Publications

Open letter to the editor in chief of the magazine "Wolfhound"
Kravchenko Pavel Yevgeniyevich from Shamil Dotdayev
or commentary to the periodical "ASKA" №2 in 2001

From "Your canine matter" magazine issue №1-2/2002.

Translated from Russian by Andrei Avtukh.

"We themselves bear responsibility for
all defects and the merit of our dogs "
the periodical "VUF", Belgium

(it is printed in the reduced version)

      So it occurs, when you see interesting sleep or nightmare. After awaking, you know that the sleep was uncommon, but are recalled only scraps, separate episodes. Sometimes for itself it felt by such devastated that it forgot the names of his collocutors. Associating with wolfhound’s owners of different regions of our immense native land, for me it repeatedly was necessary to hear critical observations and angry disturbances in the address of article "The puppies: Training and training" published in the periodical" ASKA "N2 in 2001. (Information: the journal "aboriginal dogs of the Caucasus and Asia" in abbreviated form "ASKA" was founded in 2000 year by Igor Semenov. It is printed in Saint Petersburg nearly of 10 thousand copies per issue. It is full-color publication with a volume of 68 pages is wholly devoted, we cite: to the "retention of the aboriginal dogs of the Caucasus and Asia (wolfhounds)". To the present day appeared two numbers of this periodical). I also heard the numerous requests of friends – wolfhound’s owners from the North Caucasus and the Ukraine about writing of extensive commentary to this publication.
      Respected Pavel Yevgen'evich! Your letter and request inspired me and finally convinced "to undertake feather". It is previously grateful to you for the possibility to share with its thoughts with the respected readers of "Wolfhound magazine". I am confident for some reason that my letter about the periodical "ASKA" will be out of the competition in to the circle of wolfhound’s owners! By the way, precisely - “wolfhound’s owners” - I insist on this name. The word of "struggles", as me it seems, degrades the merit of the shepherd wolfhound of the Caucasus and Asia. I think that this word degrades and great powerful the Russian language Therefore I propose to all wolfhound’s owners to exclude the word of "struggles" from their lexicon.
      When I read article, then understood one - the author "gave to swing". By the way, the article is not signed just in case. Possibly, he knew that "he plays with the fire".
      At first this pulp amused me as professional. It is necessary to say that the author is far from so foolish, how foolish is this publication (speech goes about "lesson N 7. Training. Part 1"). Why it does drag along fool? What he does want?
      In the first number it was mentioned about the terrible Arthur Conan Doyle's "The hound of the Baskervilles”. The secondly - the mysterious author proposes to the trusting readers to grow something similar to it, giving to the puppy for torment first white mouse, second - rabbit or dairy suckling-pig, and than still steeper - cat or the puppy of mongrel!
      "One ties it to piece of meat that place of the puppy of mongrel in which you want to haul dog, for example to the paw. Preliminarily tie up the snout of mongrel so that the puppy would not be distracted to the bites. Puppy feeling meat begins to eat it. Simultaneously it begins to gnaw the paw of mongrel (thus - neither it is more nor it is less! - here and throughout the commentary of editorial staff "SD"). The resistibility of paw gives extra incentive (!) for the activity to puppy. After feeling the blood, puppy will try to select meat from mongrel but this will occur already together with the paw (we already will regret, that they abolished censorship). Further everything depends on the nature of puppy. It can begin to eat further turning not on what the attention but it can be satisfied by the achievement (this cannot be more read!)". Elsewhere the author proposes another additional training for your favorite. Method is called - BOX.
      "Some puppies cannot become accustomed to the form of animal. Even having tied tasty piece, you can not attain anything (what pity, your puppy is not "cannibal"!). Then you take a usual pasteboard or wooden box, depending on the value of object, and make in it holes under the paws. You lower there victim (i.e. the puppy of mongrel) you fasten it and you hang up in the well accessible place at the specific height. Then you let out puppy... and everything according to diagram (horror what!)... Dog will begin to pull out from the stomach of victim entire contract (editorial staff "SD" requires to return censorship!). You should in time drag away dog (what humanism!). If you are assured in the cleanliness of victim, then can give to dog to eat as much, as it will want (what concern about the ward of!)... This it only just more greatly brings (!?)".
