Pet Peeves

What’s a dog or cat got to do with your masculinity?

- Bijoy Venugopal

WHEN Angela Merkel called on Vladimir Putin in 2007, she found that the Russian president had invited an unexpected guest to their meeting — Koni, his big black Labrador. It seemed like a casual ice-breaker to have a cuddlesome pooch sniffing around two world leaders. But the Russian president, not known for his subtlety, was aware that the then German Chancellor, who had once been attacked by a dog, would be uncomfortable in Koni’s presence. Putin employed the dog as a power lever to subdue a woman widely acknowledged as a charismatic and influential global leader. Press pictures show the Russian premier looking smug and visibly enjoying Merkel’s discomfort. She later said, “I understand why he has to do this — to prove he’s a man. He’s afraid of his own weakness.”

It wasn’t the first time that the Russian strongman, famed for photo-ops that showed him swimming shirtless in an icy lake and riding an enormous brown bear, had used a dog to make a statement. Former US President George W Bush recalled how Putin had scoffed at Bernie, his little Scottish terrier.

Putin chose a dog, and not a cat, for good reason. Ever since they evolved from wild wolves, dogs have been bred to suit every human need, and match every human personality. Big, fierce dogs have long been the macho man’s ally. The image of a strong dog straining at a leash, fangs bared and muzzle furrowed in a menacing snarl, has been associated with power, aggression and manliness.