INTRODUCTION

The black Russian terrier (Russian: Чёёрный терьер), nicknamed ‘Stalin's dog’, is a breed of dog traditionally used as a guard and police dog. It is rare to find dogs of this breed outside its country of origin and its recognition in other countries has only just begun.

THE ORIGIN OF THE RUSSIAN BLACK TERRIER

Most aspects of the Russian Black Terrier, the Sobaka Stalina, are very interesting, and its history is no exception. It is a cross between the Rottweiler, Airedale terrier and Schnauzer breeds. This was carried out by members of the Russian armed forces in the 1940's. This was because the troops required a strong, large and courageous animal to help them in their defence work and a variety of other jobs.

Some time later, specifically in 1957, the Russian Black Terrier breed became known to society. Eleven years later, the breed was presented to the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, at which time the breed's physical characteristics became more accurately known. However, it was not until 84 that the breed was recognised as it is now called. Although it is a little known breed today, it has its followers and remains a favourite among sportsmen or people who love outdoor activities.

THE RUSSIAN BLACK TERRIER STANDARD

GENERAL APPEARANCE: The Black Russian Terrier is a large dog with a slightly long body and very athletic build of robust type and strong constitution. The breed has qualities such as solid bone and strong muscles. It is symmetrical with a large head, compact body and a voluminous, deep chest. Differences between the sexes should be clearly defined.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS: Length of body is slightly longer than height at withers, may be more pronounced in bitches. Depth of chest should not be less than half the height at withers. The length of the head should not be less than 40% of the height at the withers. The muzzle is slightly shorter than the skull.

HEAD

CRANIAL REGION: The head should be in proportion to the body, yet large, massive and long. Skull: Moderately broad with flat foreface. The topline of the skull is parallel to the topline of the muzzle. Superciliary arches and occipital bone moderately pronounced.

STOP: Noticeable but not sharp.

FACIAL REGION:

TRUFFLE: Large and black.

HOCOCO: Strong, broad and slightly shorter than the skull. The muzzle is broad at the base and tapers slightly towards the tip of the nose. Beard and moustache of accentuated volume giving the muzzle a blunt, rectangular appearance.

BELLIES: Thick, well pigmented and tight. The edge of the lips dark.

TEETH : Large white teeth close together. Lower incisors set in a line. Complete dentition (42 teeth). Scissor bite.

CHEEKS: Cheek bones dry, with rounded but not pronounced cheeks.

EYES: Medium size, oval in shape, set straight and wide apart, dark in colour. Eyelids dry, tight and black.

EARS: Hanging. Set on high and symmetrical, medium size, triangular in shape. Border close to the cheeks. Thick pavilion without forming folds.

NECK: Strong, dry and muscular. The length of the neck is approximately equal to the length of the head and set at an angle of 45-50 degrees to the horizontal. The neck is strong and well developed.

BODY: Solid, deep and voluminous. Well balanced.

TOWL : Slightly sloping from withers to base of tail.

CROSS : High and well developed, more pronounced in males than in bitches.

BACK : Strong, straight and muscular. The length of the back itself is equal to ½ of the length measured from the withers to the base of the tail.

LOIN: Broad, short, muscular and slightly arched. The length is equal to ½ of the length of the back.

CROUP: Broad, muscular, slightly sloping and of moderate length.

CHEST: Deep, long and broad with slightly sprung ribs. The shape of the chest (cross section) is oval. The sternum is long and the forechest slightly prolongs the shoulder joint and is well muscled.

BOTTOM LINE AND BELLY : In line with or slightly lower than the elbow joint. Abdomen moderately tucked up. Flanks only slightly developed. 

TAIL : Thick at the base and set on high. During movement the tail is carried happily but the base of the tail does not bend over the back (squirrel tail). Tail traditionally docked in its country of origin. The length of an undocked tail or its shape should not influence the evaluation of the dog. The preferred shape of the undocked tail is sabre or sickle.

LIMBS FOREQUARTERS:

GENERAL APPEARANCE: Forelegs, seen from the front, straight and parallel. The distance from the elbow to the ground is equal to 50-52 % of the height at the withers.

SHOULDERS: Long, broad and well laid back. The angle of the shoulder blade and forearm is approximately 100 degrees.

