The Black Russian Terrier was bred to be an all-round, willing military dog. It is very eager to learn and can be trained easily. It must understand who the pack leader is to avoid any behavioral problems, but this is generally true of any dog. They are extremely unhappy if left alone, outside in a kennel. They want as much human contact as possible and will follow their owner around the house from room to room. Even if put outside they will follow their pack leader from window to window before finally settling outside the door, waiting to be let in! They love children and make loving pets.
Appearance
The Black Russian Terrier is medium sized with a broad and long head. The muzzle is square shaped due to the “mustache” and “beard” that the dog has. They have large noses and full lips. Their eyes are medium in size and set far apart and their ears are triangular and set high on their head. They have a thick, muscular neck and feet with large black pads on the end of straight legs. They have waterproof coats that are quite coarse to the touch and are usually black all over. Their tails are short and are set high. Unusually they do not shed at all. Coats should be brushed just once a week but otherwise little grooming is needed.
Temperament
This breed is brave and observant. They are suspicious of strangers and have a strong protective instinct over their owners and the house they live in. As puppies they are very playful and eager to learn, so training should be applied from as early as possible. They love children and are happy to play with them all day long. They hate being left alone as they want human contact as much as possible. They are happy to live alongside other animals, although the humans must be the pack leaders, and fighting will happen between Black Russian Terriers and other dogs if this is not the case. They take longer to mature than some other dogs and love to please their master. They need daily exercise and will have behavioual issues if this requirement is not met. They shouldn’t be left in a kennel outside as they need human contact and affection.
Working and Tasks
The Black Russian Terrier was developed as a military dog in the 1940’s. It is robust, high spirited all round dog that is eager to work and able to withstand any number of climates and conditions. It has all the ability of the German Shepherd Dog such as tracking and guarding, but without any aggression.