Koni (dog)

Connie Paulgrave (; 1999–2014), also known as Konni (), was a female black Labrador Retriever belonging to Vladimir Putin. She was often at his side, including at meetings between him and various world leaders during their visits to Russia.

Early life

Konni, a black Labrador Retriever and whose full name was Connie Paulgrave, was born in 1999. As writer Steven Lee Myers states, "she was said to be descended from a Labrador once owned by Leonid Brezhnev." She was also to be trained as a search and rescue dog at the Ministry of Emergency Situations near Noginsk, where in 2000, she was presented to Vladimir Putin as a gift by Sergei Shoigu.

Putin would teach Konni "five basic commands: down, heel, sit, go, and bark". She would become his favorite pet, serving as what Putin described as a consultant during his own "bad moods". In 2003, Putin's security detail stopped Konni from following him into a meeting with journalists, resulting in her expressing dissatisfaction by barking loudly and refusing several orders by Putin to come to him as the meeting progressed.

Shortly before the 2003 Russian legislative election, Konni gave birth to eight puppies, all of which were given away.

Foreign affairs

File:Vladimir Putin 7 March 2003-2.jpg, alt=Konni sits under a table while Putin and Alexander Lukashenko have a talk., Konni with Putin and Alexander Lukashenko, 2003
File:Vladimir Putin 24 May 2006-1.jpg, alt=Konni looks down while José Manuel Barroso, Vladimir Putin, Javier Solana, and Wolfgang Schuessel have a discussion., Konni with José Manuel Barroso, Vladimir Putin, Javier Solana, and Wolfgang Schuessel, 2006
File:Vladimir Putin 21 January 2007-1.jpg, alt=Konni sniffs Merkel, seated, during her meeting with Putin, also seated., Konni with Angela Merkel and Putin, 2007

American president George W. Bush recalled his 2006 visit to Novo-Ogaryovo, where Konni charged across the lawn and Putin described her to him as "Bigger, tougher, stronger, faster, meaner—than Barney." While Bush's aides were inclined to dismiss Putin's remark as humorous, Bush himself retold the story to Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper, who replied, "You're lucky he only showed you his dog." Ian Davis of ''The Guardian'' interpreted the remark as Putin's disdain for Barney.

In 2007, German chancellor Angela Merkel had bilateral talks with Putin, accompanied by Konni, at his vacation home in Sochi. Throughout the talks, Konni stayed close to both Putin and Merkel, who reportedly had a fear of dogs. Putin told Merkel, "I hope the dog does not frighten you." However, she appeared to be unsettled by Konni. Later, Putin denied using his dog to intimidate Merkel, while Merkel said of Putin's behaviour: "I understand why he has to do this—to prove he's a man. ... He's afraid of his own weakness. Russia has nothing, no successful politics or economy. All they have is this", referring to Konni. In an interview two years earlier, Merkel had described the situation in a different way: "I didn't believe at the time that he wanted to intimidate me on purpose," According to the interview, she interpreted it to mean that Putin wanted to do her a favor because of her love for animals.

Later life and legacy

In 2008, Konni was used to test a GLONASS-enabled pet collar, something she felt irritated wearing. She was also jokingly regarded by several commentators as Putin's potential successor as president of Russia in the presidential election for her frequent appearances alongside him. Konni died six years later.

Konni was viewed as intimidating to some during meetings between Putin and various world leaders, while others had viewed her as a "humanizing prop" in such functions.

Konni is depicted in ''Connie's Stories'', a 60-page book written by Irina Borisova in English and published by Detskaya Literatura. The book chronicles the life and adventures of Connie, a black Labrador, who at the end is revealed to be Putin's dog. She is also depicted in the ''Ogoniok'' publication of a satirical series of comic strips as an advisor to Putin on matters relating to the foreign relations of Russia.;

See also

* List of individual dogs
* List of Labrador Retrievers
* Pets of Vladimir Putin

Citations

Works cited

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External links

''Putin's Dog'' (Russian: Собака Путина) comic strip by ''Ogoniok''

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Konni (dog)
1999 animal births
2014 animal deaths
Individual dogs in politics
Individual animals in Russia
Pets of Vladimir Putin
Labrador Retriever