The Black Russian Terrier or Chornyi Terrier is tall, handsome and an elegant watchdog and protector. Despite its name, this dog does not belong to the group of terriers, but to the pinscher and schnauzer dogs.
Representatives of the breed are unpretentious, easy to train, they adore children, are ready to play with them for days. The owners and admirers of this species claim that the Russian terrier is a person in the guise of a dog. All because of high intelligence, high mental abilities and emotionality.
Black Russian Terrier photos
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Physical characteristics
The Russian terrier belongs to large dog breeds. It has a robust, athletic build. Its muscles are well developed. Females are inferior to males both in height and weight.
The growth of males is 68 – 74 cm, with a weight is about 45 – 68 kg. Females weigh 36 – 59 kg with a height at the withers of 66 – 72 cm.
Distinctive features
- Head: The skull is elongated, broad with a flat forehead. The head is proportionate to the body. The stop is weak. The muzzle is strong, rather wide, but short.
- Jaws: The teeth are powerful, large, tightly adjacent to each other. Scissor bite.
- Ears: The ears are triangular, of medium size, pendulous. The front edge of the ear tissue adapts perfectly to the head.
- Eyes: The eyes are oval, small with a wide fit. The color of the iris is black.
- Frame: The body is very large and strong. Neck of lean, muscular build. The neck is well developed. The back is straight with a wide but shortened loin. The chest is egg-shaped, deep. The ribs are slightly convex. The belly is slightly tucked in.
- Limbs: The legs are long, straight and strong. The legs of the forelegs are much larger and rounder than those of the hind legs. The pads are thick and hard. The claws are powerful, black.
- Coat: The hairline is thick, wavy and hard, 5-15 cm long, the undercoat is soft and dense. The color is exclusively black and anthracite, a slight shade of silver is possible, but not more than 1/3 of the body.
Character and behavior
The Black Russian Terrier is a brutally charismatic personality, rather proud, but as a friend he is loyal and reliable. He not only respects the owner, but also sincerely loves him, is able to determine his mood by the intonation of his voice and facial expressions. He treats the house with reverence and respect, and does not tolerate loneliness.
He has a phenomenal memory, always remembers kindness and pleasant moments in communication with the owner and family members.
He is absolutely indifferent to the owner’s friends, tender feelings are reserved exclusively for close people. He is wary of guests he does not know, ready to pounce at any moment, but only attacks after being convinced of the real danger for the owner.
With the children
He shows kindness to children, easily builds relationships even with a small child, but games should be watched because he is a large dog and can unintentionally hurt a small child.
With other animals
They can get along with dogs they know, but tend to be dominant or moody with unfamiliar dogs. They can also learn to live with other animals.
Health
Although these dogs are distinguished by great endurance and good health, some problems are still present. Among them:
- Dysplasia of the joints – the dog feels severe pain, cannot move freely, limps. With severe neglect of the disease, complete immobility is possible.
- Juvenile laryngeal paralysis – due to a mutation inherited in an autosomal recessive manner.
- Hyperuricosuria – the accumulation of uric acid salts and the formation of stones.
- Otitis – can affect one or both ears at once, inflammation causes purulent discharge, redness and an unpleasant smell from the ears.
- Entropion, ectropion – cannot be treated, an operation is required to eliminate it.
Life expectancy
Representatives of the breed live on average up to 10-14 years.
Care
The care of the Russian black terrier is simple:
- The hairs are brushed daily.
- Grooming is done twice a month.
- The eyes are cleaned 3-4 times a week.
- Ears are cleaned 2-3 times in 10 days.
- The claws are shortened once or twice a month.
- Teeth are brushed weekly.
- Bathe the dog once or twice a month.
Exercise
The Russian Black Terrier needs at least 30 to 40 minutes of exercise per day. He willingly participates in brisk walks, long runs, bike rides, swimming, and hiking with his handler.
Fun facts
- The Russian Terrier was bred by order of Joseph Stalin himself.
- RBT combines the best qualities of more than 15 different types of dogs.
- The postage stamp of Russia (2015) depicts a Black Russian Terrier.
- RBT is suitable for use as a guard in the extremely cold climatic zones of Russia.
- The reaction of this dog is so lightning fast that it surpasses even the reaction of a cat.
- RBT is the ideal travel companion. This dog perfectly adapts to any climate, quickly adapting to new conditions.
- This dog usually thinks over the implementation of a new command and then executes it.
History of the breed
In the 1940s, the Soviet armed forces decided to create a breed of highly versatile working dogs, able to respond well under different conditions and eager to defend theirs in all circumstances. For this, they selected the most appropriate breeds of dogs from those countries under Soviet occupation.
The most distinguished breeds in the creation of the Black Russian Terrier were the giant schnauzer, the airedale terrier and the rottweiler. In 1957, the dog resulting from these crossings was presented to the public and the first specimen was handed over to civilians.
In 1968, the first breed standard was awarded to the International Cynological Federation, but this organization officially recognized the Black Russian Terrier only in 1984. In 2001, the breed was also recognized by the American Kennel Club. Today, it is a little-known breed, but it benefits from a circle of fans and admirers, especially among sports fans with protective dogs.