Russian first lady Svetlana Medvedeva has been named the most successful businesswoman in Russia, according to a poll conducted by a shadowy organization called the Institute of Politics and Business. And if that weren't eyebrow-raising enough, now we find out that the "first dogs" — two English setters named Joly and Daniel — just claimed first-place titles at the Eurasia-2009 dog show in Moscow. Meanwhile, Aldu, the Medvedevs' golden retriever, won a silver. Only silver? Aldu, you've let us all down.

So, did the pups get preferential treatment in the competition? The rest of the 12,000 contestants would certainly bark “yes!” (I know, I apologize). But a math student from Moscow State University went on record with Russia Today to argue that the dogs in fact earned their stripes. “I understand that some people may think that the president’s dogs only won because of their master, but his dogs really performed well," she said. "And they are beautiful.” Well, if a random math student says so.

Medvedev’s fourth dog, a Central Asian sheepdog, was a no-show at the contest. Somebody’s urine samples didn’t come back so clean, we take it?

Medvedev's Dogs Best in Show [Russia Today]

Photo courtesy of Hanacisarova.net