General Appearance: Powerful, strong, well developed muscles with heavy bone. Head is large with drop ears lying close to the face and dark eyes.
Height: 27-30 inches for males, 26-29 inches for females. In proportions, a Black Russian Terrier should be slightly longer than tall. Tail may be docked or natural.
Weight: The male weighs between 50 and 65 kg, and the females weigh between 45 and 60 kg.
Origin: The Black Russian Terrier (BRT) was developed in the former USSR for use as a military working dog. Breeds used in the development include the Giant Schnauzer, Airedale Terrier, Rottweiler, Newfoundland and other breeds. The BRT was bred solely by the state owned Red Star Kennel in Moscow until 1957 when some puppies were sold to civilian breeders.
Coat: The coat is a long double coat with a coarse outer guard hair over a softer undercoat. The coat is hard and dense, never soft, silky or frizzy. Black Russians should have a tousled coat. It should be trimmed to between 5 and 15 cm in length. It should form a beard and eyebrows on the face, and a slight mane around the withers and neck that is more pronounced in males. The coat is low-shedding. They need regular and frequent brushing to prevent matting.
Colours: The only acceptable colour is black or black with some scattered gray hairs.
Temperament: The Black Russian Terrier is a calm, confident, courageous and self-assured dog. They are highly intelligent and adapt well to training. Early socialization with people and other animals is important. BRT’s love children and will guard those in their circle. They’re house dogs and need to feel like part of the family, they are not suited to life in the backyard. They are alert and responsive, instinctively protective and deeply loyal to the family. They do not like intrusion by strangers into their personal space. BRT’s are people-oriented and want to be close to the action at all times.
Activity: The Black Russian Terrier enjoys walks and rigorous exercise. They like to have a job to do. BRT’s can be very active outside the house, but calm inside. They enjoy a good romp in the snow and withstand very cold days outside. Activity should be limited in hot weather.
Diet: Any premium quality kibble with meat. They tend to eat slowly and not overeat.
Crate Training: Crate training at a young age will help the BRT accept confinement if they ever need to be boarded or hospitalized however since they are people-oriented dogs they aren’t meant to spend their lives alone or in a crate.
Training & Obedience: The Black Russian Terrier, because of its breeding as a working dog, has a very strong work ethic. Early training is a must and they are very responsive to firm, consistent training excelling at Obedience and Rally competitions. They also perform well in other dog sports such as Agility, Schutzhund and Tracking. Daily care: The Black Russian Terrier is a generally healthy and somewhat long-lived dog (lifespan of 9–14 years). As with any large breed, hip dysplasia is a concern. Breeding stock must be DNA tested to be clear of Hyperuricosuria (HU) and Juvenile laryngeal paralysis and polyneuropathy (JLPP).