Koni (dog)
Encyclopedia
Koni full name
Connie Paulgrave , also known as Connie, is a female
black Labrador Retriever
owned by former President and current Prime Minister of Russia
Vladimir Putin
. Given to Putin as a gift in 2000 by General of the Army Sergey Shoigu, Koni is often seen at Putin's side, including at staff meetings, and when Putin greets world leaders upon their visits to Russia
.
centre of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in Noginsk
, where she was to be trained as a search and rescue dog
. Koni's parents are Henrietta Bush (mother) and Alkor Ross Bradford (father). Alkor Ross Bradford had hereditary lines to a Labrador once owned by Leonid Brezhnev
, the one-time General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
. There are rumours, although they are unconfirmed, that Koni was named after Condoleezza Rice
. In December 2000, Koni was presented to Vladimir Putin as a gift from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Sergey Shoigu.
On the morning of 7 December 2003, the day of the Russian legislative election
, Koni gave birth to eight pups. One of the pups, named Darina, was given to a pensioner in Novozolotovka, Neklinovksy District of Rostov Oblast
. Another pup, named Oscar, was given to a six-year old girl in Smolensk
. Two pups were given to then-President of Austria
Thomas Klestil
as a symbol of Austrian-Russian friendship. The two pups are now with the late Klestil's wife and widow, Margot Klestil-Löffler
, who as the Austria
n ambassador
to the Czech Republic
had the dogs living with her in Prague
. In December 2009, she was appointed Austrian ambassador to the Russian Federation
, so they all returned to Moscow
. Klestil-Löffler says that the two dogs, named Olya and Orhi, have helped her deal with her husband's death. Another of Koni's pups is employed by rescue services in Vladikavkaz
in North Ossetia-Alania
.
, wrote to the Presidential Administration requesting a photo of the then President for his accreditation badge; the Administration sent back to the organisers a photo of Putin sitting in an armchair next to a fireplace with Koni laying at his feet.
Answering a question at a press conference, Putin stated that like everyone he has bad moods, and explained:
Koni responds to simple commands given to her by Putin, including "down!" , "sit!" , "heel!" , "go!" and "bark!" , in addition to shaking hands.
Although Koni is for the most part allowed to attend meetings with Putin, on occasion she was kept away from such functions. Rossiyskaya Gazeta
recalled an incident in 2003, where journalists travelled to Sochi to discuss various issues with the President. Upon arrival at Bocharov Ruchei Koni, who is described as cheerful and inquisitive, greeted the journalists. When it came time to start the meeting, Putin's security detail stopped Koni from following him. As the journalists and Putin started down the staircase, Koni rushed towards them and began to bark loudly at Putin. Irena Lesnevsky, the president of REN TV, asked "So who else here can so bark at the President?", leaving the other journalists speechless. Koni, in what appeared to be an expression of dissatisfaction in not being allowed to "participate" in the meeting, continued barking and refused several orders by Putin to come to him, leading Lesnevsky to ask "So who else can disobey the President?"
party at the State Kremlin Palace
in December 2004 with Putin, although Koni was an unplanned guest at the party; she escaped from her quarters and joined Putin on stage whilst he was giving a speech to the media, politicians and the public.
Koni gained fame when Detskaya Literatura, one of the oldest publishing houses of Soviet times and the largest publisher of children's books, published in 2004 a book entitled Connie's Stories. The 60-page book written by Irina Borisova in English chronicles the life and adventures of a black Labrador named "Connie", which at the end it is revealed that Connie is the ex-President's dog. Koni gained additional public exposure when she was present at an April meeting with Putin and President of Belarus
Alexander Lukashenko
in Sochi
. Koni's visibility in meetings of Putin with world leaders led to the publication by Ogoniok of a satirical series of comic strip
s which features Koni as an advisor to Putin on matters relating to the foreign relations of Russia
.
