ALL ABOUT TOBETS

Description of the Kazakh wolfhound - Tobet.

"From Fiction to Reality" (excerpts):

Author: Kozhakhmetov A.D.

Co-author: Malashevich. A. V.

The exterior of the Kazakh Tobet is striking in its power. Once you see the Tobets, you will never forget these handsome men. This is a large, coarse type of dog, with a clearly present tendency towards dampness (applies only to the development of subcutaneous tissue). The average height of a dog is 72-75 cm at the withers (sometimes it reaches 80 cm), weight is 50-60 kg. The dog is perfectly adapted to life in a climate with large temperature fluctuations in a harsh continental climate.

  A heavy head with a powerful skull flattened from above, with sharply defined superciliary arches and an occipital protuberance. The forehead is flat, wide, the transition to the muzzle is smooth, but clearly marked. The muzzle is slightly shorter than the skull, voluminous with a wide, rectangular-shaped nasal bridge. In the direction of the lobe, it almost does not narrow, the nose is large, black. The upper lip is thick, covers the lower jaw, often forms flews, the lower jaw is wide, the cheekbones are powerful, well defined. When the head is tilted, skin folds form on the skull. The ears are usually cropped, set low, small, triangular in shape. The eyes are small, rounded, deep set, reliably protected by the superciliary arches. With a characteristic tilt of the head, the look turns out sullenly, the impression of a threat is created. The teeth are naturally white and large. The neck is set low, powerful, voluminous with a well-developed full dewlap.

  The body format is somewhat stretched, as a result of which dogs, as a rule, are not high-legged. The body is massive, with a wide and deep chest, the ribs are rounded, the false ribs are long, developed. The loin is broad, well muscled; the croup is also muscular, wide, slightly sloping. The withers are high, powerful, muscular, behind the withers, with a possible and permissible high-back, a cross-section can form, but the back is in any case stiff and elastic. The abdomen is lowered almost to the level of the chest. The subcutaneous tissue is excellently developed throughout the body, but especially in the neck, withers and under the chest. Almost all dog handlers prescribe such a development of fiber in Tobet for protection from wolf canines, while we consider this to be a consequence of the evolution of the breed in harsh climatic conditions. Fiber, along with thick wool, maintains the temperature balance of the body, and also nourishes the body during periods of lack of food and water, like humps in a camel or a fat tail in the Kazakh breed of sheep, only last but not least, by a lucky chance, it serves as protection from the fangs of predators.

The coat of Tobet is coarse, tightly pressed to the body, with a strongly developed undercoat, the length of the guard hair is up to 10 cm, on the neck of males it often forms a mane, and on the cheekbones, sideburns, on the head and front surface of the legs are short. A distinctive feature is water resistance, in the literal sense of the word - "like water off a duck's back." The color does not have a great variety - black, brown, gray, red - all colors have different shades and, as a rule, white and light yellow tan or stains. Often, dogs have light spots above their eyes and a light rim around the eyes in the form of glasses. Dogs of a dark color with light spots above the eyes are called four-eyed, on this topic the Kazakhs have various superstitions, their origin goes back to the time of the dog cult among the ancient Turks, which was transformed into superstition with the advent of Islam. Piebald, spotted and white dogs are rare.

  Tobet's legs are thick, massive, muscular, and not only the hind legs, but also the front ones, when viewed from the back and front, they are parallel. Tobets, as already mentioned, are not high-legged, the length of the front leg from the paw to the elbow joint is approximately equal to half the height at the withers. The angles of the joints of the legs are well pronounced, resulting in springy, free and unrestricted movements. The lengths of the scapula, forearm and shoulder are equal, as are the lengths of the croup, thigh, lower leg, and metatarsus together with the paw. Paws are oval, very large, moderately tight. The pasterns are slightly sloped, as are the metatarsals. The tail is set moderately high, curled at the end into a ring, pubescent, usually docked.

