Hydra
Hydra (Mademoiselle Poulette-Cacahouete for the friends)
Hydra is the sister of our beloved Athena. We first imported Athena from Ukraine, and we fell so completely in love with her that we couldn’t resist the idea of bringing her sister home too. And so, Hydra’s incredible journey to us began…
Unfortunately, her breeder had made one major mistake: naming her Lucky Charm. Everyone knows that giving a name like that is just asking for a life full of mishaps—and poor Hydra has certainly lived up to that superstition!
Born in Ukraine during the war, Hydra’s early life was marked by tragedy. At just four months old, an explosion near the breeder’s home sent shrapnel into her right eye. Despite the breeder’s efforts and proper veterinary care, the injury caused complications, leaving her blind in that eye. One day, we may need to consider removing it altogether.
Then came her long, chaotic voyage to Canada. The breeder first transported her to Poland, intending to fly her from there—only for Canada to suddenly change import rules, preventing shipments from Poland. After a week in limbo, Hydra had to take a train across Europe to Bulgaria, where another transporter with good reviews was supposed to help. But as her name would have it, disaster struck again: the transporter failed to feed her for the entire journey, offering only water.
She spent four weeks stranded due to changing airline regulations, with almost no updates—we feared we’d been scammed. But at last, after so much worry and heartache, Hydra arrived in Montreal. The condition she was in broke our hearts. I called my father in tears, unable to believe that anyone could treat an animal this way.
Despite everything, Hydra bonded instantly with me and my husband. Though she was closer to me at first, after a few joyful runs through the forest with my husband, she decided that he was her favorite human.
If we tried to list all the unlucky moments in Hydra’s life, we could fill a whole book. Yet today, she is an incredibly calm, sweet, and affectionate Doberman—a perfect example of the breed’s resilience and loving nature. She showers us with gratitude and reminds us every day how much love can heal.
Fun fact: The Bulgarian transporter who mistreated her? The breeder reported him to the authorities—and he’s now sitting in jail. Good for him!
DNA Bree Profile
| DM (Degenerative Myelopathy) | Clear / Normal |
| DCM1 | Clear / Normal |
| DCM2 | Clear / Normal |
| Narcolepsy | Clear / Normal |
| Albinism | Clear / Normal |
| VWD | Clear / Normal |
| D-locus | Clear / Normal |
| B-locus | 1 variant (brown carrier) |
Health Testing
| Echocardiogram | Clear / Normal, certified by Dr. Amelie Beaumier |
| Holter | Clear / Normal, via ALBA Medical |