ASTANA – President of the Kazakh Union of Cynologists, Bauyrzhan Serikkali, spoke to Kazinform news agency about the timeline for international recognition of the Kazakh Tazy dog breed, the challenges in breed verification, and the steps being taken for its preservation and development.
Kazakh Tazy dog. Photo credit: Kazinform
Below is the Q&A with Bauyrzhan Serikkali:
Following a Tazy dog exhibition in May, the International Commission was expected to decide on the breed’s international recognition. What was the outcome?
Recognition is a lengthy process. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), the world’s largest cynology organization, requires multiple stages of approval and validation. The Scientific and Standards Commissions reviewed the documentation submitted in March. The breed was then assessed at an international dog show in May in Astana. A working meeting followed, involving commission members, FCI leadership, and representatives from the Kazakhstan Cynologists Union (KCU) to discuss questions that arose during the review.
Bauyrzhan Serikkali, The President of the Kazakh Union of Cynologists. Photo credit: Kazinform
FCI representatives are now expected to draft reports on the breed and submit them to the FCI General Committee, which could review the reports and preliminarily recognize the Kazakh Tazy breed as early as September.
How many Tazy dogs are there in Kazakhstan?
Exact numbers are difficult to pinpoint, as many owners do not register their dogs with cynological organizations. The breed is popular in rural areas. This spring, the KCU conducted breed inspections nationwide, registering dozens of dogs at each inspection, often 70-90 individuals. While not all were purebred, most met the breed standard, with 10-20% being high quality. It is safe to say there are several thousand Tazy dogs in Kazakhstan.
As for those officially registered in the KCU’s Unified Stud Book, the number stands at 2,757. Government attention to this issue has positively impacted the preservation and international recognition of the breed, leading to a significant increase in Tazy registrations.
How is breed affiliation confirmed, and how is pedigree usually documented?
Breed affiliation is confirmed by experts during special breed inspections. Each dog is evaluated according to the breed standard, which describes the ideal representative in detail, including conformation of the head, body, limbs, tail, coat, and other characteristics. If the dog matches the description, it receives a ‘zero’ pedigree, meaning a pedigree with the note ‘no data on origin.’ If the dog joins a cynological organization and its offspring are documented according to breeding rules, the puppies’ pedigrees will list their ancestors.
Breed affiliation is confirmed by experts during special breed inspections. Photo credit: Kazinform
What measures are being taken to preserve and develop purebred dogs?
The KCU offers favorable conditions for Tazy owners, including free pedigree issuance, breed inspections, and opportunities to obtain pedigrees. Partner clubs organize Tazy exhibitions and conduct breeding work. The number of Tazys in the KCU system is steadily increasing, as reflected in the Unified Stud Book.
What challenges still exist in this area?
The main issue is the lack of understanding among owners about the importance of adhering to breeding requirements and maintaining proper documentation. Some owners get a ‘zero’ pedigree after an inspection, thinking their work is done, but fail to properly document litters and puppies. Breeding requirements are strict: pedigrees can only be issued if all conditions are met, including positive confirmation ratings for parents, litter registration, puppy inspection at five-seven weeks, and microchipping. If these conditions are not met, the pedigree documents cannot be issued, causing a generation of dogs to fall out of the breeding process, necessitating a restart.
Another challenge is that Tazy owners often live far from major population centers, requiring them to travel for inspections. The KCU is ready to train breed enthusiasts through courses such as breeding specialist and breeder and assist in opening clubs to perform inspections and issue documents locally.
What progress has been made in applying for international recognition of the Tobet breed?
Unfortunately, this work has not yet started. International recognition requires an established phenotype, systematic breeding, and litter registration in a stud book for at least ten years. The KCU has not yet adopted a standard for the Tobet breed. The interdepartmental working group, which includes KCU representatives, is actively discussing the Tobet standard, but no consensus has been reached. We first need to adopt a standard, develop breeding rules, and register litters with the KCU over a long period. A substantial breeding base is also required, along with genetic, historical and archaeological research. For the Tobet breed, we are just beginning the journey.
The article was originally published in Kazinform.
