Russian President Vladimir Putin said he didn't intend to scare German chancellor Angela Merkel with his black Labrador Koni in 2007. Putin apologized to Merkel, saying he wanted to create a favourable atmosphere for their conversation.

Angela Merkel, who has a well-documented fear of dogs, recalled a tense encounter with Vladimir Putin’s Labrador in her new memoir.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday denied using his dog to intimidate former German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a meeting at his Black Sea residence in Sochi in 2007.

Russian President Vladimir Putin denied on Thursday that he had deliberately used his black labrador Koni to intimidate German Chancellor Angela Merkel at a meeting in 2007 that became a notorious diplomatic incident.

Asked about the incident on Thursday, Russia's Vladimir Putin denied knowing about Angela Merkel’s fear of dogs and said he had later apologised to her.