Wikipedia calls it a sighthound from Kyrgyzstan, but these hounds are more than that: keen hunters using all of their senses, loyal companions, and I’ve been told are even good with children. They are an integral part of Kyrgyz traditions, like their sturdy mountain horses and ubiquitous yurts. One of their chief local functions is apparently wolf hunting. Yes, today even. In a country where shepherding is still a way of life for a large part of the population, wolves aren’t just the stuff of fairy tales, they’re a stark reality.