FOREARM: Muscular and not shorter than the shoulder blade.

ELBOW : Close to the body.

ARM: Straight, thick and round-boned. Vertical seen from the front and sides.

PASTERN: Short, massive and slightly sloping when viewed from the side.

HANDS: Large, compact and round in shape. Nails and pads black.

HIND LIMBS:

GENERAL APPEARANCE: Seen from behind straight and parallel, set wider apart than forelegs. Seen from the side, set slightly behind the dog.

THIGH: Moderately long, slightly sloping, broad with well developed and bulky muscles.

KNEE: Well sloping.

LEG : Not shorter than the thigh.

METATARSE: Strong, low and vertically positioned. No dewclaws.

FEET: Slightly smaller than the forefoot with a tendency to oval shape. Nails and pads black. 

GAIT / MOVEMENT: Free and well balanced with gently sloping joints. Typical movement is a brisk trot with long strides coming from a powerful drive from the rear and significant reach of the undercarriage. The topline remains firm.

SKIN: Tight, well fitting without folds or loose but elastic skin. Even pigmentation.

COAT: Double coat, coarse and thick. Composed of a coarse, thick, slightly wavy outer coat and a soft, short, dense undercoat. The outer coat covers the whole body. The natural, untrimmed coat is between 5 and 15 cm long. The head furnishing is well developed with abundant eyebrows, moustache and beard. Limbs covered with long, dense hair. Correct grooming is required. The cut coat should emphasise the characteristic of a strong, confident dog and in no way be excessively decorative. The coat is left longer on the limbs and around the muzzle. The cut should accentuate the powerful head with flat forehead, close fitting ears, strong neck and well structured and strong body.

COLOUR: Black. Black with a negligible amount of intermingling of grey hairs is permissible. (Intermingling of grey hairs should not cover more than 1/3 of the entire body).

SIZE AND WEIGHT:

HEIGHT AT WITHERS:

• MALES: 72 - 76 cm, but not less than 70 cm, not more than 78 cm.
• FEMALES: 68 - 72 cm, but not less than 66 cm and not more than 74 cm.

Slightly taller specimens are tolerated provided they are proportionate and of excellent type.

WEIGHT:

• MALES: 50 - 60 kg.
• FEMALES: 45 - 50 kg.

FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect on the health and welfare of the dog and on its ability to perform its traditional work.

• Rounded skull.
• Partial absence of pigmentation of the lips.
• Incisors of lower jaw not aligned.
• Small incisors.
• Eyes round, somewhat light coloured, set obliquely or too close together.
• Neck too short and not sufficiently muscled.
• Withers not pronounced.
• Back sunken or narrow.
• Loin too long, too narrow, not sufficiently muscled.
• Shoulders too straight.
• Forearm too short.
• Elbows turned in or out.
• Feet turned in or out.
• Hock inclined inwards or outwards or sickle-shouldered.
• Pace interspersed with trotting.
• Outer coat soft and soft.
• Rust tones in the outer coat.
• Absence of undercoat.

SERIOUS FAULTS:

• Deviations from the sex type.
• Shy or over-excited behaviour.
• Short or light head.
• Third eyelid visible, light coloured eyes.
• Croup horizontal or too steep.
• Narrow or short chest.
• Squirrel tail.
• Hunched forearms.
• Restricted, slow or heavy movement.
• Silky outer coat.

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS:

• Aggressiveness or extreme shyness.
• Any dog showing clear signs of physical or behavioural abnormalities.
• Deviations from ancestral breeds.
• Nose of any colour other than black.
• Gaze or different coloured eyes.
• Deviation from a scissor bite or absence of teeth.
• Smooth outer coat and absence of hair on head, chest and limb ornamentation.
• Any colour other than described above.
• White markings or markings.
• Clearly defined patches of grey hair.

N.B.:

• Male dogs should have two apparently normal appearing testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs of typical breed conformation should be used for breeding.