In July 2006, in an online conference organised by Yandex
and the BBC
, Putin revealed that Koni eats two to three times a day, and has a penchant for porridge
with meat. During the same online Q&A session, Putin reiterated a request that he had previously made on his website for people not to feed Koni, stating:
In December 2007 Sergey Ivanov updated Putin on progress on the Russian global navigation satellite system
GLONASS
, when Putin enquired whether he would be able to buy a device hooked into GLONASS which would allow him to keep an eye on Koni. Ivanov advised Putin that collars for pets would be available in mid-2008. The collar was demonstrated to Putin on Koni on 17 October 2008, making Koni the first recipient of a GLONASS-enabled pet collar.
, started a campaign to promote Koni for President. It was the opinion of the group that no matter who won the 2008 Russian presidential election
the operating head of state
would remain the same, and hence Koni would make the best candidate. Georgy Satarov
, a key member of The Other Russia believes that if Putin was to have endorsed Koni as his successor, that 40% of the electorate would vote for the Labrador, given that 40% of people would vote for whoever Putin endorses for the election.
A popular anecdote
is of when the Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel
met Vladimir Putin, Putin brought Koni to their meetings. On 21 January 2007, the two leaders met at Bocharov Ruchei, the President's summer residence in Sochi
and at the beginning of their meeting Koni wandered into the room, leading Putin to ask Merkel, who was afraid of dogs, "The dog does not bother you, does it? It's a friendly dog and I'm sure it will behave itself." Merkel responded in Russian
, a language in which she is fluent, "It doesn't eat journalists, after all." Koni then proceeded to sniff the German
Chancellor, and sat at her feet. Merkel was reported to have shown "apparent discomfort", but the two quickly became friends.
When US President George W. Bush
visited Putin's residence at Novo-Ogaryovo
, Koni was there to greet both leaders. Putin was reported to have remarked to the visiting President that Koni is "[b]igger, tougher, stronger, faster, meaner — than Barney
", which aides to Bush said was "a mark of a friendship strengthened by a little needling." At a meeting with Putin in Sochi in March 2003, and again in April 2005, President of Belarus
Alexander Lukashenko
, who regards Koni as a friend, attempted to call Koni to him, but Koni did not respond, except for yawning at the Belarussian President on several occasions, before getting up and going over to the journalists who had gathered to cover the meeting.
Name
A name is a word or term used for identification. Names can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. A personal name identifies a specific unique and identifiable individual person, and may or may not include a middle name...
Connie Paulgrave , also known as Connie, is a female
Female
Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
black Labrador Retriever
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever is one of several kinds of retriever, a type of gun dog. A breed characteristic is webbed paws for swimming, useful for the breed's original purpose of retrieving fishing nets. The Labrador is the most popular breed of dog by registered ownership in Canada, the United...
owned by former President and current Prime Minister of Russia
Prime Minister of Russia
The Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation The use of the term "Prime Minister" is strictly informal and is not allowed for by the Russian Constitution and other laws....
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
. Given to Putin as a gift in 2000 by General of the Army Sergey Shoigu, Koni is often seen at Putin's side, including at staff meetings, and when Putin greets world leaders upon their visits to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
Family
Koni, full name Connie Paulgrave, was born in 1999 at a cynologyCynology
Cynology is the study of matters related to canines or domestic dogs.In English it may be a term sometimes used to denote serious zoological approach to the study of dogs as well as by writers on canine subjects, dog breeders and trainers and enthusiasts who informally study the dog,...
centre of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in Noginsk
Noginsk
Noginsk is a town and the administrative center of Noginsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, located east of the MKAD ring road on the Klyazma River. Population:...
, where she was to be trained as a search and rescue dog
Search and rescue dog
The use of dogs in search and rescue is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people. Dedicated handlers and well-trained dogs are required for the use of dogs to be effective in search efforts...
. Koni's parents are Henrietta Bush (mother) and Alkor Ross Bradford (father). Alkor Ross Bradford had hereditary lines to a Labrador once owned by Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev – 10 November 1982) was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , presiding over the country from 1964 until his death in 1982. His eighteen-year term as General Secretary was second only to that of Joseph Stalin in...
