Buffy (dog)

Buffy (Bulgarian: Бъфи and Russian: Баффи) is a male dog, owned as a pet by the Russian President Vladimir Putin. The dog was given to Putin, then prime minister, by then Bulgarian prime minister Boyko Borisov during a visit in Sofia on 13 November 2010.[1]

Early life

Buffy is a caramel and white Bulgarian shepherd Karakachan Dog.[2] His breed is known to be brave and to guard property and livestock and was commonly used as an army watchdog in the past.[2]

Buffy was ten-weeks old when he was given to Putin.[3] He was born in Boyko Borisov's personal nursery in August 2010 under the name Yorgo. He was the oldest of ten-puppy litter - nine males and one female. He was then renamed Ares after the Greek god of war.

Russia

Putin admitted that the present was a complete unexpectedness for him.[4] Buffy's first home in Russia was Putin’s country residence, Novo-Ogaryovo.[5] After getting the unexpected present, Vladimir Putin announced a contest for a new name of the puppy. Putin received thousands of letters, most proposing names, linked with Bulgaria, such as Balkan or Sofia.[6] The winner was 5-years old Dima Sokolov, who proposed the name Buffy.[7][8] Thereupon President Putin invited Dima Sokolov and his family to Novo Oraryovo, where the boy played with Buffy while the President had a conversation with his parents.[9] Russia requested a female partner for Buffy, who was called Yantra after a river in Bulgaria.

Buffy lives in the President's residence in Moscow.[10]

President Putin described Buffy’s character as persevering (Russian: настырный). He recounts that Koni’s attitude towards Buffy was benevolent, however Buffy sometimes pulls Koni by the ears.[9] Koni responds with patient composure.[4] Presidential Press Attaché Dmitry Peskov described Koni’s interaction with Buffy (and with the President’s other dog, Yume) by virtue of her 13 years as complicated.[11]

References