– Tell us your story in America, Where did you live and work before Texas?
Hello dear friends! My name is Sergey. Before moving to Austin, I lived in New York for about five years. I was born in Kazakhstan, the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk. Graduated from the College of Economics and Finance , majoring in Expert Appraiser (real estate and intellectual property appraisal).
In Ust-Kamenogorsk, when I was a freshman, I created a non-governmental organization (Regional Youth Public Association “Activ”). We were engaged in protecting and lobbying for human rights in Kazakhstan and conducted sociological research, conferences, and training, where I worked as Founder and CEO. My first visit to the USA was related to my work at Aktiv. As a result, the State Department chose my candidacy as a participant in the program (International Visitor Leadership Program IVLP).
– Did you get in Austin by choice, or is was a coincidence?
Moving to Austin from New York was a conscious choice, although some other city options, Denver and Miami, were considered. In principle, Denver was fine until I discovered that not far from the city, 15 miles away, a nuclear weapons plant was built in 1952. There were various kinds of leaks at this plant, hidden until 1970. Therefore, I stopped considering Denver as an option for moving since there is an incomprehensible radiation background. In addition, the city is located at an altitude of 1600 meters above sea level, which is additional radiation.
Miami sounded tempting, but there was a high crime rate, which is why the choice fell on Austin. This is a fast-growing city. A lot of things are being built here and have already been built. The climate is quite unusual compared to New York, where all four seasons exist. Winter is a couple of weeks in Austin, and that suits me. Texas is spacious, and parking lots are large and free; this is a tangible difference after Brooklyn, Manhattan.
– Please tell us about your profession and Why dog handler?
Besides social activities, I have always liked dogs, so in 2005, I bought my first dog, a Caucasian Shepherd named Flora. I did not even suspect this would be the beginning of my business.
I bought Flora from local breeders, a small fluffy and charming bear that looked very little like a dog puppy. Then, after a couple of months, we received documents for her. My surprise at that time was that dogs also had some important documents (puppy cards, vaccination passports and pedigree – a document proving the breed of the dog and its origin to the third generation). After receiving the papers, I began to find out what they meant, why they exist at all, and why in the column “parents” it is written CRK BOB BK, T-1 – what do all these letters with numbers mean?
To get these letters with numbers in pedigrees, you must participate in national dog Shows, competitions and win there. It was at that moment that my passion for dogs began professionally. I began to study the requirements for shows, what happens there, how much it costs, how to prepare, and a lot of questions that made me searched for answers.
A few months later, I bought another dog, a Caucasian Shepherd, but from another kennel for breeding. I named him Marseille, With him, we started our exhibition career. I registered for an exhibition in the puppy class, and in the baby class, he immediately took first place and received the title of best baby male. It inspired me, and I wanted to continue with shows.
There are national shows, where all breeds of dogs are represented, and mono-breed shows, where dogs of only one particular breed are exhibited. We went to everything. At dog shows, judges evaluate dogs according to their exterior and compliance with breed parameters. They check for the absence of defects, for example, bite, which is a critical parameter for evaluating a dog, on which admission or non-admission to breeding depends; the bite must be scissor-like, like people.
It is also necessary that the dog feels comfortable in the ring, is not afraid of anyone, allows himself to be touched calmly, and does not react to other dogs. Although no aggression is allowed, disqualification may follow if the dog begins to growl or otherwise shows deviant behavior.
I realized that having a beautiful and healthy dog is not enough to win; you need proper education, training, and socialization.
In addition to exhibitions, there are also special types of dog certification for admission to breeding. One of them is social adaptation test. Depending on various factors and stimuli during the test, the dog must show its behavior, reactions, and character. It may include gunshots, direct contact with strangers, crowd effects, barking dogs, etc.