, the one-time General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the title given to the leader of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. With some exceptions, the office was synonymous with leader of the Soviet Union...
. There are rumours, although they are unconfirmed, that Koni was named after Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
. In December 2000, Koni was presented to Vladimir Putin as a gift from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Sergey Shoigu.
On the morning of 7 December 2003, the day of the Russian legislative election
Russian legislative election, 2003
Legislative elections were held in the Russian Federation on December 7, 2003. At stake were the 450 seats in the State Duma , the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia ....
, Koni gave birth to eight pups. One of the pups, named Darina, was given to a pensioner in Novozolotovka, Neklinovksy District of Rostov Oblast
Rostov Oblast
Rostov Oblast is a federal subject of Russia , located in the Southern Federal District. Rostov Oblast has an area of and a population of making it the sixth most populous federal subject in Russia...
. Another pup, named Oscar, was given to a six-year old girl in Smolensk
Smolensk
Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River. Situated west-southwest of Moscow, this walled city was destroyed several times throughout its long history since it was on the invasion routes of both Napoleon and Hitler. Today, Smolensk...
. Two pups were given to then-President of Austria
President of Austria
The President of Austria is the federal head of state of Austria. Though theoretically entrusted with great power by the constitution, in practice the President acts, for the most part, merely as a ceremonial figurehead...
Thomas Klestil
Thomas Klestil
Thomas Klestil was an Austrian diplomat and politician. He was elected the tenth President of Austria in 1992 and was re-elected to the position in 1998...
as a symbol of Austrian-Russian friendship. The two pups are now with the late Klestil's wife and widow, Margot Klestil-Löffler
Margot Klestil-Löffler
Margot Klestil-Löffler is an Austrian diplomat and the widow of Thomas Klestil, the former federal president of Austria. Her parents, Karl Löffler and Gerda Löffler, were farmers....
, who as the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
had the dogs living with her in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. In December 2009, she was appointed Austrian ambassador to the Russian Federation
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, so they all returned to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. Klestil-Löffler says that the two dogs, named Olya and Orhi, have helped her deal with her husband's death. Another of Koni's pups is employed by rescue services in Vladikavkaz
Vladikavkaz
-Notable structures:In Vladikavkaz, there is a guyed TV mast, tall, built in 1961, which has six crossbars with gangways in two levels running from the mast structure to the guys.-Twin towns/sister cities:...
in North Ossetia-Alania
North Ossetia-Alania
The Republic of North Ossetia–Alania is a federal subject of Russia . Its population according to the 2010 Census was 712,877.-Name:...
.
Relationship with Vladimir Putin
Since she became part of the Putin family, Koni has featured largely in the life of the former President, and is regularly at her master's side. In 2007 organisers of the Saint Petersburg Economic Forum, a regional meeting of the World Economic ForumWorld Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
, wrote to the Presidential Administration requesting a photo of the then President for his accreditation badge; the Administration sent back to the organisers a photo of Putin sitting in an armchair next to a fireplace with Koni laying at his feet.
Answering a question at a press conference, Putin stated that like everyone he has bad moods, and explained:
(I)n those situations I try to consult with my dog Koni, who gives me good advice.
Koni responds to simple commands given to her by Putin, including "down!" , "sit!" , "heel!" , "go!" and "bark!" , in addition to shaking hands.
Although Koni is for the most part allowed to attend meetings with Putin, on occasion she was kept away from such functions. Rossiyskaya Gazeta
Rossiyskaya Gazeta
Rossiyskaya Gazeta is a Russian government daily newspaper of record which publishes the official decrees, statements and documents of state bodies...
recalled an incident in 2003, where journalists travelled to Sochi to discuss various issues with the President. Upon arrival at Bocharov Ruchei Koni, who is described as cheerful and inquisitive, greeted the journalists. When it came time to start the meeting, Putin's security detail stopped Koni from following him. As the journalists and Putin started down the staircase, Koni rushed towards them and began to bark loudly at Putin. Irena Lesnevsky, the president of REN TV, asked "So who else here can so bark at the President?", leaving the other journalists speechless. Koni, in what appeared to be an expression of dissatisfaction in not being allowed to "participate" in the meeting, continued barking and refused several orders by Putin to come to him, leading Lesnevsky to ask "So who else can disobey the President?"
