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Russian Dogfighting
Feb. 9th, 2007 07:34 am♠
Mr. Dotdayev admitted that his interests were broader. He poured shots of vodka and said that dogfighting had an almost irresistible draw, and that studying fighting dogs can become a shepherd’s or mountain man’s obsession.
“The dogs teach us,” he said. “You cannot look at a dog and tell who it is. The dog is on the inside, not on the outside. It is in his spirit.”
“It is the same with people,” he added, and lifted his glass.
-- C. J. Chivers for The New York Times
We thought that we were suffering a culture clash with Islam. I think we may have it just as bad with Russia and their apparent love of volkodavs, the wolf-killers, or as we know it: dogfights.
They argue that it is harmless, and that dogs are seldom injured seriously:
xXx
Mr. Dotdayev admitted that his interests were broader. He poured shots of vodka and said that dogfighting had an almost irresistible draw, and that studying fighting dogs can become a shepherd’s or mountain man’s obsession.
“The dogs teach us,” he said. “You cannot look at a dog and tell who it is. The dog is on the inside, not on the outside. It is in his spirit.”
“It is the same with people,” he added, and lifted his glass.
-- C. J. Chivers for The New York Times
We thought that we were suffering a culture clash with Islam. I think we may have it just as bad with Russia and their apparent love of volkodavs, the wolf-killers, or as we know it: dogfights.
They argue that it is harmless, and that dogs are seldom injured seriously:
Each fight lasts until one dog shows fear or pain — by dropping its tail, squeaking, whimpering, refusing to fight or snapping its jaws defensively, all grounds for instant disqualification. There is no scoring. There are only winners and losers or, in fights that continue for three rounds without an animal yielding, draws.Judging by the pictures and video, I don't think such assertions would convince many Western animal lovers and protectors. Monk certainly does not care for it, but he appreciates the Hobbesian feel of such enterprises.
