Rumba on Elbrus

— Vagif, how did your love for dogs start?

– Since childhood, I was surrounded by dogs – with my grandmother, with friends. I grew up in Tashkent, among amazing nature and wonderful people. I got my first dog when I was 18 years old. I gave this Dalmatian to myself. We lived very actively and interestingly with common hobbies and interests. We walked for a long time, went to the mountains.

– How was the first process of teaching the dog – simple commands “sit”, “lie down”. How did it become a hobby?

– With the first dog I was satisfied with everyday communication. I didn’t even think about studying. It was enough for me that I calmly cross the road with her. The dog does not pull on the leash, responds to the name, walks alongside. She was brought up with calm communication.

Later, when I came to Moscow, I got a West Highland White Terrier. It was the end of 2009. And in 2010 I decided that we should go to the dog show with the dog.

– And after that the idea came up to create an ideal club for dogs?

— Yes, all good things are connected with personal dogs. For the first year and a half of the dog’s life, we just walked, went away for a long time, especially on weekends. And when we decided to go to the exhibition, I ran into the problem that the handling hall, where you can prepare for the exhibition, is the only one in all of Moscow. And then the situation on the roads was the most severe. It was possible to stand on Sadovoye for long hours. It struck me.

I began to communicate with other dog lovers, began to ask why there were no other clubs in the city. But they answered me in such a way that I … decided to make my own club. And six months later he showed up.

It so happened that the lease agreement was signed on July 1, just in time for my birthday. Since then, we consider this date as the birthday of the club.

Who is this project for? Can ordinary dog ​​owners come to visit you or is the organization focused on professionals?

— The main principle of our activity is connected with the maintenance of the health of dogs and the formation of a culture of responsible approach to the maintenance of pets among the owners.

All 10 years we have been engaged in the physical development of dogs, their training. The physical education of a dog begins at puppyhood. We attach great importance to the correct cultivation of a puppy of any breed. 

“Sports Show Club” is dedicated to any dog ​​- with a sports career, show or ordinary owner.

Dog lovers come to us from all over the region, transmitting information about us by word of mouth. They come to the club for advice, useful information, grooming services, as well as to work out with trainers for exhibition preparation, socialization and simply improve the health of the dog through fitness and swimming.

What is the most popular service?

– I can’t pick just one. All our schedules are conveniently arranged for both dog owners and trainers. Over the years, the main backbone of clients has already formed. It was this regular attendance of regular customers that made it possible to build a schedule.

We have a large pool for dogs, a water treadmill, grooming services, massages, physical training for dogs. Handlers rent a hall to prepare for the exhibition. There are several dogs there.

Therefore, I cannot single out one thing. We work comprehensively – this is our position. For one dog, the training regimen can change from month to month, from six months to six months.

— Vagif, you lead an active lifestyle. You go diving, climbing, keep your shape. And so you climbed Elbrus with your dog. How did the idea of ​​mountain climbing come about? After all, Elbrus is a very serious mountain even for professionals.

– As I say, a bad head does not give rest to the legs. This completely characterizes me.

During the stream after the ascent with Ksenia Kotlyar (this is the coach who helped make the ascent) mWe told the audience that we would not recommend climbing Elbrus with a dog. Having walked this path, I will say the same! This is dangerous, you need to be prepared yourself and properly prepare the dog.

All my activities with dogs intersect with what I do in everyday life, and vice versa. Everything that I do in everyday life, I try to design for classes with a dog. I believe that when dealing with a dog professionally and not professionally, you must first of all take care of your health. If you are healthy, then everyone pulls up to you, and, oddly enough, dogs too. There is even an opinion that owners and their dogs have the same health problems. Therefore, you need to take care of yourself and your dog – take care of it, protect it, so as not to run to the doctors later.

I once saw a movie on YouTube, the project was called “The Road to the Movie”. Its author, unfortunately, died. He was a traveler, and it was with him that I saw the ascent with a Malamute. I then crept in: why not? I always have a lot of ideas where to go with dogs. My wife and I always travel a lot with them. We have 7 of them!

After seeing the film, I realized that I want to go to Elbrus. I found the contacts of the guide who was in the film and contacted him. We began to prepare for the ascent in 2019. By July 1, we arrived there, I was very worried. 

Rumba and I trained two months before. They ran in the morning. I taught her to special ammunition, to sunglasses. Later, when I first saw this mountain up close, I thought: “Yeah, fuck it!”. But still he began to prepare for the ascent. 

Acclimatization lasted several days. But that year it was not possible to rise – bad weather prevented. I also think that I prepared incorrectly, treated this process incorrectly. I was in a hurry all the time, I was all loaded with some other things, I was constantly on the phone.

We tried climbing without a dog. We reached the Oblique ledge – this is a narrow path on which only two of your boots fit and the slope begins immediately. We are barely walking, and a terrible hurricane has begun. Snow! The wind just blew. I already said goodbye to everyone on my birthday. We lay together with the guide on this Oblique ledge and thought what to do. And yet we decided to return.