      It is simple some thriller or delirium... Can be the author maniac there? I hope that he simply makes the vision of maniac. Indeed he does not want so that would be shut the periodical "ASKA"? - No. 'There can be that he does want make something that would forbid the tests of wolfhounds? - No, since then it will nowhere sell these periodicals. So that would forbid the creation of species Asian wolfhound or Caucasian wolfhound? - Hardly. I am lost in the guesses. It is possible that this “method” did devise the sponsors of periodical for the purpose to disorient the majority of factory owners and thus to weaken competition? The fact is that a large quantity of talent less puppies is exported from the important nurseries. Artificially complicating the methods of training the puppies, getting rid of the rejected dogs, it is possible to say then that the puppies were incorrectly prepared. Largest error in training of puppy - is to bring up not that puppy.
      There is the ancient Russian proverb: "It is sufficient of simplicity to any wise man!" I indicate that it is not necessary to try to be clever than nature. To what shepherd could come to mind the idiotic thought: to cat claws and to return puppy to torture? Especially strange is the fact that the author advises to give puppy to the "eating" not of tomcat, but, precisely, cat. It is obvious that cats "reached" him before and they very strongly misbehaved by something. Mr. Semenov delivers by himself this periodical everywhere! It is actual completely that this opus will fall into the hands "weak into the head" adolescents, maniacs or simply naive factory owners who will begin to practice the councils of the author of the "seventh lesson". Cruelty generates cruelty. These are not fantasy but reality! But it means, if we do not place in the first place the service (guarding) qualities of wolfhound, that both our and world community will sooner or later forbid it (wolfhound).
      Today we conduct the test approval tests of wolfhound to the work on the protection as a whole and for the protection of flocks - in particular. Dog- guard is not "herdsman" and not "watchman". Wolfhound cultivated by Semenov instructions will destroy on the sheep pen and those and, etc. But without them this monster- killer is powerless to solve her basic problems.
      Wolfhound is innate leader, but not TERMINATOR! If dog is not originated by wolfhound (read: by leader) then neither abundant food nor trainings nor some other wisdom will help it to become leader.
True wolfhounds must battle only before the victory but the memory of ancestors forbids them to attain rival. Many commentators call this behavior of animals "law of honor" or even "gentlemanly behavior". The shepherd wolfhound of the clean blood never, (I emphasize!) never will begin to kill either the domestic animals (suckling-pig, rabbit, cat, hen, etc.) or, all the more, to kill itself similar!
Igor Semenov knows all this wonderfully. Its "legendary" Haba killed a large quantity of pit-bulls according to his stories. By the way, in the first issue of the periodical "ASKA" it is shown that Haba killed pit-bull Baron (the Champion of Krasnodar area). Then - during December 1996 - because of this incident to us they forbade to conduct the tests of wolfhounds on the central stadium in Kislovodsk.
      The decision about the prohibition of any crossbreeding combat tests of dogs was accepted at the extraordinary conference in year following after these events. And, although the test tests do not cause today any harm to the health of wolfhounds, it is forced to establish that to carry out them they are forced semi-legally. We must hide from the lacking self control spectators, the excessively zealous members of the party of "green" (because of the threat of terrorist acts), selecting the distant places in the scaffolding, in the mountains, in the fields, on the farms, etc.
     Both those items and etc. cannot be underestimated. Without examining the essence of the conducted measures after having read much similar articles today "green" but tomorrow "paramilitary police" in the masks with the bludgeons will begin to accelerate our championships and tournaments. Contributor as- as if purposely "pours oil into the fire".
      In principle, I respect Semenov for his diligence, courage, enterprise, contact ability with the people, polygonal knowledge, penetrating power and so on.I forth respect its periodical and help Igor with the realization. Within the short time "ASKA" became sufficiently popular in the medium of wolfhound owners and for this "enormous thanks!" to Mr. Semenov. But, in my point of view, it is necessary more critically approach to the selection of material, to deliberately choose themes, and to examine the texts supplied for the press.
      I would not be desirable to think that all this is done intentional. Approximately 4-5 % entire livestock of wolfhounds battle on the large championships now. Rest to be contained as simple of watchman or serve as the adornment of house, economy and village houses. Factory owners who carry out tribal work and selection make attempts to sell excess dogs or to simply give them into good hands. There are adroit traders among wolfhound owners which under the stamp of wolfhound, unfortunately, sometimes are succeeded in selling puppies - the "children of Lieutenant Schmidt". Those create most dangerous sabotage who does the cross-breeds of wolfhounds with the "Muscovites", the st Bernard’s, pit-bulls, great Danes and hide this! (You are naive, Shamil). I wage merciless war with this crossing, zealous propagandizing imbriding linear breeding according to the outstanding leaders of the North Caucasus.
