Experts evaluate for 12punto: Missing economist Korhan Berzeg's dog Tina raises questions

Kübra KARASU- 12punto.com.tr

The disappearance of Korhan Berzeg, who retired after working as an 'Asia Director' at the World Bank and began living in his home on Büyükada, Istanbul, has remained a mystery for approximately 5 months.

The return of Korhan Berzeg's Doberman, Tina, after 74 days has brought new questions with it.

Berzeg's wife, Angela Berzeg, noted in her statements regarding the family dog Tina's return on the 74th day that Tina appeared nervous and timid, saying:

“I don't think Tina came back through search and rescue efforts; I think she was brought to the village somehow. She seems nervous and timid, and she constantly wants to stay close to me. She is afraid of being left alone.”

Eurasia Doberman Breed Association President Elgün Dadaşov and Doberman Breed Association Training Specialist Savaş Keskin evaluated these behaviors of Berzeg's dog, Tina, for 12punto.

"SHE IS NOT A DOBERMAN THAT CARRIES THE CHARACTERISTICS OF HER BREED"

Dadaşov and Keskin emphasized that Dobermans do not require special training to protect their owners, but that Tina is not a completely purebred Doberman.

When asked, “How do you relate the fact that Tina is a Doberman with protection training to Berzeg's disappearance?” Dadaşov replied as follows:

“We call registered dogs with a known pedigree 'pedigreed,' and there are differences between these dogs and others. For example, non-pedigreed dogs do not carry the characteristics of their breed. Tina is not a Doberman that carries the characteristics of her breed either. Anyone who knows this breed can see it. Tina looks like an old-type Doberman. Her protection instincts may not be sufficiently developed. However, a Doberman does not need special training to intervene when something happens to its owner, that is, to protect and adopt its owner. If they had her given different training, such as attacking only on command, I wouldn't know about that.”

Keskin also emphasized that he has doubts about Tina having received protection training, saying:

“Not every dog receives protection training; it is not about the breed, it must be specifically selected. Protection training is very different. To my knowledge, there is no one in Turkey who does this properly other than the police and the gendarmerie. Therefore, I am skeptical that Tina received protection training. Protection training is shaped after the dog's nervous system has settled. This takes at least two and a half to three years. Therefore, considering that Tina is two years old, I do not think this dog would act with protection instincts.”

"SHE CANNOT SURVIVE 74 DAYS WITHOUT FOOD AND WATER"

Experts stated that Dobermans are more sensitive than other dogs and that Tina could not have survived in nature for 74 days without food and water in a healthy state.

Evaluating the possibility that Tina was kept in an enclosed space, the experts noted:

Dadaşov: “It cannot be understood from Tina's state of mind whether she was kept in an enclosed space or not. The state of mind of dogs is not connected to a few months or a few years ago. Their state of mind changes entirely according to you and the environment they are in. She remembers her owner when she sees them, but she might not look for them at all a week later; she can forget. They do not have a complex psychology.”

Keskin: “Yes, it is possible that someone took her in and kept her in an enclosed area.”

"IF SHE WAS TAKEN IN A DIFFERENT WAY, SHE CANNOT FIND HER WAY"

The experts also commented on the possibility that Tina could have found her way home on her own after 74 days:

Dadaşov:“She is an animal with developed scent instincts. However, if she was taken in a different way, she cannot find her way.”

Keskin: “She recognizes the paths she knows and that have become routine, but other than that, she needs familiar scents and familiar faces to find her way. Otherwise, it would be very coincidental for her to find it.”

The answers given by Savaş Keskin and Elgün Dadaşov to the questions about Tina were as follows:

IT IS NORMAL FOR HER TO BE TIMID

In her statement, Korhan Berzeg's wife said about Tina, “She seems nervous and timid, and she constantly wants to stay close to me. She is afraid of being left alone. She is really like a child; she wants to stay by my side constantly and stay close to me.” What do you attribute this to?

Dadaşov:“Dobermans generally obey one person in the family. If Tina knows Korhan Bey as her boss and only listens to him, she acts timid because her boss is not there, and this is the case for all dogs. If they have an owner who stands behind them, loves them, and whom they trust, their self-confidence is sky-high. The reason she is afraid of being left alone and constantly stays right next to someone is that Dobermans like tactile contact. Dobermans stay close to whoever is in the house and make contact with them in some way.”

Keskin: “Dogs are very emotional; I know many dogs that have given up on life after being abandoned by their owners. If a dog has been locked up, beaten, or left hungry—that is, if it has experienced trauma—you will see the effects of that. But, for example, you cannot understand whether something happened to Berzeg and whether Tina saw it just by looking at her behavior.”

THE TWO-AND-A-HALF-YEAR CRITERION IN TRAINING

If we think about the possibility of Berzeg being kidnapped, how would Tina have intervened if she had acted with her protection-trained instincts and carried the characteristics of her breed?

Dadaşov:“The content of the training is important. There is basic obedience, advanced obedience, close protection, long-distance protection, weapons training, zigzag training, etc. For example, a dog that has received weapons training attacks the hand that holds the weapon. A dog that has not received training just stares blankly. This is something that changes according to the dog's character and training. However, a Doberman will act on its owner's command in any case. Advanced protection instincts usually emerge after the age of two or two and a half. While other dogs mature in their twelfth month, Dobermans' protection instincts emerge late; they are like children. This means that Dobermans can show affection to strangers, get along well with them, and may not understand people's bad intentions until they are two years old.”

Keskin: “A dog that has received good training will definitely cause harm. It will show its reaction in some way. For example, if it worked with a weapon during training, it will not be afraid of the weapon, and its reaction will be harsh. It behaves according to how it was worked with in training. Furthermore, you cannot take a dog that has received protection training into too many social environments because you never know when it might explode. Good obedience lies at the foundation of protection training, and these dogs are not afraid of anything. As long as the owner does not give the command, it will definitely not let go of where it has bitten. If it is a dog that has only been trained for deterrence, it will be afraid and run away at the slightest pressure. There is no dog that cannot be deceived by someone who knows the business and understands dogs well. No matter how aggressive it is, it can be deterred in some way, either with rewards or pressure.”

THEY ARE PREFERRED FOR CLOSE AND LONG-DISTANCE PROTECTION

Who prefers Dobermans with protection training the most, and why?

Dadaşov:“The Doberman is a breed developed by a tax collector in Germany to protect himself because he had problems in the neighborhoods he went to collect taxes. Today, they are used for close and long-distance protection. Anyone who needs such a thing can keep a Doberman. Apart from that, it has a nobility and a deterrent effect in terms of visuals. It can also be used for that.”

Keskin: “The reason dog owners who come to get protection training for their Dobermans want this is usually because of their own egos.”