We decided to try again in the fall. We arrived in a larger group – two of my colleagues, my wife and I with Rumba. We climbed to the first base camp, acclimatized there. But I went there sick, which was also a mistake. In the mountains, all your health problems get worse. And I spent the first night with fever, cough, tachycardia and decided that that was it, we were going down. Not this time. Two of our colleagues stayed and made the ascent.

In 2020, the plans were disrupted by the pandemic. But anyway, my wife and I went to Elbrus just to take a walk and breathe, since both had been ill with covid.

And then, quite by accident, the owner of that same Malamute Best from the film, Ksenia Kotlyar, left the dog for overexposure in Moscow. He had been ill with piroplasmosis, and we helped with his recovery. And then his wife Olga said: “You have to go with Ksenia, she will definitely bring you.” I wrote to her right away. “On July 1, our club turns 10 years old, let’s do a climb with a dog, timed to coincide with the anniversary?”. She agreed and we started getting ready.

But, having been ill with covid, I began to do a lot in a different way: to treat my health and work with dogs. I revised my lifestyle. This is nutrition, and posture, and breathing, and practice, and regular exercise.

There was little time left before the trip. The activities that I introduced into my life after the illness helped me a lot. I went there leaving everything behind. Nothing distracted me from preparation, acclimatization and climbing. I took two dogs with me and did not tell anyone except my wife where I was going and why. No fanaticism, just the situation. I was very methodical and used all previous experience. And in the complex, together with a great guide in the person of Xenia, everything turned out very cool for us. And Elbrus let us in this time. It was amazing weather and extraordinary beauty.

Rumba went on a trip, she is almost 5 years old, and Raptor is also a golden retriever, he is 2 years old.

– What is the nature of the dogs? It seems to me that calm and well-mannered dogs should be taken for such an ascent.

– Yes! But in general, the Golden Retriever is a very comfortable breed. It is ideal for many activities and sports, and adapts perfectly to the lifestyle of its owners. With the right upbringing, of course.

We have a mother of the family, Varvara. She is 11 years old. If she was younger, I would take her on the climb without question. She is mega comfortable, very mentally stable, she has a great temperament, and in general, Varya is well developed physically.

A month and a half before the ascent, I moved Rumba to the city, before that she lived outside the city. And she, as is often the case with dogs that are transported to the city, was a little taken aback. Oh, the city… But our morning workouts very quickly adapted her to the city. She began to change her behavior, and I really liked it.

In the mountains, it opened up completely differently. Completely melted into this journey. I walked along the trails, I chose the route myself. I even told my wife later: “Dogs are not made for life in the city! They are designed to live in the natural environment.” I had a video on my YouTube channel about climbing, and there girls who accidentally fell into the frame said how wonderful it is to see dogs in real natural conditions! And, indeed, it is.

Raptor is still young and a little windy guy, and Rumba is already experienced. It’s not her first time in the mountains. She really likes it. We arrive in the mountains – she runs herself, does not run far, looks around, looks where I am. Near all the time.

It’s very funny to watch dogs cool off. In the mountains, the heat is especially felt. And dogs find a shadow, a bush, water, a puddle, dirt, wet grass – and they strive there. Lie down and cool down.

— How did your big company get to Elbrus?

— I always prefer to travel with dogs in cars. We had, of course, long flights with a dog to America, to Sweden. But mostly we travel by car. My Ford Transit is well equipped for this. There are boxes for dogs and a sleeping place for a person. Therefore, I covered this distance of 1700 km there in two days, and back – exactly in a day. On Elbrus, I lived in a car, and we swam in the local river.

– What equipment and equipment is needed for traveling with dogs in general. And for hiking in the mountains in particular?

“First of all, you have to take care of yourself. As far as you feel comfortable, so that nothing distracts you, your dog will feel good. First aid kit, sunglasses, proper pants – either waterproof or light windproof. Proper trekking shoes are very important. Comfortable backpack.

For dogs, I bought a lot of excess, as experience has shown. In principle, in addition to food and water, you need a folding bowl and a cool accessory – special glasses. On the mountain, not a collar is suitable, but a harness and a leash. It’s the harness. If the dog suddenly stumbles, it will be comfortable to hold it.

When I just started preparing for the ascent for the first time, I learned that I definitely need optics, because ultraviolet light will burn the eyes of both humans and dogs. I found who makes such masks. And distributors sent me from Finland so that we could try it out. Lens protection – the fourth class. What you need to climb.

Dogs learn to wear such glasses pretty quickly. I trained the raptor right on the mountain. I put it on, he tried to take it off. But I took him on a leash, we walked for about half an hour, and he calmed down. There is a ventilation hatch here so that the glasses do not sweat. There is foam for softness. They are flexible, comfortable and quick to change lens. In order to train your dog, you first use a clear lens. So that the four-legged companion can see what is happening.