      It is possible that the owners of these, so-called wolfhounds, made order to the author of this "horror". The "sponsors" of periodical attempts to confuse of trusting buyers by "professional" secrets and wisdom during training of the shepherd wolfhound puppy. But then, if from the puppy is succeeded in growing anything sensible - at least the pitiful similarity of wolfhound, then is guilty, it is said, owner himself. I.e. either the factory owner not of rights or the owner (very convenient position).
      You will recall the words of Mephistopheles from "Faust" of Goethe: "Everything in the world after studying to the stars, all outside reject more lately!". Or: "Give depths press to that what cannot be understood!" Briefly stated, it is seemed to me that the author and his friend- patrons wanted simply to fool about trusting dog owners but they did not consider that thus they frightened away them. They did not think also about that what unpleasant response will come out from this.
"It’s a great good - to believe and to love. And TO LOVE. Dog without this faith is no longer dog but free wolf or (which is worse) - vagrant dog. Each dog selects from these two possibilities if it ceased to believe to owner and was shrewd from it, if they expelled it. But grief to that dog that will lose the dear friend - man, it will be then search for him, wait for him. Then no longer it will be able to be neither free wolf nor usual vagrant dog but it will remain the same dog devoted and accurate to the lost friend but lonely to the end of the life "(G.N.Troyepol'skiy,"White Beam - black ear").
      And again about the mongrels - the lost friends of man, about the "vagrant solitudes" of large and small municipals.
     Many cinologyst’, including of wolfhound breeders in our society hostile relate to these "masters of courts and back streets". Actually, mongrels sometimes force passer-by to be nervous; they can bite even without the visible reason. It is amusing; I noted, however, that they more frequently bite the slovenly dressed, badly reeking, nervous or cowardly people. If to wolfhounds it is forbidden to bite pilferer, then the yard dogs do not have any prohibition of this. If wolfhound sometimes can "oversleep" stranger, then mongrel will awake with the least rustle and will wake dormouse.
      The author of the "seventh lesson" proposes ecologically clean (as he seems) method of the fight with the "wild" dogs. Meanwhile it is worthwhile to resemble to our readers that the mongrels since olden times supports ecological equilibrium in our country. Murder of "yard degenerates" by the wolfhounds cannot how or substantially influence their quantity but in the consciousness of individual people can take root dangerous thought about the fact that THEY must be pressed (as here not to recall the historical lesson of fight with the sparrows in China or "seizure" of Australia by the rabbits). An enormous quantity of complaints of the vagrant dogs from the injured and nervous citizens enters regularly to the Heads of Administration. "Wise" leaders accustomed all and entire to forbid from the times of "Soviets" orders epidemic care and prevention centers to use punitive measures. Sometimes these indications are fulfilled, but with unwilling. At the same time together with these unhappy dogs perishes large livestock of vagrant cats. Sometimes valuable thoroughbred dogs and cats eat bait (yes, this becomes large tragedy for the owners of these animals, their families, especially strongly they suffer children!). Both cats and dogs perish! The number of rodents, show blue and crows grows, and also quantity of insects and the parasites that dwell on these creatures also grows. This situation, in turn, can cause the outbreak of different infectious diseases dangerous for the health of the people and domestic animal. The number of useful birds simultaneously decreases the number of flies and other carriers of infection grow, plant peace suffers. Natural balance is disrupted - ecological catastrophe will come soon! (If we think, then author does dramatize the situation not too strongly).
      However, let us render proper respect to essences treacherously rejected by "person" to the backyards of life, which on their natural mind and canine intellect cost above many thoroughbred dogs!       They simply search for and await their loyal friend, although now and then to this departs entire their brief life.
      The fact is that the dogs that long ago or recently left by people to the arbitrariness fates lived not for long: they perished from the hunger and cold, diseases and "beatings" of their ungracious kinsmen, from the wheels of automobiles and hunting of special organizations. Most tenacious and cleverest individuals remained alive (surplus of vagrant dogs nowhere it is observed). The source of subsistence for them are the withdrawals of human food hereabout of markets, sausage shop, etc. In addition to this, the rodents, which are so dangerous for the thoroughbred domestic animals enter into their ration. Therefore it is possible with the confidence to say that our "useless" mongrels are, as, living "shield" on the way of the possible spread of infectious diseases.