In addition to the exhibitions with Marseille, I decided to prepare for this test because I planned his breeding. When I understood this topic, finding a professional who could teach me all this took work. I went with Marseille to a training session at a local training center to learn some skills and prepare for the tests. We went to these classes for six months and learned something, but it did not suit me. I began to look for more qualified and in-depth knowledge about dogs and their training. So I started training as a “breeder cynologist” in the international cynologist federation FCI CKK.
The interesting thing is that they didn’t want to take me there because I was only 18 years old. Usually, at that age, only some have the experience and accumulated hours of training for admission. So I had to call the judges, who knew my dogs and me from all exhibitions and competitions and ask them to write me recommendations. As a result, I passed, got a qualification, and became the youngest “breeder cynologist” in the entire history of the CCC.
I went to social adaptation test with Marcel when he was one year old. At that time, he had already received the titles: of best of breed, best male, and several marks (САС) – a candidate for national champions. As a result, he passed the social adaptation test with a T-1 grade (this is the highest grade, dogs of the Caucasian Shepherd breed very rarely get a T-1 grade). However, a few months later, Marseille completed the Champion title.
That same winter, I bought another Caucasian Shepherd puppy named Orleana. I continued to win prizes with her at national dog shows and competitions. Finally, the first litter of my puppies began to appear, an important milestone for any breeder.
While already in the USA, I studied at DUKE university in the course “dog emotion and cognition,” which helped me dive into dog psychology. Now in Austin, I am training dogs of all breeds of any age (OKD general training course, PRO course, preparation for the show, agility training, socialization, program for dogs from shelters, aggression correction, boarding). In addition, I teach owners how to properly find contact with their pets, which is very important in any training process.
– What difficulties did you have to face in America?
The level of knowledge of the language, of course. It doesn’t matter what you studied and where; when you find yourself in the USA, you study everything over again. The presence of an accent, and the anxiety that you are saying the wrong thing and that people would not understand, interfered with me at first.
– How are your relations with your homeland? Do you miss some aspects of life in your country?
I miss some friends and colleagues in Kazakhstan a little. I am glad that planes are flying and trains are running. I hope we will meet more often.
– What do you do outside of work? What are your interests and hobbies?
I go to the gym, swim, and rarely play PS, but if I like the game, I can play all night long. I travel – it inspires me. There are a lot of places to see in the USA.
– What else would you like to tell about yourself?
This year I released vitamins for dogs to support healthy joints, bones, skin, and coat – a specially designed formula for better digestion in the stomach, with a high content of essential substances. These vitamins are useful for both puppies and adult dogs of all breeds. Unfortunately, many dogs are at risk for joint, bone, skin, and coat problems due to an unbalanced diet, minor injuries, or breed characteristics. Large breeds are more at risk, so it’s always best to take vitamins to support joints and bones as a preventative measure to minimize risks in the future. Unfortunately, many dog owners do not pay much attention to this aspect, although they should because prevention is easier than cure.
– What, in your opinion, is missing in Austin?
Austin is an amazing city, an extraordinary quintessence of different cultures, professions, and styles. The city itself is like a natural oasis in the desert.
I want to see improvement in different services. The service should be and can be better, and I’m sure we can do it.
– What are your favorite books and films?
Let’s say what I watched and read recently and what resonated with me. Movies: Call Jane, Donny Darko, Melancholia, Firebird (2021) Books: listening to the audiobook 1984, reading Atlas Shrugged and Catcher in the Rye.
– What would you like to wish the Russian-speaking residents of Austin?
If you are a happy dog owner, be sure to attend training classes, regardless of your pet’s age. If you think your dog is old, say 5 or 6 years old, and it doesn’t need it anymore, or it won’t learn anything anyway, you’re wrong. Dogs are very fond of training, which is good for their psychological health and the formation of new neural connections, which is beneficial for your pet’s health in general. The same goes for those who have just acquired a puppy – do not hesitate to contact specialists. The sooner you start exercising, the sooner you and your dog will learn to enjoy walks anywhere.
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