ASTANA – Tazy, one of the oldest native Kazakh dog breeds, are bred as hunters and trained by the local huntsmen. Sultan Yerimbetov is one of the tazy dog breeders in the Abai village of the Turkistan Region.
Photo credit: Yerimbetov’s personal archive. Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times.
There is a continuity of commitment within families in dog breeding. Succeeding generations replace each other in the devotion and the desire to train this legendary breed of a hunting dog. Yerimbetov is among the descendants who continue the tradition.
“My grandfather and father kept tazy greyhounds. I’ve been interested in breeding dogs since childhood,” said Yerimbetov in an interview with the Kazinform news agency.
Tazy is classified into several types, such as kumai-tazy, durek-tazy or shi-tazy.
Sultan Yerimbetov. Photo credit: Yerimbetov’s personal archive
“The kumai species is bigger, while the durek is a mix of wolfhound and tazy. It’s hardy and doesn’t get cold. Shi-tazy is more slender. Now I have 10 kumai, two durek and one shi,” said Yerimbetov.
The hounds have pedigree as well as names that reflect their character traits: Karshyga (Eagle), Kokdauyl (Blue Storm), Keremet (Marvel), Sunkar (Falcon). They all hunt together. Young tazy hounds hunt hares, while more experienced ones hunt foxes and wolves.
Hunting with tazy is also an expression of a desire to experience the earth beneath the feet, the smell of wood, and the feeling of freedom – all in the company of creatures with whom many of the hunters feel a special affinity. Yerimbetov raised most of the tazy from puppyhood. A tazy can cost as much as a young stallion.
“We go out hunting as a pack. All the dogs are well-trained. The tazy has a natural instinct for hunting — the puppies learn from their mothers, and later they push each other to improve,” said Yerimbetov.
With the arrival of winter, Yerimbetov checks his gear and kicks off the hunting season. He heads to the mountains almost every day, sometimes twice a week — and never comes back empty-handed.
Photo credit: Yerimbetov’s personal archive.
“Already from October, the tazy start whining and looking toward the mountains. We catch wolves, hares, foxes. Especially jackals – there are plenty of them in our area. Along with tazy, I have two wolfhounds. They walk beside them. They’re especially helpful when we hunt wild boars. Honestly, I start to feel unwell if I don’t get out into the mountains. I have a horse, but I usually go on foot. I only ride when the snow gets deep,” said Yerimbetov.
Tazy dogs require special care. In just a week, they go through a sack of flour and plenty of meat scraps that Yerimbetov brings home from the market. Sometimes he even buys fresh meat to cook a soup.
“They need all-round care,” said Yerimbetov. “If you don’t treat them like your own children — with love and care — you can’t expect them to perform in the hunt. Looking after them isn’t easy. In the summer, I pour water over them to keep them cool. But I enjoy caring for them. I never sell my dogs. During the famine, one tazy saved an entire village. These dogs are sacred. When I’m away, my wife takes care of them. And my four-year-old daughter adores them — she even carries the puppies around on her back.”