      Continuing laudatory ode to the homeless fellows of our favorites, I want to tell to our respected readers about one more wonderful special feature of them.
      Many experienced wolfhound owners from KCHR (Karacaevo - Chercassian Republic) know about the unique medicinal characteristics of milk of vagrant dogs. Specifically, the completely unusual immune properties of their milk saved from death not one puppy of wolfhound. It is more than that, puppies brought up by mongrel, as a rule, rarely be ill, and sick puppies get better very rapidly.       For example: the grandmother of my wolfhound Nargiz cured by the milk of mongrel. Now its great-grandsons: Peroun, Graf, Navlon and Bulka from the nursery of Gennadi Spektorenko are the strongest wolfhounds of the Ukraine at the age of up to three years.
      Man as essence allotted by reason does not have the right to decide whom to deprive lives, while whom to have pity; what dogs are valuable, while what useless.
      Therefore wolfhound’s owners related so painfully to this article. But as otherwise? Indeed this about our dear species this "balderdash" written!
      Several ten and even hundreds of torn to pieces mongrels, it goes without saying, will not destroy the ecosystem of planet but words deeply cut into the memory and similar to time bomb they will be torn in the future by the indifference of our children and by cruelty but it means - by the lawlessness of their behavior!
      So it is seen: in the means of our domestic wolfhound appears the certain Head of Administration that gives out indications about the application of toxic chemicals against these "degenerates of canine tribe". On the spot of the torn to pieces puppy of mongrel becomes the image of the stolen child, in whom somebody disembowel interior and the corneas of eyes and sell them to the rich client... The picture, of course, gloomy, but all in the world relative to and everything is located to analogy. Fabulists depicting animals had in the form people not without reason.
      It is necessary to think about the consequences always. Today someone will amuse the murder of pit-bull by the wolfhound of the Habas (first number OF "ASKA"), tomorrow - murder of the puppy of mongrel, cat (not tomcat!), mouse, and dairy suckling-pig by the puppy of wolfhound... The course of further events is not predicted (but perhaps it is obvious?). One is clear - that it is necessary to try to avoid rash behavior, words, which can involve the appearance of the problems (and this is still softly said!). Possibly, after tearing away some profit, these many grief- academicians will study something other, then hundreds of buyers made a fool by them will tell the friend to friend: "A, there we can be in vain that did not obey Igor Semenov?"
      No and again no! The true adherents of shepherd wolfhound want to see it by such, such as created its Most High!
      Wolfhounds and hunting dogs live on the Earth from the times of Adam and Eva. All other species are considered as the artificially brought-out. Prophet Mukhammed (Aleykum Salam!) said that muslim has the right to contain in the economy guarding and hunting dog. Other species "created" by man are considered as the "unclean", dirty animals. In regard to this it is possible to say that we deal with the revival of species.
      "Nothing it is eternally under the moon!" By different peoples shepherd wolfhounds revived in the ancient times.       They bore any names. One of them - "Sarmatian" (by Pavel Pereput'e in his book "Sarmatian" made the attempt to describe this ancient species). If we speak frankly, then we will be able to recreate neither Sarmatian nor Irish nor any other ancient wolfhound. Not that nature, not that society, not those dog breeders etc. Our task is much modest - of preserving all of that which still remained by drawing on experience of generations.
      Bred, as fungi after rain, different parties, public organizations, motions "green" nuance do not thus far interfere with our work. On the contrary, we dream about that, in order to besides the exhibitions, which so much both in Russia and in other countries we carry out, the tournaments of wolfhounds would become the national form of sport, similarly how this is in Kazakhstan and Daghestan. In these republics the problems of wolfhounds are discussed at the sufficiently high level.
      International tournament into Aktyubinsk which passed on 14 October, 2001 on the eyes of several thousand spectators with the prize fund of five thousand US dollars and elegant embankment for the participants; the test tests in Makhachkala and recorded to the video cassettes by Ramazan Rabadanov. It is possible to observe on them multi thousand public as on the football game being anxious to proceeding on the stadium truly sport action - the management of these countries are clear proof of the thought-out actions.
