G
Gyuki
Guest
Vladimir Putin names puppy Buffy
Vladimir Putin has showcased his softer side by choosing to name his new puppy 'Buffy’ after a five-year-old boy suggested the quirky name in a nationwide competition.
By Andrew Osborn, Moscow 2:23PM GMT 10 Dec 2010
State TV showed the Russian prime minister hosting the boy, Dima Sokolov, at his residence near Moscow playing with the new dog, a cream and caramel coloured Karakachan.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin plays with his Bulgarian shepherd dog named Buffy
Mr Putin was given the dog last month by the Bulgarian prime minister as a gift after the two men signed a series of natural gas deals. It means he now has two dogs since he already had a black Labrador called Connie.
Though Mr Putin is famous for his tough-talking macho persona, he has been careful to cultivate a softer image to counterbalance that as a politician who loves animals and cares about the environment.
Clearly revelling in the publicity, Mr Putin presented the boy with a signed football and discussed his new pet’s behaviour. Mr Putin’s spokesman said he had chosen the name 'Buffy’ because he liked the way it sounded, denying it had any connection to the cult US TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
With a presidential election looming in 2012, Mr Putin appears keen to keep his profile high in order to leave the door open to a possible return to the presidency. However, a top aide to President Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday he thought his boss was keen for a second term.