In the public eye
Koni attended a children's New YearNew Year
The New Year is the day that marks the time of the beginning of a new calendar year, and is the day on which the year count of the specific calendar used is incremented. For many cultures, the event is celebrated in some manner....
party at the State Kremlin Palace
State Kremlin Palace
The State Kremlin Palace , formerly and unofficially still better known as the Kremlin Palace of Congresses , is a large modern building inside the Moscow Kremlin....
in December 2004 with Putin, although Koni was an unplanned guest at the party; she escaped from her quarters and joined Putin on stage whilst he was giving a speech to the media, politicians and the public.
Koni gained fame when Detskaya Literatura, one of the oldest publishing houses of Soviet times and the largest publisher of children's books, published in 2004 a book entitled Connie's Stories. The 60-page book written by Irina Borisova in English chronicles the life and adventures of a black Labrador named "Connie", which at the end it is revealed that Connie is the ex-President's dog. Koni gained additional public exposure when she was present at an April meeting with Putin and President of Belarus
President of Belarus
The office of President of Belarus is the head of state of Belarus. The office was created in 1994 with the passing of the Constitution of Belarus by the Supreme Soviet. This replaced the office of Chairman of the Supreme Soviet as the head of state...
Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko has been serving as the President of Belarus since 20 July 1994. Before his career as a politician, Lukashenko worked as director of a state-owned agricultural farm. Under Lukashenko's rule, Belarus has come to be viewed as a state whose conduct is out of line...
in Sochi
Sochi
Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
. Koni's visibility in meetings of Putin with world leaders led to the publication by Ogoniok of a satirical series of comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
s which features Koni as an advisor to Putin on matters relating to the foreign relations of Russia
Foreign relations of Russia
The foreign relations of Russia is the policy of the Russian government by which it guides the interactions with other nations, their citizens and foreign organizations and sets standards of interaction for Russian organizations, corporations and individual citizens towards them...
.
In July 2006, in an online conference organised by Yandex
Yandex
Yandex is a Russian IT company which operates the largest search engine in Russia and develops a number of Internet-based services and products. Yandex is ranked as 5-th world largest search engine...
and the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, Putin revealed that Koni eats two to three times a day, and has a penchant for porridge
Porridge
Porridge is a dish made by boiling oats or other cereal meals in water, milk, or both. It is usually served hot in a bowl or dish...
with meat. During the same online Q&A session, Putin reiterated a request that he had previously made on his website for people not to feed Koni, stating:
"Sometimes, Koni leaves a room full of journalists with a very pleased expression on her face and biscuit crumbs around her mouth...Please don't feed my dog."
In December 2007 Sergey Ivanov updated Putin on progress on the Russian global navigation satellite system
Global Navigation Satellite System
A satellite navigation or SAT NAV system is a system of satellites that provide autonomous geo-spatial positioning with global coverage. It allows small electronic receivers to determine their location to within a few metres using time signals transmitted along a line-of-sight by radio from...
GLONASS
GLONASS
GLONASS , acronym for Globalnaya navigatsionnaya sputnikovaya sistema or Global Navigation Satellite System, is a radio-based satellite navigation system operated for the Russian government by the Russian Space Forces...
, when Putin enquired whether he would be able to buy a device hooked into GLONASS which would allow him to keep an eye on Koni. Ivanov advised Putin that collars for pets would be available in mid-2008. The collar was demonstrated to Putin on Koni on 17 October 2008, making Koni the first recipient of a GLONASS-enabled pet collar.