What did you feed the dogs on the hike? Is the food that dogs eat in everyday life suitable for hiking?

I prefer to feed my dogs dry food. For us, this is important, since we travel a lot, we do not have time to engage in natural feeding. When I travel, I take dry food, treats and canned food. There are many good canned foods, protein, with the addition of cereals. The feed, I believe, should be high in calories with a high content of meat protein.

That showed the first experience. On the first hike in 2019, Rumba got mountain sickness after the first two days. This is such a state when you are lethargic, do not want to eat, do not want to walk, you feel sick, and your head hurts. Rumba had a headache… 

On the ascent, for some reason, she refused water. I didn’t like this moment. I tried to gently pour water into her mouth. We had Kabardino-Balkan peaches with us – flat ones. They are very juicy. I fed her these peaches. 

The first night we climbed 3000 meters, both the dogs and I were short of breath. I could not sleep, there was a strong tachycardia. I walked all night looking at the starry sky. 

— The final point is 5642 m. Was everything according to plan when you got to it?

— This time the whole trip was perfect. I was very calm and methodical. The very principle for all conquerors is as follows. People come and settle. They have two or three days of acclimatization in the valley. Then people go up the cable car to Mount Bashi. 3000 meters, there are base camps. They already live in trailers without a shower. Then they go to 4011 – these are the Pastukhov rocks. Then a rest day. We need to restore strength. Someone descends into the valley, someone just rests. And then they go up. Not everyone goes to the end, many develop altitude sickness, someone catches a cold.

– What differences can you name from previous attempts to conquer the summit?

“The most important thing is my own condition. You need to be completely disconnected from all gadgets. Our modern world has now narrowed down to their limits. So this time I did not touch the phone. But he took his books with him. Overhauled the process of feeding dogs. I took good canned goods with me. I went on trekking routes on my own. I developed it myself, I did not depend on anyone. I did exercises and breathing exercises. It is very motivating, soothing and uplifting.

I had an amazing guide Ksenia with an equally amazing Malamute Best. He grew up in the wild. He can turn around and leave the mountain into the valley, and return after a few hours. At the same time, Ksenia is absolutely sure that everything will be fine with Best, because the mountains and the surrounding area are his big home.

And, of course, there was gorgeous weather on the ascent!

— And now, the ascent, the finale. Did the dogs understand that the task was completed? And what were your emotions when you reached your goal? What conclusion did you draw for yourself?

– After reaching the mark of 4200 meters, all three of us were a little uncomfortable. I no longer took dogs with me to Pastukhov Rocks, as I considered that it would be too hard for them. And very hot. It was a difficult acclimatization exit, which was very difficult for me.

From the base camp on the cable car, I went down to the valley, I go with the dogs to a cafe to eat. I think now we will eat a cool okroshka, shish kebab. Look – everything is different here! Up there, it’s some kind of Sadomaz Planet! This is the planet of suffering. You ask yourself – why are you torturing yourself with this suffering? But, looking back, you understand – you coped with these sufferings. That is so cool! The body is clean and strong. You feel like Batman. I slept in the valley, we went to the forest. 

Then we discussed with Ksenia which of the dogs would go to the final ascent. We decided that Rumba would go – as more experienced and calm. The ascent for us begins at three in the morning. At 12 at night I had breakfast, fed the dogs, sat with them, thought. Worried, of course. Equip and go.

On the Oblique shelf we met the dawn, and I already enjoyed this process. There were few people around. We reached the saddle. Rumba’s paw pads rubbed a little, which we treated with a restorative ointment. We fed her, ate ourselves, caught our breath. The most difficult thing was ahead of us, when the steep steps began. You are walking, and there is a cliff on the side of you. And they fasten you with a safety system to a rope, and you walk along it. 

In front of the top there is a section where a fairly large space opens up. It is no longer a narrow path. Here we let the dog off the leash. She runs nearby, wearing glasses – and here you are on the highest mountain in Europe with a dog! 

You see these extraordinary views. Look ahead – there is very little left. You go with all your might. These are indescribable emotions. Rumba went forward. Ksyusha was already at the top and filmed us. And I was focused on the dog – how will she get there? And then suddenly I realized that we were already at the top.

When I saw the sign, such emotions flooded over me! An adult man, strict, at times tough and – tears flow!

Well, then the hardest part began. All guides warn – the most important thing is not to climb the mountain, but to return from it. Along the same narrow path, fastened to a rope. 

The route down to the Saddle is very difficult. Rumba began to hurry. Both mentally and physically, it is very difficult. I was terribly worried – she could break.

So the conclusion is this. I highly recommend coming with a dog and walking along the Elbrus region. There are amazing places, air, lakes. But going on a climb with a dog is dangerous, extreme – and I would not recommend this to anyone!

We wish you and your pets the right activities, great travels, personal victories. And remember  looking forward to class anytime!