      To me it is very pleasant that because of the Eurasian union of the owners of wolfhounds the matter moved from dead point and in the Ukraine too: the first official championship of the country on the test tests of wolfhounds is carry out, international test tournaments in Kharkov, Nikolayev becomes regular. It is gratifying that the initiative of Kiev today caught the western regions of the Ukraine - Vinnitsa, Zhitomir, Khmel'nitskiy, Rovno, L'vov. Already only for this Ukrainian wolfhound’s owners are simply obligated to in every way possible support this cinologycal organization!
      Unfortunately, almost in all other regions our country tournaments are conducted, as I spoke above already in semi-legal manner. Probably, the author of the "seventh lesson" wants to finally exhaust all us in the "underground".
      In the rules of conducting the test tests of wolfhounds it is said, that the duels must be carried out in a strict correspondence with the law about the nonviolence above animals (from themselves let us add: only on the official competitions, conducted in a strict correspondence with the plan of conducting the test tests, affirmed by the administration of the cinologycal organization, which received permission to the organization of similar measures, the test tournaments, where compulsorily be present professional judges, veterinarian, jurists, the representatives of the media, who must follow the observance of this "Law about the nonviolence above animals").
      The author of the "seventh lesson" proposes cynical mockery above the domestic animals for training of the wolfhound of doubtful quality. Possibly, to it and to its conductors is necessary victory by any price? Only as they are then collected to govern "combat" monster by the weight of sixty kilograms and three bends in the head?
      As in the justification himself the author writes about the cruelties with learning of hunting dogs. It can be them and they haul on the beast, but not on the domestic animals! Hunting - is the entire branch of national economy, this and ecology, and culture, and the tradition of peoples. Something similar I read about the procedure of pit-bull training. I suspect, that the unlucky author "training of puppy..." something copy from there, having a little "earned additionally" text, and barely had he added from himself. Possibly, pit-bulls by the most severe means do kill notorious mongrels, suckling-pigs and rabbits? I do not know. I know only that pit-bulls - ancient pickling dogs, and they are originated only, in order to battle and "to kill".
      We, wolfhound’s owners of the North Caucasus, approve the slogan: " Russian order for Russia!" We in a friendly way advise to respect ALL Russian traditions and customs, because it is unwise, living in Russia to depict from itself American, German and others.
      The motion of wolfhound’s owners, after surviving the heaviest kinds, after suffering "infantile" age, survived with difficulty and very recently and very painfully transferred "childhood". So many of them did not grow from "short trousers". They left to the side and they attempt to slander, to understate the achievements of the leaders of species, the enthusiasts of motion "fanatically" devoted to our "canine matter". "Teenage" period comes. The tactics of "pulling of blanket" was preserved. How to us now to not fight between themselves?
      In this "war" it will not be the conqueror, but there will be those conquered. I think that it is better to us to live in friendship, the mutual understanding and the mutual aid. But in the honest competitions - let the ring judge us!
      From many of wolfhound’s owners I heard about the fact that the publication of the second number OF "ASKA" was stupid from a professional point of view, that in many places the author turns himself to the readers by the tone of the teacher of low-order classes.
      I repeat: the periodicals "ASKA" in many respects are excellent according to formulation and content and undoubtedly they have a certain value in cognitive sense, especially for the novices. At the same time, in some publications the mercantile interests of the contributors or their customers penetrate. "ASKA"-2 is good, but the barrel of honey is damaged with the spoon of tar. But to disentangle it is necessary to taste this barrel by all wolfhound owners. I think that the President OF ESVV Pavel Leshchinskiy is simply obligated at the current tournament to call the extraordinary conference of the representatives of all regions for considering the second number "ASKA" and the adoption of rule-of-thumb, up to the money penalty and the public apologies of Igor Semenov in the nearest number "aboriginal dogs..."!
      And nevertheless...
      I hope, no - I believe that this hack work to the calculation of preparation and training of puppies will be forgotten, that it will not develop into fables and legends about the "dogs of Baskervilles". Are thus far living and be in good health the true adherents of assistant, etc. of the shepherd, whom thousands years did not plant to the chain, they did not shut in the cages, which itself knows: whom to suffocate, while no, such periodicals as "ASKA" will not bring large harm to thoroughbred shepherd wolfhounds (from themselves let us add: and to the motion of wolfhound owners as a whole also).
      On this, respected Pavel Yevgen'evich, I say goodbye with you. I desire successes and prosperity to your journal "Wolfhound". To the encounter!

