Three months after the flight, the cosmonaut dog Strelka gave birth to six puppies, all healthy and happy. These puppies were given only to the most distinguished, and one puppy, Pushinka, was given to the wife of American President John F. Kennedy by General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee Nikita Khrushchev.
Strelka the space dog with her puppies
In America, Pushinka gave birth to puppies, grandchildren of the cosmonaut dog Strelka. They were named Blackie, White Tips, Butterfly, and Stricker. But John Kennedy came up with a common name for all the cosmonaut dog's grandchildren: pupniks, combining the words pupnik (puppy) and sputnik (satellite). There were over 5,000 applicants for the title of owner.
Pushinka's puppies, the American grandchildren of the space dog Strelka.
Pushinka's puppies, the American grandchildren of the space dog Strelka.
