31-year-old Bakhtiyar Abdykulov, residing in the village of Orto-Aryk in the Panfilov District, has been breeding Kyrgyz Taigans for over five years.
Since early childhood, living in the village, he showed an interest in horses and dogs.
“After finishing school, I moved to the city for studies and work. Upon returning to my native village, I got a Laika and a Drathaar. One day, a neighbor suggested I get a Taigan. At first, I refused, but then I thought: why breed foreign breeds when I can work with our own, Kyrgyz breed? That's how my passion began,” Bakhtiyar shares.
According to his observations, many of his peers show no interest in this topic. Realizing that Taigans are becoming rare, he decided to contribute to the preservation of this breed, as the ancestors of the Kyrgyz have kept these dogs for centuries.
Currently, Bakhtiyar has three Taigans and one Laika: one female and two males. He acquired the youngest Taigan when it was just over four months old, while the other two are already adults — they are 3 and 4 years old, respectively.
“I have been breeding Taigans for about 5-6 years. Hunting with them brings immense pleasure — watching them race after the prey is indescribable,” he shares.
Taigans, unlike other breeds, are distinguished by their high speed, keen eyesight, and persistence — they do not let go of the prey once they catch it.
Taigans have sharp vision, especially those with reddish eyes, which are said to see better. They can spot a jackal or a fox from a considerable distance. Sometimes, it is his Taigans that first detect a jackal and chase after it.
Bakhtiyar tries to take care of his pets. In summer, he buys meat when livestock is slaughtered somewhere. In winter, he limits the amount of meat, as overfed Taigans can gain weight and lose speed. During this period, he feeds them barley porridge without salt, which is harmful to them. After hunting, he ties up the dogs, and after a couple of days, he lets them out for a walk again, as they cannot be kept on a chain for too long.
In winter, Bakhtiyar trains the Taigans like horse riders — preparing them for running. He believes it is important not to punish or shout at the dogs, as Taigans are very sensitive: if frightened, they can become disoriented during a hunt and even fear a loud voice,” he adds.
Bakhtiyar also shared several interesting stories about his Taigans:
“Last year, my friend asked for one Taigan, as there were many jackals. I agreed, but a few days later he called and said the dog had run away. I was very worried, but by evening, when I returned from work, I found that the Taigan had come back home. I checked the map and found out that he had found his way home from about 30 kilometers away. It was amazing!”
The Taigan is a hunting dog, and Bakhtiyar mainly keeps them for hunting. Sometimes he takes them with him when he herds livestock, as they protect him from predators. In recent years, there have been many jackals in his area.
These animals pose a danger: they raid nests and eat the eggs and chicks of wild birds. Taigans help protect nature and livestock. The main difference between the Kyrgyz Taigan and foreign breeds is that while other dogs lose sight of their prey, they stop.
The Kyrgyz Taigan continues to chase the game, sensing its smell and track. It runs equally well in both mountains and plains, making it ideal for local conditions. In terms of endurance and character, it is also unique — it can adapt to both cold and heat.
Bakhtiyar emphasizes that their goal is to preserve purebred Kyrgyz Taigans and pass them on to future generations. Despite the influx of many foreign breeds, he and his like-minded individuals strive not to crossbreed them with local ones to maintain the purity of the Kyrgyz Taigan's blood,” he concluded.
