Putin With Puppies (PHOTOS)

Whether Russians are staging pro-Putin rallies (with some state-paid or dependent workers claiming they were promised time off for attendance) or anti-Putin protests in the face of the forthcoming Russian presidential elections, their prime minister, Vladimir Putin, remains a controversial figure in his home country and to the world at large. But one point almost everyone, even Mikhail Gorbachev, could agree with:

Putin must love puppies.

In 2010, a bit of a kerfuffle was stirred up when Putin asked for help in naming the Karakachan puppy he was presented by Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov. But the ex-KGB boss-puppy love story goes beyond that; check out the photos below to see Putin throughout his years -- as both president and prime minister -- cozying up with four-legged friends.

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Comments

[Ailidh]

03:05 AM on 02/26/2012

MORE.. UncomfortableMomentsWithVladimirPutin - canine edition.

[gourgandine]

01:14 PM on 02/25/2012

Amazing man !!! even with a puppy, he looks scary !!

[Bailey Reynolds]

09:51 AM on 02/25/2012

I wonder if he keeps a few on hand somewhere to eat dissidents?

[OlegPutinov]

09:47 AM on 02/25/2012

Tovarishi;
My Tovarishi and I have decided to give Vladimir Vladimirovich a male Neapolitan Mastiff puppy after he wins next month.
It is the least we can do for being so good to us all these years.
We know he will appreciate the gift.
Do not forget to drink your Putinkas.

Oleg

[pleepleus]

09:32 AM on 02/25/2012

The fact that Putin likes dogs doesn't make him a great guy. Hitler liked dogs too.

[cregis]

08:27 AM on 02/25/2012

Even Hitler liked dogs, but he did test poison on his dog in the bunker before taking it himself. Guess Putin is a better person than Michael Vick?

[ILoveGreatDanes]

07:44 AM on 02/25/2012

There is no good reason not to love dogs. They're a lot nicer than many humans, and cause a lot less trouble.

[Ahmed Ahmad]

10:21 AM on 02/25/2012

Unless you're an islamist... Mohammed at one point had scores of them killed because "angels" refused to go into homes that had dogs.

[Chlowina]

03:27 PM on 02/26/2012

Wow...

[Galician]

07:40 AM on 02/25/2012

I can see a lovely puppy and a Rottweiler

[jobee]

05:27 AM on 02/25/2012

He looks more sincere than Romney did holding a baby. Putin softer and fuzzier than Romney. We are in trouble.

[Banjoplayer]

09:21 AM on 02/25/2012

Romney put his dog on the roof of his car for a 12 hour ride. I don't think he is a dog lover.

[Chlowina]

03:28 PM on 02/26/2012

Kidding??? Sounds like Chevy Chase and his Vegas vacation. Must have missed this one.

[LE PHILANTROPE AVERTI]

02:55 AM on 02/25/2012

This dog is killing many in Syria!

[zinxeb]

02:44 AM on 02/25/2012

Maybe Putin could come here and give Romney some advice about how to treat dogs.

[agentgirl]

10:32 PM on 02/25/2012

Wrong.

[jdallinder]

02:48 AM on 02/26/2012

Many, including me, respect and honor all living creatures.

[Ari B Canaan]

01:26 AM on 02/25/2012

Must be Putin's warm and fuzzy way of telling the world that he's going to the dogs.

[dogman44]

09:23 PM on 02/24/2012

And Hitler is claimed to have loved Blondie, at least until he gave her the cyanide capsule.
Politicians don't really live with and care for their animals anymore than they care about their
servants and subjects. They have handlers to do that. The animals are just there for the photo
ops.

[Rich Cash]

08:53 PM on 02/24/2012

So what if he likes dogs? Hitler liked dogs, too.