Black Russian Terrier - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin

Black Russian Terrier is a very young dog breed, they were developed in 1940s in Russia by crossbreeding Giant Schnauzers, Newfoundlands, Airedale Terriers and Rottweilers. The most important ancestor is the Giant Schnauzer. The breed was recognized by the FCI in the 1984.


2) Red Star

The initial breeding hold place in Moscow kennel called Red Star. It was supervised by military, because the original purpose of Black Russian Terrier was to work soviet military and police as guard dogs on country borders, military camps and prisons.


3) Long breeding

The breeding process was not easy. The military needed a large powerful dog with strong work ethic, that will be highly trainable, adaptable and that will do okay in cold russian temperatures. The problem was to find the correct breeds to create Black Russian Terriers, because a lot of the russian dogs were killed in the Russian Revolution. The Black Russian Terrier breeding process was perfected 20 years after it started – in 1960s. From that time, they were no longer crossed with any other breeds.


4) Not a Terrier

They might be named Black Russian Terriers, but they are actually not belong into the Terrier group. Their name is missleading. It is true, that they have some terrier bloodline, but it is not the most important. And Black Russian Terriers were bred as working dogs and even today they belong to the Working group.


5) Hard Workers

If you want to have happy Black Russian Terrier, you should better give them some job to do. They were bred to be protectors, but it is not necessary for them to do this job. They are great at dog sports like agility, Schutzhund or obedience trials, which can be good substitution for a typical normal work.


6) Personality

Black Russian Terriers bond closely to their family and their owners, but they are not trusting towards strangers. You should socialize them early, so they get used to other people and animals. Blackies are also pretty affectionate when they are at home and they are okay with kids. But you should never leave a small child with a dog unsupervised.


7) Training

Black Russian Terrier is very intelligent dog, but they are also dominant, stubborn and pretty independent. This means, that they need firm and consistent training. The earlier you start, the better. They are capable of learning a great deal, but they are not dogs for novices.


8) XXL

The Black Russian Terrier is large, athletic dog with robust long body and hardy constitution. Their height should be between 68-78 cm which is 26-31 inches and their weight should be between 45-50 kg for females which is 100-110 pounds and 50-60 kgs for males which is 110-135 pounds.


9) Health

Black Russian Terriers are generally healthy, but like all breeds, they're prone to certain health conditions. The most common is hip and elbow dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy and different allergies. Their lifespan is between 10-11 years.


10) Grooming
The Black Russian Terrier has a long, coarse double coat that sheds moderately. The coat should be brushed twice a week and you should only bathe them when needed. If you are having a showring Black Russian Terrier, professional trimming is requiered as well. Otherwise, you can trim them at home ocassionally.