Koni and Russian politics
In February 2005, the We youth movement, a member of The Other RussiaThe Other Russia
The Other Russia , sometimes cited as Another Russia, is an umbrella coalition that gathered opponents of former President of Russia Vladimir Putin...
, started a campaign to promote Koni for President. It was the opinion of the group that no matter who won the 2008 Russian presidential election
Russian presidential election, 2008
The Russian Presidential election of 2008, held on March 2, 2008 resulted in the election of Dmitry Medvedev as the third President of Russia. Medvedev, whose candidacy was supported by incumbent president Vladimir Putin and five political parties , received 71% of the vote, and defeated...
the operating head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
would remain the same, and hence Koni would make the best candidate. Georgy Satarov
Georgy Satarov
Georgy Alexandrovich Satarov , is a Russian mathematician, politician, political scientist and a former aide to Russia President Boris Yeltsin...
, a key member of The Other Russia believes that if Putin was to have endorsed Koni as his successor, that 40% of the electorate would vote for the Labrador, given that 40% of people would vote for whoever Putin endorses for the election.
Koni and Russian foreign affairs
Koni became a symbol of friendly meetings between the Russian President and world leaders and is allowed to attend official meetings.A popular anecdote
Anecdote
An anecdote is a short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person. It may be as brief as the setting and provocation of a bon mot. An anecdote is always presented as based on a real incident involving actual persons, whether famous or not, usually in an identifiable place...
is of when the Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel
Angela Dorothea Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany . Merkel, elected to the Bundestag from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.From 2005 to 2009 she led a...
met Vladimir Putin, Putin brought Koni to their meetings. On 21 January 2007, the two leaders met at Bocharov Ruchei, the President's summer residence in Sochi
Sochi
Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
and at the beginning of their meeting Koni wandered into the room, leading Putin to ask Merkel, who was afraid of dogs, "The dog does not bother you, does it? It's a friendly dog and I'm sure it will behave itself." Merkel responded in Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
, a language in which she is fluent, "It doesn't eat journalists, after all." Koni then proceeded to sniff the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Chancellor, and sat at her feet. Merkel was reported to have shown "apparent discomfort", but the two quickly became friends.
When US President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
visited Putin's residence at Novo-Ogaryovo
Novo-Ogaryovo
Novo-Ogaryovo , also Novo-Ogarevo, is an estate in the Odintsovo District of Moscow Oblast to the west of the city, by the Rublyovo-Uspenskoye Highway and is the location of a suburban official residence of the President of Russia, officially recognized as such in 2000.The residence was constructed...
, Koni was there to greet both leaders. Putin was reported to have remarked to the visiting President that Koni is "[b]igger, tougher, stronger, faster, meaner — than Barney
Barney (dog)
Barney , born September 30, 2000, in New Jersey, United States, who was often referred to as the "First Dog", is a Scottish Terrier owned by former U.S. President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush...
", which aides to Bush said was "a mark of a friendship strengthened by a little needling." At a meeting with Putin in Sochi in March 2003, and again in April 2005, President of Belarus
President of Belarus
The office of President of Belarus is the head of state of Belarus. The office was created in 1994 with the passing of the Constitution of Belarus by the Supreme Soviet. This replaced the office of Chairman of the Supreme Soviet as the head of state...
Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko has been serving as the President of Belarus since 20 July 1994. Before his career as a politician, Lukashenko worked as director of a state-owned agricultural farm. Under Lukashenko's rule, Belarus has come to be viewed as a state whose conduct is out of line...
, who regards Koni as a friend, attempted to call Koni to him, but Koni did not respond, except for yawning at the Belarussian President on several occasions, before getting up and going over to the journalists who had gathered to cover the meeting.
External links
Putin's Dog (Собака Путина) comic strip by Ogoniok- Irina Borisova (2004). Connie's Stories. Moscow: Detskaya Literatura. ISBN 978-5-08-004113-6