With the respect, Shamil Dotdayev. Uchkeken, KCHR.

      P.S. I have understanding with the President OF ESVV Pavel Leshchinskiy about the fact that I will work for the journal "Your canine matter"; therefore the copy of this letter I will send away to it.

From the editorial staff of the journal "Your canine matter"
      First of all, we want to thank Shamil - our "correspondent", friend and simply remarkable person for the possibility given to acquaint the respected readers "SD" with this material and, as the epilogue, to give several quotations.

      "All four-footed friends distinguish the features of high devotion to their owner; a feeling of sincere attachment to the man - friend. And if man pays to his dog by the same, between them appears special kind a feeling, the special kind of the relations, which synthesize in them love, faithfulness and friendship - the relations, which can tear only death.
      “These feelings, well familiar to each amateur - dog breeder, ennoble not only dog. In the person himself they develop, and sometimes wake up for the first time the features of humanism, the ability to be received partly their leisure, with tasty morsel for their nonverbal essence; they develop organization, make it necessary to be attentive, thoughtful, sensitive; the rudiments of selfishness eradicate. The influence of these relations on the children and the adolescents is especially noticeable. The young dog educator brings up itself in the course of the instruction of his ward in the glad and troublesome concerns about it.
      Our four-footed friends pays to us for this twice.
      To the certain degree the dog - educator of man ".
A. Chel'tsov-Bebutov and N. Nemtsov, "Our loyal friends"

      "Among the dogs, as among the people, there is and good, and poor".
P. -E. Victor, "Driver dogs - friends on the risk"

      "It is known that the dog synchronize its behavior with manners and habits of masters, their customs imitates the spirit of house in which it lives".
The periodical "VUF", Belgium

      "Animals just as people can be formed, well-mannered or uneducated, brained up poorly".
V. l. Durov

      It can be to us - to people - to begin from training and forming itself and already then they - dog - will pay back to us for everything hundredfold?
      Moreover we propose to begin from the simple:

AS TO REMAIN MAN...