There’s such an old saying: “One tazy will feed the whole aul”. Hunting greyhounds used to be the main wealth of Kazakhs. Since the second half of the last century their number began decreasing. Today there are not more than 300 of real tazy, like “300 spartans”… 

Not far from Almaty there is a house where a pure-blooded female tazy gave birth to 10 pups.

It’s unknown if the owners will be proud of the dogs, they are still only a week old

These pups need as much care as human babies do. In a year it will become clear which of them are the strongest, which are weaker.

Dog breeding is a favorite hobby for Zhursyn Burlakiev so he doesn’t grudge spending time and money.

Tazy is a purely Kazakh breed that has been bred all over the country for many years.

Konstantin Plakhov has been breeding tazy for 20 years. Today he’s an owner of a tazy club, here he came to examine the dogs.

Breeders are tough people – they value purity and development of the breed more than anything else.

All talks are about tazy only

Konstantin keeps all the photos of the dogs

He is to decide the matters of pairing. He got this power due to his knowledge.

This breed is not included in the International Organization of Dog Breeders. So officially it does not exist. To register the breed much money and efforts are required. By the way, the Turks believe tazy to be their breed either.

True lovers of their hooby – Plakhov and Tugunbai – united 6 years ago to create a breeding kennel in one of the villages not far from Almaty.

Tazy are neat dogs – when they eat no drop is spilled. Nomads respected them so much to let them in their houses. The dogs are not fastidious in eating.

An adult dog needs 0,5 kg of meat daily. Bread and water aren’t enough – it will make even the best animal disabled.

The dogs need comfort, warmth and cleanness.

Special devices control the temperature

It’s one of the best male dogs in the kennel. But it hasn’t excelled his father yet.

Young dogs

These two have all chances to become pride of the breed.

Still main purpose of the dogs is hunting.

If they see a car with open doors they understand it means hunting. The men are going to hunt after foxes.

Taking horses

Feeling the victim

Chasing

Foxes have no chances, the dogs can run at speed 80km/h.

The victim is killed immediately

In the times of starving such dogs saved many human lives.

The dog waits for a signal from the owner that would mean that hunting starts.

But do not wait from tazy bringing your slippers. They may think over your orders and decide by themselves. It’s hard to school them.

Hunting like this doesn’t demand weapons. Only humans, dogs, horses.

Last year they hunted in the team with Golden eagles but if the birds are trained badly they may attack men and dogs as well.

Tazy breeders from the North are trying to breed bigger dogs and interbreed them with European greyhounds. Southern breeders do not like the idea.

After hunting the dogs can rest till the next time.