Description

The Black Russian Terrier, also known as Stalin's dog, is a breed of large dog that was originally bred for Police and Military work in Russia. The Black Russian Terrier has a stout and muscular built. The Black Russian Terrier is very confident, audacious and athletic. The Black Russian Terrier generally is extremely intelligent and loves physical activity. The Black Russian Terrier’s vigilance and gentle behavior with farm animals make them excellent farm guards. The Black Russian Terrier is emotional and needs human bonding and companionship at all times. Leaving the Black Russian Terrier unattended for long can make the Black Russian Terrier aggressive. The Black Russian Terrier needs an experienced hand, especially for males. Though they love the company of other dogs, they sometimes tend to get aggressive with other dominant dogs. The Black Russian Terrier is comfortable with children however; it might not be as tolerant towards friends of your children. It is advised not to leave children alone with a Black Russian Terrier. The Black Russian Terrier has toned down temperamentally over the last decade or so and gradually is becoming more comfortable with children. Black Russian Terrier needs to get acquainted with people and other dogs pretty early or it will not tolerate handling by people outside of the family. The Black Russian Terrier is extremely attached to the owner and loves to please their owners. It is easy to train and unlikely to challenge the owner.

Coat

The coat is coarse, low shedding, firm and bushy. On an average it ranges between 1.4-4 inches in length. It usually forms beard, a slight mane and eyebrows on the face. The mane around the withers and neck is more prominent in males. Usually, the black colored coat has a few grey hairs. The grey hairs are evenly distributed and are not found in patches.

History

It originated in Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and was rare outside its native country. They were primarily bred for their indefatigability and not for their appearance. They resembled present day’s Black Russian Terrier in their build and coat type. So popular is its history that it is also fondly referred to as “The Black Pearl of Russia”. The Red Star Kennel, sole breeder up unto 1957, started to sell puppies to civilian breeders were the Black Russian Terrier’s bred for their appearance apart from their ability to work. This gave a major shot in the arm for its popularity outside of its native country. Its popularity is picking up by the day and this magnificent dog is getting more recognized across the world. The Black Russian Terrier gained full status in July 2004 after being recognized by the American Kennel Club. It is a common notion that the Black Russian Terrier, not a true Terrier, was developed post World War II using somewhere close to twenty other dog breeds. Some of the breeds used to develop the Black Russian Terrier had survived the war in Russia. The Airedale, the Giant Schnauzer, the Caucasian Ovcharka, the Russian Hound, and the Moscow Great Dane were some of the breeds used to develop the Black Russian Terrier.

Temperament

Black Russian Terriers are highly confident and intelligent dogs. They are always full of energy and get hyperactive when they don’t get to spent that energy. They are very brave and loyal. They are dominant dogs and never chicken out of fights against other dominant dogs. However, they move along well with non dominant dogs and other pets.  The Black Russian Terrier needs bonds deeply to its family and its protective instinct comes to the fore by the age of 1 to 1 and half years. From then on, the Black Russian Terrier protects the family, the farm and almost everything. The Black Russian Terrier loves its owner and will try to take care of his owner physically and emotionally. Extensive socialization from its formative years is the key to the Black Russian Terrier behavior towards other dogs and other people.

Health

The length of an average (two or more years) Black Russian Terrier is between 25 and 29 inches to the withers and female is approximately 25 to 28 inches to the withers.  The Black Russian Terrier weighs about 80-140 pounds. The males are usually heavier than the female Black Russian TerriersAn average Black Russian Terrier lives between 12-14 years depending on nutrition, medical care and living conditions. The Black Russian Terrier is physically strong and usually enjoys a healthy life. However, like all other dog breeds the Black Russian Terrier also have picked up a few diseases from its ancestors. The Black Russian Terrier suffers from Hip Dysplasia which causes pain and crippling. It is also know to suffer from Elbow dysplasia which is a disorder in the elbow and is related to the joint cartilage of the breed. Progressive retinal atrophy is the gradual degeneration of the retina of the Black Russian Terriers. It leads to partial or complete blindness. Ear Otitis is also a common disease to this breed and is caused due to excessive wax and dampness.The reasons above make it extremely imperative to screen potential breeders as well as the breeding stock. A thorough health check up is mandatory before breeding. However, this might not guarantee health issues later on, but a well intentioned breeder should do his homework. A Black Russian Terrier also might have a few other diseases and it is best to have a medical check up by a veterinarian. The Black Russian Terrier should not be fed with sweets.

Grooming

The Black Russian Terrier has a disheveled and waterproof double coat. The outer coat is very coarse and rough and its inner coat is comparatively softer. The Black Russian Terrier does not shed, if brushed for at least half an hour every week. This helps the Black Russian Terrier in keeping a clean and healthy coat. The coat also needs trimming once in a while. The Black Russian Terrier should be bathed before trimming as this helps in noticing cuts if any. The Black Russian Terrier is a large dog and bathing at home can be a difficult proposition, so it is recommended to have it bathed by a professional groomer. Special dog shampoo should be used as human shampoo and liquid soap causes harm to the Black Russian Terrier skin condition.

The hair under the paws and ear ducts need scissoring once in a while. The Black Russian Terrier needs professional grooming once every two months. The Black Russian Terrier tooth needs to be brushed twice every week. This prevents accumulation of plaque which is the root cause of periodontal diseases. Periodontal diseases in dogs can lead to bad breath, loss of tooth and other serious complications. Hence it is highly recommended to have the Black Russian Terrier teeth brushed. Also, it is recommended to use specially designed tooth paste and brush for dogs for these purposes.

The toe nails also need special attention. They need to be examined for growth in regular intervals. The Black Russian Terrier toe nails of the front feet grow at a faster pace than the rear toe nails. So, both may need different time intervals for monitoring.  A guillotine type trimmer is recommended for clipping the Black Russian Terrier toe nails. The internet is full of instruction guides on how best to clip the toe nails of a Black Russian Terrier using a guillotine type trimmer.

Exercise

The Black Russian Terrier has been bred as a military and working dog hence, has an extremely strong work ethic and craves for physical activity. It is extremely important to burn off the excessive energy the Black Russian Terrier has by way of physical exercises. Non activity for long can potentially make the Black Russian Terrier hyperactive and aggressive. The Black Russian Terriers are known for their endurance and hence are good at swimming, pulling sleds, jogging along with the owner or running along with the owner’s bike. They also like to go on long walks. The Black Russian Terrier is prone to problems in the joints, so it is imperative for the Black Russian Terrier to receive training fairly regularly.

Training

Training is recommended from its early days. The Black Russian Terrier tends to exploit owners who fail to establish clear dominance. The Black Russian Terrier is responds well to firm and consistent training. It obeys its owner very well and hence excels in obedience competitions. Their breeding as a working dog bodes well for its performance in other dog sports like, Agility and Schutzhund training. Owing to its suspicious and overtly dominant nature, these dogs have to be socialized with people, dogs of other breed and other pets or animals very frequently right from when it is a puppy. This will help in making the Black Russian Terrier more relaxed in presence of strangers and other animals. The Black Russian Terriers that participate in competitions needs grooming every 3 weeks to ensure that their coat is in show condition. The Black Russian Terrier is a large dog and it has to be consistently trained. A combination of exercise, training and grooming will potentially make the Black Russian Terrier the ultimate companion known to man.