Of the many breeds of tenacious terriers, most of which were originally bred and used for ratting (hunting vermin) or baiting, the Black Russian Terrier»with its guard dog background»is one of the larger and more powerful of the group. This is part of what makes it such a rare breed of terrier.
Its rareness begins with the scarcity of purebred animals in its native country: in Russia during the war years. In the forties, the companion dog, the dog as pet, was longed for and highly regarded. At the same time, the need for the guard dog was made precedent. So the Red Star Kennel (the Russian Army-controlled dog housing and breeding plant), with a repertoire of using what researchers say is over 100 dogs, worked to breed the Black Russian Terrier. Some of the known breeds that contributed were the primary breed, the Schnauzer, and the Great Dane, the Airedale Terrier, the Russian Water Dog, the Rottweiler, the Newfoundland , the Caucasian Ovcharka, and the Eastern-European Shepherd.
This created an unpretentious but stealthy animal that was aggressive but trainable, sizeable but needing very little care. So the Black Russian Terrier, a stout and strong and unusually large terrier, is today a treasured breed at 27 to 30 inches and 66 to 85 pounds»a far cry from the 10-15 pounds of a «typical» terrier breed.
Also atypical is the Black Russian Terrier»s love for the cold. Yet it has been advised that it is kept indoors, except for regular exercise, which it requires space for. So it follows that the ideal living environment would exclude the smaller city apartment or dwelling, though this breed is not rambunctious.
This breed, instead, is of a steady, balanced countenance, one that it inherently shows in its calm, confident, even aloof demeanor. These characteristics make it an excellent friend to children, while at the same time, with its strong instinct to guard and protect, it is the ideal guard dog.
While the temperament of the Black Russian Terrier is by no means demanding, this breed still has some demands»especially in care and maintenance of its coat, for instance. With what fanciers call not a wiry or curly but tousled double top coat which is a rich black color and fairly long, the Black Russian Terrier needs regular grooming. That is, it needs both regular brushing and regular clipping.
But, provided it gets the care, grooming, and appreciation it commands, the Black Russian Terrier will provide for the best of its caretakers, its family»by protecting and guarding it with a solemn and rigorous courage that it shares with its terrier brethren, though that is the most that it shares with them.
