heritage. In 2010, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov presented him with Buffy, a Bulgarian Shepherd. In Putin’s gentle receipt of poor Faithful, the analyst said, was a message to Russian voters ahead of elections in March: “Make the right choice and you will receive fatherly care. Empty shelves: No custard creams for Brits in Belgium. Turkmenistan's president has bestowed his favourite dog breed with the highest honour - a giant golden statue. (Berdymukhamedov had input into him, too. If you do remember, the adorable pup was gifted to Russian President Putin by the President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly … © 2021 BBC. VideoHow the Australian Open is trying to stay Covid-safe. It is not only a popular pet and guard dog in Turkmenistan, but officially listed as part of the national heritage, alongside the revered Akhal-Teke breed of racehorse. Photos of Vladimir Putin with puppy, gifted by Turkmenistan president, have become a hit meme According to reports, Putin named the cute fluffy as Verny which means “faithful" in Russian. Last year, Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow presented Putin with a Central Asian Shepherd puppy named Verny (the Russian word for 'Loyal'). ASHGABAT, Nov 12 (Reuters) - A huge gilded statue of a dog has been unveiled on a busy traffic circle in the capital of Turkmenistan by the country’s longtime leader, who has also written an ode to the local breed and gifted one to Russian President Vladimir Putin. But only alabai are held in presidential favour in Turkmenistan, notorious for its brutal treatment of strays and even pets mistaken for them. The statue is located in a residential area designed for civil servants, according to Eurasianet. This is my advice.”). This dates back decades to the days of its first president, Saparmurat Niyazov, who banned dogs from the capital city, Ashgabat, on grounds of their “unappealing odour”. Those of you whose teeth have fallen out did not gnaw on bones. Russian President Vladimir Putin, a dog lover, was presented Wednesday with a puppy as a belated birthday gift from the leader of Turkmenistan. The bizarre moment Vladimir Putin kissed a puppy given to him by Turkmenistan's president Turkmen leader Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov brought the alabai to Sochi - and Vlad loved it. The president of Turkmenistan has presented Vladimir Putin with a belated birthday gift following their summit Wednesday – a home-bred Turkmen shepherd dog. Video, Empty shelves: No custard creams for Brits in Belgium, How the Australian Open is trying to stay Covid-safe. (Reuters) State media says the statue reflects the breed's "pride and self-confidence". The Russian president already has two dogs: a Bulgarian shepherd called Buffy and an akita named Yume; he reportedly turned down the Japanese government’s offer last year of a “bridegroom” for Yume. He published a book and wrote a song about the breed and presented Russian President Vladimir Putin with a puppy in 2017. Local dog breed honoured. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. The Turkmen Shepherd is a working breed of dog. A huge gilded statue of a dog has been unveiled on a busy traffic circle in the capital of Turkmenistan by the country's longtime leader, who has also … Turkmenistan's gilded dog monument & the Putin connection Dogs and horses are sources of national pride in the isolated desert nation, where they are widely used by the many traditional herders among the population of six million, which largely depends on revenues from natural gas reserves. Berdymukhamedov’s presentation of a puppy to Vladimir Putin is ironic, given the bloodbath of stray dogs and cats over which he has presided in Ashgabat, Last modified on Mon 3 Feb 2020 12.48 GMT. Turkmenistan's President could be seen picking up the Turkmen shepherd dog, known locally as Alabai, by the scruff of its neck and handing it to a surprised-looking Putin Turkmenistan's President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, left, presents a Turkmen shepherd dog to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Dog Diplomacy: Russian President Vladimir Putin cuddles a Turkmen Shepherd puppy gifted to him by Turkmenistan leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov during a meeting in Sochi, Russia on 11th October 2017. When it grows up, it will weigh up to 40 kilograms." Mr Berdymukhamedov was criticised for his handling of the dog he gave Mr Putin after a video of the incident went viral in 2017. Gurbanguly has published a book and wrote a song about the breed. Turkmenistan Dog Holiday The statue of the Alabai, the Central Asian shepherd dog is seen in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020. Alabai notwithstanding, Berdymukhamedov shares his predecessor’s revulsion for dogs. Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov unveiled the 19ft (6m) statue of the Alabay dog in the capital Ashgabat on Tuesday. Last year municipal workers planted poisoned food around the city, with many pets counted as collateral damage. We’re eager to hear your thoughts and experiences. Turkmenistan's autocratic leader has established a national holiday to honor the local dog breed, media reports said Tuesday. Russian President Vladimir Putin was given a belated birthday gift by the president of Turkmenistan on Wednesday — a puppy called Verny (“faithful” in Russian). Not only the name was considered ripe for analysis. (The dictator did, however, reportedly look to them for guidance on dental hygiene: “I watched young dogs when I was young. They were given bones to gnaw. Russian leader has in the past received horses and even a tiger. The country is ranked one of the least free in the world by press freedom organisation RSF, just one place above North Korea. The dog is a Central Asian shepherd breed called … Turkmenistan's autocratic leader has … Turkmen banks ordered to fund leader's pet project, Trump lawyers deny he encouraged Capitol riots. During the unveiling, a young boy was handed an Alabay dog, which is officially listed as an asset of the country's national heritage, along with the handmade carpets and the ancient Ahal Teke breed of race horse. Turkmenistan's president, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, gave Russian President Vladimir Putin an "alabai" dog as a late present for his Oct. 7 birthday. In 2012, the head of Japan's Akita prefecture presented him with an Akita Inu named Yume as a thank you gift for Russia's help … ... Mr Putin, an avid dog lover, turned 65 at … And today I brought this little alabai with me.’, Wepaly, the alabai mascot of the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games. Where did millions set aside after Delhi gang rape go? Pasha (Serbian Cyrillic: Паша) is a Šarplaninac puppy that was gifted to Putin from the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić during his official visit in January 2019. In 2015, a golden statue of the president riding a horse was unveiled. Pasha comes from a kennel located in the Šar Mountains. Cradling his acquisition and giving it a kiss on its head, he named it Verny (“faithful” in Russian). “We have a common friend — this is the world’s unique alabai dog. The statue of the Alabai, the Central Asian shepherd dog is seen in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020. Mr Berdymukhamedov has occasionally given a horse or a puppy to leaders of "friendly" nations, and among the recipients of such gifts were the late Uzbek President Islam Karimov, Russia's Vladimir Putin, and the Qatari emir. Exporting alabai is prohibited, and since February they have been used as police and sniffer dogs by the state security services, under Berdymukhamedov’s orders. Sanitation workers, she pointed out, were not nearly so motivated to rid the city of actual vermin such as bedbugs or rats. Putin receives puppy as birthday present from President of Turkmenistan. No such fate is likely to await Putin’s new pup, however. Read about our approach to external linking. He presented it to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a puppy in 2017. Vladimir Putin has received a puppy as a birthday present from the President of Turkmenistan. The statue of the Alabai, the Central Asian shepherd dog is seen in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020. The Turkmenistan president’s present to his Russian counterpart last week suggested a twist on the oft-quoted saying: if you want a friend in politics, give them a dog. They say supporters of the ex-president rioted of their own accord, ahead of his impeachment trial. A puppy for Putin – but for dogs in Turkmenistan it's open slaughter This article is more than 3 years old. Proudly dangling the puppy by the scruff of its neck in front of assembled statesmen and media, Berdymukhamedov said the ancient breed, also known as the alabai, was a “common friend” of Russia and Turkmenistan. It's unclear how much the statue cost to construct. 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