All About
Black Russian Terrier

Black Russian Terriers are truly man's best friend. They thrive on human interaction and have such a strong desire to be with their family that they will follow their people from room to room, and when left alone, will wait longingly by doors or windows until they are happily reunited with the ones they love. This breed adores children – especially female Black Russians. They are patient with small children who want to climb on them and are big enough to keep up with bigger kids' outdoor games. They have bee known to sleep in kids' rooms or outside their bedroom doors as a guardian and protector.

The Black Russian Terrier should do well on a high-quality dog food, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared with your veterinarian’s supervision and approval. Any diet should be appropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior). Some dogs are prone to getting overweight, so watch your dog’s calorie consumption and weight level. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.

The Black Russian Terrier’s tousled double coat—a thick, soft undercoat covered by a coarse, protective outer coat—needs regular maintenance to prevent mats from forming, with a thorough brushing once or twice a week. The owner will need to learn to scissor around the face, especially his beard and mustache, to keep him looking his best, or rely on a professional groomer to do the job. A trim with clippers every few months can be done by a groomer, but many owners learn how to do it themselves. As with all breeds, the BRT’s nails should be trimmed regularly.

Your Blackie needs daily exercise and mental stimulation, at least half an hour each day, including walks, runs, disc games, obedience, or agility.Hanging out alone in the back yard is not exercise; even if that's what you intended, your Blackie will just spend the time at the door waiting to be let back in. He has a great need for human contact, so he's always happier when you're hanging out with him. When you're not playing with your companion, puzzle toys such as Buster Cubes are a great way to keep that active mind occupied.The Blackie can live in an apartment as long as he has adequate exercise. In a single-family dwelling, he should have a fenced yard.Puppies don't need as much hard exercise as adults, and, in fact, you shouldn't let them run on hard surfaces such as concrete or let them do a lot of jumping until they're at least a year to eighteen months old. Otherwise large-breed pups like the Blackie may stress their still-developing skeletal systems, which can cause future joint problems.Obedience classes can help you curb your Blackie's behavior, as they help satisfy his need for mental stimulation and work. He'll respond well to training methods that use positive reinforcement — rewards such as praise, play, and food — and is likely to happily take commands from his trainer. He just needs to know who's in charge.Crate training benefits every dog and is a kind way to ensure that your Blackie doesn't have accidents in the house or get into things he shouldn't. A crate is also a place where he can retreat for a nap. Crate training at a young age will help your Blackie accept confinement if he ever needs to be boarded or hospitalized.Your Blackie doesn't want to spend all day in a crate, however. It's not a jail, and he shouldn't spend more than a few hours at a time in it except when he's sleeping at night. Blackies are people-oriented dogs, and they aren't meant to spend their lives alone or in a crate.

The Black Russian Terrier is typically a healthy breed, and a responsible breeder will screen breeding stock for health conditions such as allergies, urinary tract stones, hip and elbow dysplasia, and progressive retinal atrophy, which can cause vision loss and blindness. As with all breeds, a Black Russian Terrier’s ears should be checked regularly, and the teeth should be brushed regularly.

Recommended Health Tests from the National Breed Club:

Read the Official Breed Club Health Statement.

A legacy of the Cold War, the Black Russian Terrier was bred by Soviet Army scientists who were striving for the perfect working dog. Wonderfully adapted to the inhospitable Russian winters, the Black Russian was bred to patrol the borders alongside soldiers. The scientists weren't trying to invent a new breed; they just wanted a dog who was suited to their military needs.The Red Star Kennel, where the breeding took place, was established under the Red Army and had the full resources of the government for assistance. Unfortunately, thanks to the Russian Revolution, World War II, and other economic difficulties, purebred dog breeding had taken a back seat during much of the 20th century, and the team — which included breeders and geneticists — didn't have much homebred stock with which to work.However, they did an admirable job. They wanted a dog with endurance who could run long fence lines, chase and catch intruders, and stay warm enough to survive. They started crossing Giant Schnauzers, Airedales, and Rottweilers, but there are traces of 17 breeds, including Great Danes and some large Russian breeds such as the Ovcharka.The Blackies worked at rail crossings, prisons, and assorted military venues including gulags, and they excelled at it. However, when the gulags began closing in the 1950s, they had more dogs than needed, and thus the Army began selling the puppies to the public. Fanciers made a few changes in the breeding; Newfoundlands, for instance, were added for stability. In 1958, the Soviet Army created the first breed standard for the Black Russian Terrier.Officially, the Black Russian Terrier obtained breed status from the Soviet Ministry of Agriculture in 1981. It didn't take long for him to become one of the most admired breeds of the world because of his many fine traits: large size, ability to protect home and family, excellent working abilities, courage, elegant appearance, sociability, and love of children.Black Russian Terriers came to the United States between 1989 and 1990. One of the first American kennels to produce Black Russians was in Mississippi, where an immigrant Russian couple started a kennel. (Blackies do well there even without any hope of snow in which to play.) The AKC admitted the Black Russian Terrier into the Miscellaneous Class in 2001. The breed became part of the AKC Working Group on July 1, 2004.Over time, breeders have worked to eliminate the health concerns and physical faults that the breed began with, and today the Blackie is a healthy and hearty breed, still just becoming known to legions of dog lovers.