Kazakh wolfhounds have a peculiar kind of character. A dog with pronounced social behavior. Reacts aggressively to the presence of a potential rival in the hierarchical ladder. The issue of hierarchy is solved by a struggle, according to noble rules established by nature, almost never ending in death, with the exception of cases of antisocial behavior of one of the rivals, which is almost always the result of impure blood and mental disorders. Each individual takes its own position in the flock and performs its duties. In dealing with a person, Tobet is independent, unobtrusive and loyal. Behaves on an equal footing, is a friend to a person, or, if I may say so, a partner, and not a servant, like dogs of most other breeds. It is hard to bear the undeserved punishment, up to the loss of contact with the owner. He is distrustful of strangers, but not spiteful, he shows aggression with a warning, in some cases of incorrect treatment with him or his owner. The territorial-protective instinct is clearly expressed, while Tobet is not idle, practically silent. In a number of character traits, it is distinguished by innate aggression towards predators, especially towards wolves and dogs, resembling wolves in appearance. In view of this quality, to one degree or another, expressed in almost all Asian wolfhounds, the ring of these dogs cannot be carried out next to the ring of dogs that outwardly resemble a wolf. In unfamiliar surroundings, he behaves calmly, confidently and not aggressively. Possessing the highest intelligence for a dog, Tobet is able to assess any situation and make decisions on his own. At the same time, the peculiarities of the behavior of Kazakh wolfhounds will become a serious obstacle to their use as service dogs. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that if the Central Asian wolfhounds are considered the safest dogs in the world for humans, then the Kazakh Tobet is the safest for humans of all varieties of Asian wolfhounds!

“In all the legends of the world, there is a lot of information about creatures - amazing animals, which have been recognized as companions of mankind since time immemorial. We always remember the wonderful creatures that come to us and help us when we are looking for the world of dreams: sardines, dragons, snakes and leopards, giant turtles that put the Earth on top, and wolves that saved the states... We can see them from the frescoes that collected the secrets of history, from the newly discovered historical we search in the scrolls among the fossils, we organize special expeditions to determine the Lochnes phenomenon, sometimes we look into the mysteries of the pyramids in order to see the outlines we need, sometimes we even look into the starry space... In one of the exhibitions held in Kazakhstan of the 21st century, the French scientist-ethnographer, who is studying the works of Marco Polo, wears a simple bracelet. He went to the old man who was holding the dog and froze like a peg. Looking at the dog from head to toe, he sat down in front of the animal and began to speak with the feeling of a person who saw a dragon with flames from its mouth in front of hundreds of people who were looking at him in amazement.

This... this is not the real Tebet, is it? - the scientist's voice trembled, - Is it really him? A famous dog that was the guardian of nomadic civilization?! These words affected those around them like a breeze from the past era. Young people surrounded the big dog with great interest and started looking at it. The owner of the dog did not understand the reason for the Frenchman's joy, he and the dog remained calm and serious. The purpose of the elder's visit to the exhibition is clear. He is going to show the uniqueness and advantages of the real Tobet from the top dogs, which have been taken according to the experience of sorting and reduced the market price. Perhaps the old man is unaware that he is presenting to the public a creature equal to the centaurs of legend, but he is convinced that his Tomb is sacred to wolves and one of the few natural wonders known since ancient times.

Sources of information about the origin of mutts date back to BC. It starts from 1121 years. The skeletons of the Kazakh crested dog were found in the pre-glacial climatic zones from Eastern Europe to the Far East.

The life of nomads is traditionally closely connected with horses. In his writings about the Kazakhs of the 13th century, Marco Polo wrote about the unimaginably huge and exceptionally strong dogs: "Dogs as tall as foals are excellent companions for hunting, guarding and hard work." Chagatai met these dogs from the Khan's palace, which were taken by traveling wolves. Two brothers of the khan were engaged in growing them. The number of dogs was 10,000. The importance and special breeding of wolfhounds in the royal palace was not a hobby of the free, but a requirement of a nomadic life surrounded by predators.

