Origin
A legacy of the Cold War, the Black Russian Terrier was produced by scientists from the Soviet army who sought to create the ideal working dog. The goal was a massive, strong and courageous dog, always willing to work and able to withstand extreme climatic contrasts. Perfectly adapted for Russian hostile winters, the Black Russian Terrier was trained to patrol the borders with the soldiers. In 1958, the Soviet Army originally created the first standard for the Black Russian Terrier. Officially, the Black Russian Terrier was granted the breed status by the Soviet Ministry of Agriculture in 1981 and it did not take long for him to become a star among the most popular breeds in the world because of its characteristics: large size, the ability to secure homes and families, great working capacity, boldness, exquisite appearance, usability and adoration of children.
Description
The Black Russian Terrier is larger than the average size. They seem incredibly powerful, athletic, and courageous. They may have a rustic look but not coarse. The double layer coat is made of an outer coarse protection layer on a soft undercoat. The coat is hard and thick, never delicate, woolly, silky or rolled. It should be between 5 and 15 cm (2-6 inches) long. They have dark coats, but a curl of clear gray hairs can sometimes be seen, even in puppies. Males are 72 to 76 cm (2.3 to 2.5 inches) tall but not more than 78 inches at the withers. The female are 68 to 72 cm (2.2 to 2.3 inches) tall and not more than 74 cm. The male weighs between 50 and 60 kg (110-132 lb) and females weigh between 45 and 50 kg (99-110 lb). Their life expectancy is about 10-14 years.
Temper
The Black Russian Terrier is a calm dog, secure, courageous and confident. He is very clever and accepts well dressage. The Black Russian Terrier was thought to protect and secure. He is prudent and sensitive, intuitive, protective, determined, fearless and deeply devoted to his family. The Black Russian Terrier is distant and therefore does not appreciate any invasion of his personal space by strangers. Extremely intelligent, the Black Russian Terrier needs work to do. Training them is simple. The Black Russian Terrier loves children and protects them. They are indoor dogs and need to feel like a family member. They are not suited for a life on the terrace. They need a constant attention and orientation, and will turn in on themselves in the opposite case.
The Black Russian Terrier is wary of strangers and have a strong and solid defensive intuition. This breed seeks contact with people and animals. They shall refrain from fighting with other dogs, although males cannot live with other large dominant dogs without a strong master. They can easily live with small or non-dominant dogs, felines, stallions, rabbits, etc. They are not hard to tame and should easily accept the leash. The Black Russian Terrier barks only when they consider it necessary. Quick to act, they are constantly ready to protect their masters and their home. The Black Russian Terrier takes some time to fully develop.
Living conditions
The Black Russian Terrier will live well in an apartment if he is sufficiently exercising. They are usually calm inside and whatever the size of your yard, they will be sitting at your front door waiting for you. They want to live close to their masters and require human contact to be happy. The Black Russian Terrier is always ready for a long day walk each day. They want to cavort, play and entertain themselves. The vast majority of them like snow and water. They will roll into the snow and jump into the water.
Care
Their waterproof coat has a layer of hard, dry, tight, well coated and corrugated hair about 1.5 “- 4” (4 -10 cm) long. The undercoat is tight and well developed. Regular cut is needed 2 or 3 times a year. You should brush the Black Russian Terrier at least once a week. They do not shed too much but can leave little balls of fur.