HEALTH OF THE RUSSIAN BLACK TERRIER

The Russian Black Terrier is generally a healthy dog, health tests in his case are not mandatory but highly recommended as they are diseases for which there is no cure or whose treatment can be burdensome for the owners. These are: 

• HYPERURICOSURIA (HUU): Hyperuricosuria (HUU) is a genetic disease that occurs in black terriers. It is a very dangerous and fatal disease. Unfortunately, testing for HUU is not mandatory, so sick dogs continue to appear, but the available genetic tests make it possible to completely eliminate the risk of hyperuricosuria disease in the Russian black terrier. A responsible breeder must choose HUU-free parents for breeding, or one HUU-free parent and one carrier. In this case, half of the offspring will be HUU-free and half will be HUU carriers, but none of the offspring will be affected by HUU. Hyperuricosuria is a disease that affects black Russian terriers and causes severe symptoms such as kidney failure, urinary tract infections and other serious health complications. Although there is no cure for hyperuricosuria, it can be managed with medication and lifestyle changes to help maintain your dog's overall health and well-being.

• JUVENILE LARYNGEAL PARALYSIS AND POLYNEUROPATHY (JLPP): Juvenile laryngeal paralysis and polyneuropathy (JLPP), a disease affecting black Russian terriers, is a progressive disease that causes paralysis of the larynx, movement and sensation problems in the limbs, and difficulty breathing. Affected dogs usually show signs at an early age. Although there is no cure for JLPP, treatment options exist to help control symptoms and affected dogs can enjoy a good quality of life with proper care.

• GASTRIC TORSION: Like other large breeds, Black Russian Terriers are also prone to gastric torsion, which can be fatal if not treated immediately. Gastric torsion occurs when the stomach fills with air and twists, which can cause severe pain and distress. If you think your dog may be suffering from gastric torsion, contact your veterinarian or local emergency clinic immediately. Early recognition of symptoms is key, as gastric torsion can progress rapidly and become life-threatening. Owners of black Russian terriers should be aware of the signs of bloat and how to prevent it, as it is a serious health risk condition for dogs. With prompt treatment, most dogs recover from bloat without long-term effects. However, it is important to seek veterinary help as soon as possible if you think your dog may be suffering from this condition.

THE PERSONALITY OF THE RUSSIAN BLACK TERRIER

Generally speaking, this is an amazing dog. Intelligent, well behaved... Ideal companion that will offer you protection and loves outdoor activities. However, due to his original occupation, he is a somewhat distrustful dog, who may react aggressively to unfamiliar people and places, as a way of keeping alert. Loyalty is another great virtue of these animals. With their family circle these dogs are totally affectionate and playful, even with children. Coexistence with other pets is easy for these animals. However, in the first instance, they are dominant and show themselves to be a strong breed.

In addition, they are dogs that like to live in open spaces. This means that a flat or a building is not ideal for this breed. The limited mobility in a confined area can lead to stress and negative behaviour in the dog. Ideally, adopters should have a basic knowledge of training and living with defence or guard dogs. Otherwise it can be a bit of a challenge to adapt to an inactive life, and this can cause the dog to become aggressive.

As these dogs are trained for defence and military base work, they are not only highly intelligent, but also highly skilled. Quick learning is a virtue of the Russian Black Terrier, so training these animals will not be a problem. In their early days, they can be taught basic activities such as socialisation, not biting and where to relieve themselves. Later on, as he develops his behaviour, new practices will be generated, which can certainly include more advanced aspects such as tricks or activities related to his safety. Once he has made progress with these skills, he can also be trained to carry out tasks such as, for example, those carried out in the countryside, activities that he will enjoy because they are outdoors. Something that should not be forgotten is that, although this is a dog designed to receive strict orders, violence or mistreatment during training is not recommended, as this is an imposing dog and can become aggressive if it feels threatened or attacked. Patience, tolerance and good spirits in the training of this breed will produce excellent results.

CONCLUSION

Black Russian Terrier dogs are exceptional pets. Although they are not widely recognised at present, connoisseurs of this breed value their courage and dynamism in sports and outdoor activities. It is recommended that these animals be bred in open areas, especially in the countryside, as the constant movement of the city can cause stress or aggressive behaviour. They are distrustful dogs by nature, so training from puppyhood is ideal to manage their behaviour, identify those close to them and control their impulses to attack in any situation. Living in homes with children is not a problem for these animals, as they adapt easily, as well as being playful and very affectionate with them.