Kvap’s story

KVAP – it is a dog’s name… It was Friday, July 19th, 2013, and a lot of black puppies came to this world in the Suchý family in the Vysočina (Highlands) Region.

As they gradually grew, they kept discovering the world, and then came the day when Michal Ženíšek had to choose one. Surely you know the feeling… .so, which one will be exactly the one you want… .. KVAP caught Michal's eye at first sight, or rather at the first run…. A car drove by the meadow on which the puppies were being walked and one of the black dogs turned and ran after the car. He just wanted to catch the car …… it was decided… Michal said, "I want this one," and Kvap has been writing his story from that day. He was an exceptional, good puppy from an early age but very active and enthusiastic about any work. When he started training in the team, it was more than clear that this dog would just be more than good.

In the first years of racing, he showed great performances, but since 2016 there has been no race - domestic or foreign - from which he would not bring a medal. Norwegian Savalen, Nové Město na Moravě (New Town on Moravia), Thetford - England, Halliburton - Canada, Poland, Italy, Nybro in Sweden, France, another race in Nybro, Asarna…Kvap has gradually become a European champion, a World champion, a vice-champion, a bronze medalist from other European and World Championships. He did dog scootering, canicross, raced on skis or sleds and always as a rightful leader. At first glance, you might not say Kvap could do this…. But just count down to 3-2-1 and he's gone….

However, Kvap did not avoid trouble either - in the autumn of 2018, before the Polish World Cup, he slipped badly on the wet grass and injured his thigh muscle. For some time, it seemed that it would be alright for Poland, but after a few days it was more than clear that we would have to miss this event … A checkup at the doctor ‘s, an orthopedist, followed. The muscle was so severely injured that surgery was the only solution. Nevertheless, according to the doctor with an uncertain prognosis… We decided not to operate on and chose to go the conservative pathway. There were months of absolute rest, no trainings, leash walking… I would never believe how a dog used to the daily activity and exercise and training can almost go crazy without it.

We started attending physiotherapy, we did compensatory exercises, strengthening mainly skeletal muscles, swimming. After a few months follow-up, there was a noticeable improvement. The rupture in the muscle was shrinking, but the scar remained on the muscle, and according to the doctor, we should accept that the leg would never function as it should, and the muscle would barely be half functional, and it would get tired faster, blood circulation would be worse… regeneration would be worse. Even so, we threw ourselves into training, but the goal in the 2019 season was not clear… At the end of the summer, we decided that Kvap would go to Sweden with us for the World Championships in October and will také part in a scooter race… just to complete the team, for the sake of participation. We wanted to see if that leg could make it. Michal decided that I would start because I was lighter, and it would be less of a burden for Kvapa.

To this day, I can see this ride with a pounding heart, the golden ride of a black dog who took home the most valuable medal from the World Championship…. Kvap became the World Champion. And now more than ever we realized the dog has a huge heart of a racer.

The first thing that interests me about dogs are their eyes. His are shiny and deep. They are of almond color and you can see through them to the dog's soul. For everyone, their dog is unique, something special, a family member, a leader in a pack, or a friend to their children, or an athlete for races. But these deep eyes you just have to see…