Today, there are few purebred Tobets left in Kazakhstan. If we rely on the data based on the pictures of dogs carved on stone in the Almaty region, then we can confidently say that these dogs have been living in this region for more than 4 thousand years, and that they are the true descendants of the breed that witnessed the eras of the modern Tobet - the entire Kazakh people. If so, the following argument can be given to the French's description of "the dog that saved the nomadic civilization in the era of wind-driven runners": Tobet is a valuable relic of the history of nomadic life, a giant character threatened with disappearance in the time of sedentary culture, that is, a true child who served the time in which he was portrayed. . Now there will be a question about whether these dogs do not appear in any picture of the life of nomads. The people who appreciated that "if the wolf has a god, then the dog has a master", Tobet is one of the seven treasures, which the steppe nomads tried to preserve by word of mouth. And the secret is given only as a deposit, isn't it? A mountain is not a mere companion of a person's eyes, or an awe-inspiring beauty, an indicator of a nation's environment, but a metaphysical force that takes on the task of protecting the whole civilization of the steppe, which has continued for centuries. The nomads, who do not show off the concept of clothing and virtue, but keep it secret and cherish it, always adhere to this tradition. Yes, he is not in the pictures with the man... But if you look with the eyes of intuition, you will see that Tobet of noble origin is a reliable companion, performing his duty in a steady state among nomads, mountain ridges, Japanese plains and desert fields. Imagine the image of a large-bodied arlan tupet standing like a stone statue, staring from the top of the hill with the vigilance of a leader, where everything in the vicinity is clearly visible like the palm of a hand. Perhaps the origin of the name "Tobet" is related to this? Food is the main wealth of nomads. The main enemies who have an eye on this wealth are field thrones and wolves. Even if there were men who caught the wolf with their bare hands, there were times when nomads' fighting skills, shifting positions, and watchful vigilance could not protect them from the attacks of natural predators. An unspeakable disaster - only the Tobets, who have this quality by nature, were the only barrier that would resist the wolves.

In ancient times, when Kazakh herdsmen made wooden dog legs to feed Tobets, they covered the inner region with wolf skin. This Tobet teaches the dog to pick up the smell of food and the smell of the wolf, and to sharpen its properties. Today, one of the main reasons why Kazakh herdsmen suffer millions of losses is that animals are fed to dogs and birds. In local places, the price of shooting a wolf is estimated from 10 to 40 dollars. Experts emphasize the need to keep a strong protective dog, a more effective method.

The beauty of the street during the nomadic era is the Tobets, who were able to show seriousness and vigilance. At the moment when the movement stopped, the owner of the power of disaster, who appeared at the top of the mountain, would do his duty cold-bloodedly. When the tradition of nomads stopped and began to be forgotten, Tobet, a unique creation of nature, got lost in the depths of history and the mists of time. The legendary history of Tobet had such a connection with the fate of people. Like the fact that "noble does not lie at the bottom of the scabbard", the fame of the hounds is constantly causing restlessness to humanity. Some of them want to turn the legend of the giant into today's reality, while others want to make a profit by turning it into a source of demand for livelihood. The saddest thing is that, without admitting that he is repeating these mistakes, while pointing out that a large, dry dog ​​that is not bred with the scent of a wolf, mixed with other blood, and sometimes caught from the desert, is a "real Tobet", and accuses the competitor's dog of being "chosen with a superficial idea that is worthless, has no real qualities", carries out advertising and continues the business of breeding and selling seeds. This is not only the loss of the pure blood breed, but also cutting the root of blood-borne traits. Then the dog that hides in the corner of the yard when it smells a wolf on the part of the buyers starts an endless argument about unjustified prices and promises... Quite right. Pure-blooded Tebet does not shy away from wolves. There are also reports of two-year-old Tobet's fight with four wolves at the same time. It is clear that such strength and energy cannot be given to any animal. This is how the legends were formed about the giants of the Kazakh steppe, where the breeders of the wolf-caught dogs hunted pirs. At the end of the last century, specialists included Tobets in the group of "Central Asian Shepherds". This breed (OAO), as well as the Turkmen alabai, are, after all, mixed-breed dogs. Western specialists are ready to give tens of thousands of euros for a real Kazakh Tobet. But the "real of the real" manifests itself in nature at a tangible level. One Tebet is enough to take care of a flock of sheep. Wolves will not be blessed if they do not die after hearing his "giant" voice. They have the ability to put themselves in the words of a powerful force. Even a pack wolf has an innate sense of how much it will cost in a fight with a Tobet.”

- www.tobet.kz. Republic of Kazakhstan, Almaty,