Black Russian Terrier Dog Breed

The Black Russian Terrier is a guard dog that was built to mount a formidable attack. While these dogs are also highly companionable, you should be sure to understand all you can about them beforehand. Researching all the Black Russian Terrier facts you can is very strongly recommended. They can be trained for a great many jobs, however, and while they are not at all good for first-time down owners, and not really recommended for only slightly experienced dog owners, they are great family pets so long as everyone understands the breed.

Below are the good points and the bad aspects of the BRT:

When it comes to Black Russian Terrier dogs 101, it's all about understanding the purpose for which these dogs were produced. These massive guard dogs are capable of a great many military, police, and rescue work. There is a great amount of information on these dogs, and you should learn as much as you can before adopting one.

Conceived to be dogs whose ferocity in peacetime and war was considerable, the BRT is nevertheless extremely intelligent. They can be trained to do anything from guarding military bases in the bitter tundras of remote Russia, to tracking in the midst of battle, to sledding, skijorring (the craft of being rapidly pulled via rope by a dog at a rapid pace), and herding. There are few things that these brainy canines cannot be taught.

Perhaps one of the most intriguing characteristics of this breed is the non-smelly coat. Upon first seeing this breed and the thick, curly, Poodle-esque coat, you would think these dogs require an extraordinary amount of grooming. This is not the case.

Few breeds require as much exercise as the Black Russian Terrier. As these dogs were bred to run hard all day and night in terrifically horrid environments, they need a lot of daily exercise. If you are not ready to set aside a lot of time every day for some significantly dedicated activity with your BRT, you will want to consider a different dog breed.

Few dog breeds have as bizarre a background as that of Black Russian Terrier history. Even the name is deceptive in that these dogs are not Terriers but guardian dogs in the Working Group. Like many early Soviet Union-produced dogs, the origins are not completely known. There continue to be occasional revelations regarding this breed as documents and oral histories continue to emerge from the former Soviet Union and its ex-satellite nations and regions.

The breed was founded in secret and for the purpose of military work. While the location remains unknown, the kennel is well-known: the Red Star Kennel (RSK) in Moscow, Russia. Established in the 1930s, there were a great many dog breeds used to produce this superdog which was later named the Black Russian Terrier (BRT). No fewer than 17 dog breeds were employed to create the Black Russian Terrier. After WW2, the Soviets enjoyed the spoils of war that included many great dog breeds, and this helped.

For the next several years, only the RSK bred the breed. In 1957, however, there was some slack allowed when the state-sponsored kennel sold some of the puppies to select civilians and they started developing the dogs for show. Of course, it didn't take long — even in the Stalin-era USSR — for the dogs to spread beyond Moscow as well as beyond Russia and the entire Soviet Republic.

Prior to the sale to civilians, the dogs had been in a dog show in 1955. They were purely working dogs, and it was not until 1958 that a breed standard was established. In 1981, the Soviet Ministry of Agriculture formally acknowledged the breed. The standard was not adopted by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), but in 1984 that kennel club created its own standard (based on the original) that took into account the dogs' appearance. A little more than a decade later, in 1996, Russian Black terriers appeared in the UK. Two years later, in 1998, The Kennel Club recognized the breed on its Import Register. Some 80 years after the BRT was born, the breed was recognized by the AKC in its 2004 edition of the club's Stud Book.

There are no real variations, let alone any other "Black Terrier breeds," other than the black, curly-coated BRT. There may be little or small Black Russian Terriers, but there is no miniature version — such a dog would be a mixed breed rather than a purebred. As these are already large dogs, there are certainly no larger or giant varieties either. The same goes for the coat style: they are all wiry, or curly, or tousled, a description which is the same no matter which word is used. There may be some variety in the amount of gray hair that may occasionally be found in the otherwise nearly pure-black coat, but that is about it.

The Black Russian Terrier temperament is a distinct one in that it was purposed to be a specific guard dog in a harsh region. Nevertheless, these are dogs who are fierce only when required. They are highly trainable, and they can be taught a great many jobs. They are personable to their master (and the tend to have just one) even as they will be receptive to those whom the master approves. They do love human interaction so long as they remain in control. If they do get anxious, however, their personality can quickly become destructive and very dangerous. They are extremely territorial, and whatever they are protecting — property, food, children — will be very well-protected. They are fearless and courageous dogs who, once on a mission, will not be deterred.

Although this breed was produced to be as unproblematic as possible, Black Russian terriers are still dogs, and all dog breeds have some problems. With BRTs, they tend to contract just the most basic health problems and perhaps just one or two slightly untypical issues. Their size may be the basic reason they have most of their concerns. They can have problems with their ears if neglected, so be sure to learn all you can about preventing otitis.

Below is a list of pretty much all the problems that BRTs are prone to having:

• Allergies
• Hip dysplasia
• Elbow dysplasia
• Urinary tract stones
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

The average lifespan of a Black Russian Terrier is from 10 to 12 years