Dog lover Putin gets top breed pup as gift from Turkmen leader
Vladimir Putin
SOCHI  Russia (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin  a dog lover  received a top breed puppy as a belated birthday gift on Wednesday from Turkmenistanâs president who is keen to recover lost Russian markets for Turkmen gas.
âWe have a common friend - this is the worldâs unique alabai dog. And today I brought this little alabai with me â President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov said before talks with  Putin   pulling the pup out from a portable cage and holding it up by the scruff of its neck.
 Putin   who marked  his  65th birthday on Oct. 7  took the puppy  called Verny which means âfaithfulâ in Russian  and kissed it in its forehead.
Turkmenistan's President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov (L) shakes hands with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin after presenting him a Turkmen shepherd dog  locally known as Alabai  during a meeting in Sochi  Russia October 11  2017. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
SOCHI  Russia (Reuters) - Russian President  [TGT]   a dog lover  received a top breed puppy as a belated birthday gift on Wednesday from Turkmenistanâs president who is keen to recover lost Russian markets for Turkmen gas.
âWe have a common friend - this is the worldâs unique alabai dog. And today I brought this little alabai with me â President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov said before talks with  Putin   pulling the pup out from a portable cage and holding it up by the scruff of its neck.
 Putin   who marked  his  65th birthday on Oct. 7  took the puppy  called Verny which means âfaithfulâ in Russian  and kissed it in its forehead.
Turkmenistan's President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov (L) shakes hands with his Russian counterpart  [TGT]  after presenting him a Turkmen shepherd dog  locally known as Alabai  during a meeting in Sochi  Russia October 11  2017. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov