Black Russian Terrier Standards

Black Russian Terrier Breed Standard

American Kennel Club - Working Group

Recognized 7/1/2004 - App.5/12/2009 - Eff. 7/1/2009

History

It is known that purebred animals became almost extinct in the Soviet Union during the war years, but people still needed them.

The Black Russian was created in part due to Red Star Kennels, an army-controlled Soviet kennel dedicated to developing special-duty breeds.

The first standard for the Black Russian Terrier was published in "Regulations and Requirements for Training and Usage of Military Dogs" in 1958.

They were developed through selective interbreeding of many breeds including Rottweilers, Giant Schnauzers, and Airedales by the Russian military.

Today, Black Russian Terriers are more likely to be guarding suburban families than political prisoners. They are intimidating and dominating, not a good fit for novice owners. But these smart, sensitive dogs train beautifully when a firm but loving touch is applied. Lots of early socialization helps Black Russian Terriers determine what is and isn’t a true threat to their adored humans.

General Appearance

The Black Russian Terrier is a robust, large, balanced, agile and powerful dog. The Black Russian Terrier has large bone and well-developed muscles. He has great strength and endurance. The Black Russian Terrier must have a stable and reliable temperament, possessing self-assurance and courage.

Size, Proportion, Substance

Size - The height for males at maturity (over 18 months of age) is between 27 and 30 inches with the desired height being between 27 and 29 inches - females at maturity (over 18 months of age) is between 26 and 29 inches with the desired height being between 26 and 28 inches. Any height deviation is a serious fault. Height consideration should not outweigh that of type, proportion, movement and other functional attributes. General balance is more important than absolute size. Proportion - The desired height to length ratio of the Black Russian Terrier is approximately 9? to 10. Thus the dog is slightly longer than tall. Females may be slightly longer than males. The length is measured from point of shoulder to rear edge of the pelvis. Substance - The Black Russian Terrier must have large bones and well-developed musculature. Females are definitely to appear feminine but never lacking in substance. Light bone, lack of substance, and poor musculature are serious faults.

Head: The head must be in proportion to the body and give the appearance of power and strength. It is approximately equal to the length of neck and not less than 40 percent of the height of the dog at the withers. The eyes are oval, of medium size, dark, and set relatively wide apart. Eye rims are black without sagging or prominent haw. Light eyes are a serious fault. The ears are medium in size, triangularly shaped, set high, but not above the level of the skull. The ear leather is dense, rounded at the bottom, hanging with the front edge lying against the head and terminating at approximately mid-cheek. Cropped ears are not acceptable. The skull is moderately wide with round, but not too pronounced cheek bones. The supraorbital arches and occiput bones are moderately expressed. The back skull is flat. The stop is moderate. The back skull is slightly longer than the muzzle measured from the stop to the occiput and stop to end of nose, an approximate ratio of 5:4. The muzzle is broad with a slight tapering towards the nose. A moustache and beard emphasize volume and give the muzzle a square shape. Viewed in profile, the topline of the muzzle is parallel to the topline of the backskull. The nose is large and black. Nose color other than black is a disqualification. Lips are thick, fleshy, black, tight and without flews. The gums have dark pigmentation. The teeth are large and white with full dentition. Any missing tooth is a severe fault. The incisors form a straight line at the base. A correct bite is a scissors bite. Two or more missing teeth or bite other than a scissors bite is a disqualification.

Neck, Topline and Body

Neck - The neck should be thick, muscular and powerful. The nape is strong and well expressed. There should be no pendulous or excessive dewlap. The length of the neck and the length of the head should be approximately the same. The neck is set at an approximate 45 degree angle to the line of the back.

Body - The whole structure of the body should give the impression of strength. The chest is oval shaped, deep and wide with well-sprung ribs. The bottom line of the chest extends to the elbows or below and is not less than 50 percent of the dog's height measured from the withers. The forechest is pronounced. The withers are high, well developed and more pronounced in the male than in the female. There is a slight slope from the top of the withers into a straight, firm back. The back is approximately half of the distance between the top of the withers to the base of the tail. The last half of the backline is comprised of two equal parts, the loin and the croup measured to the base of tail. (The ratio of back to loin to croup measured to base of tail is 2:1:1.) The loin is short, wide, muscular, slightly arched and elastic. The croup is wide, muscular, and slopes slightly (5 to 10 degrees). The tail is thick, set moderately high, and is carried at an approximate 45 degree angle from the horizontal. When the tail is docked, there are 3 to 5 vertebrae remaining. An undocked tail is not to be penalized. The preferred shape of an undocked tail resembles a sickle or saber. The abdomen is moderately tucked up and firm.

Forequarters: Shoulders are well laid-back with blades broad and sloping. There is good return of upper arm so that the angle between the shoulder blade and the upper arm is approximately 100 degrees. Upper arms are muscular. Elbows sit close to the body and turn neither in nor out while standing or moving. The forelegs are straight, thick, of medium length, and parallel when viewed from the front. Length of the foreleg to the elbow is approximately 50 percent of dog's height at the withers. Pasterns are short, thick, and almost vertical. Front dewclaws should be removed. Feet are large, compact, and round in shape. Nails are black.

Hindquarters: Viewed from the rear the legs are straight and parallel, set slightly wider than the forelegs. The hindquarters are well boned and muscular with good angulation to be in balance with the front shoulder angulation. Thighs are muscular and broad when viewed from the side. The hocks are moderately short and vertical when standing. Rear dewclaws should be removed.

Coat: The coat is a double coat. The natural untrimmed coat length varies from 1? to 6 inches. While the outer guard hair is coarser than the softer undercoat, it is not wiry or curly. The body coat has a slight to moderate wave. The furnishings on the head form a fall over the eyes and a moustache and beard on the muzzle. The legs are covered and protected by long, dense coat. Trimming of the natural coat is needed for suitable shape and upkeep.

For presentation in the show ring, the Black Russian Terrier should be trimmed so that the dog's outline is clearly defined. The trimmed length of coat and leg furnishings may vary from 0.2 to 6 inches depending upon the location on the body. The fall and muzzle furnishings may be longer than 6 inches. In no case should grooming be given more weight than structure, movement and balance when evaluating the Black Russian Terrier.

Color: The only acceptable color for the Black Russian Terrier is solid black or black with scattered gray hairs. Any other color is considered a disqualification.

Gait: A well-balanced Black Russian Terrier should move freely in a smooth, fluid motion. In movement the normal head carriage is extended forward and the backline remains level. As movement accelerates, the feet will converge toward a centerline. The Black Russian Terrier covers a lot of ground through strong reach of the forelegs and drive of the hindquarters.

Temperament: The character and temperament of the Black Russian Terrier is of utmost importance. The Black Russian Terrier is a calm, confident, courageous and self-assured dog. He is highly intelligent and adapts well to training. The Black Russian Terrier was initially bred to guard and protect. He is alert and responsive, instinctively protective, determined, fearless, deeply loyal to family, is aloof and therefore does not relish intrusion by strangers into his personal space. Shyness or excessive excitability is a serious fault. Faults: Any departure from the foregoing ideal should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded is in proportion to its degree.

Serious Faults: Light bone. Lack of substance. Poor musculature. Mature male under 27 inches or over 30 inches. Mature female under 26 inches or over 29 inches. Light colored eyes. One missing tooth. Shyness or excessive excitability.

Disqualifications: Nose color other than black. Two or more missing teeth. Any bite other than a scissors bite. Any coat color other than solid black or black with scattered gray hairs.

Offsite AKC - Black Russian Terrier History

Offsite AKC - BlackRussianTerrier

Black Russian Terrier Breed Standard

United Kennel Club - Guardian Dog Group

Recognized 1/1/1995 - Revised January 1, 2017

The goals and purposes of this breed standard include: to furnish guidelines for breeders who wish to maintain the quality of their breed and to improve it; to advance this breed to a state of similarity throughout the world; and to act as a guide for judges.

Breeders and judges have the responsibility to avoid any conditions or exaggerations that are detrimental to the health, welfare, essence and soundness of this breed, and must take the responsibility to see that these are not perpetuated.

Any departure from the following 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 upon the health and welfare of the dog and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.

HISTORY

The Black Russian Terrier was created in Russia during the late 1940s and early 1950s by selective interbreeding of several breeds, including the Rottweiler, Giant Schnauzer, Airedale Terrier and Newfoundland. The Giant Schnauzer is considered to be the main ancestor of the breed.

The initial breeding was supervised by the military cynological school outside Moscow, and the dogs were based in their kennels named “Red Star”. The aim of the creators of the breed was the development of a large, brave, strong and manageable working dog with pronounced guarding instinct; a dog that could be useful for many services. The breed was recognized by the FCI in 1984.

The Black Russian Terrier was recognized by the United Kennel Club on January 1, 1995.

GENERAL APPEARANCE

The Black Russian Terrier is a strong, agile, large dog. It is heavily boned, and has well-developed muscles.

The length of the body is slightly longer than the height at the withers; may be more pronounced in females. The skin is tight and well-fitted without folds, elastic, and evenly pigmented.

The breed is capable of great endurance and is adaptable to a wide range of climates, including harsh conditions. Males are masculine and larger, stronger, bulkier and more powerful than bitches. Disqualifications: Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid.

CHARACTERISTICS

The breed is energetic, stable, dignified, confident, and lively. They are friendly, but assertive, wary of strangers and have strong protective instincts, but quickly calm down at the disappearance of a threat. Black Russian Terriers have great endurance, are capable of being trained to a wide variety of tasks, and adapt well to various climate conditions. Disqualifications: Extreme viciousness or shyness.

HEAD

Large, massive, and in proportion to the body. The length of the head should not be less than 40 percent of the dog’s height at the withers. The muzzle is slightly shorter than the skull.

SKULL - Moderately broad, with a flat forehead and well-rounded cheekbones. The toplines of the skull and muzzle are parallel. The stop is marked, but not too pronounced. Fault: Round skull.

MUZZLE

Strong, broad, and slightly tapering in width from stop to tip, the muzzle is slightly shorter than the skull. The moustache and beard give the muzzle a rectangular appearance. The lips are thick, well pigmented and tight. Faults: Coarse head. Light, weak head. Fine head. Stop too steep. Snipey muzzle. Slack or loose lips.

TEETH

A full complement of strong, white teeth meet in a scissors bite. Faults: Misaligned incisors. Disqualifications: Any bite deviation from scissors. Missing teeth.

EYES

EYES - The medium size, dark colored eyes are oval shaped and set straight and wide apart. Eye rims are dry, tight, and black. Faults: Round eyes. Eyes too large. Slightly light colored. Oblique or narrow set. Visible haw. Serious Faults: Visible third eyelid. Light colored eyes. Disqualifications: Wall eye. Different colored eyes.

EARS

The medium-sized, triangular ears are high set and symmetrical. They are pendant; the front of the ears must fit closely to the cheeks. Ear leather is dense, without folds. Faults: Long or low-set ears. Flying ears set away from the cheekbones. Erect or semi-erect ears.

NOSE

The nose is large and black. Disqualification: Nose color other than black.

NECK

Strong, dry and muscular; and set at an angle of 45 to 50 degrees. The length of the neck is approximately equal to the length of the head. The nape is strong and well developed. Faults: Neck too short; not muscular enough.

FOREQUARTERS

The shoulders are long, broad, and well laid back. The angle between shoulder blade and upper arm is approximately 100 degrees. The distance from the elbow ulna to the ground is equal to from 50 to 52 percent of the dog’s height at the withers.

FORELEGS - The thick forelegs are straight and parallel when viewed from the front.

UPPER ARM - Muscular, no shorter than the shoulder blades.

FOREARM – Straight, thick, round bone. Vertical when viewed from the front and side.

ELBOWS - The elbows lie close to the body.

PASTERNS - Short, massive, and slightly sloping when viewed from the side.  Faults: Shoulders too straight. Forearms too short. Elbows turned in or out. Little or no angulation between the shoulder blade and upper arm. Weak pasterns. Serious Faults: Bowed forearms.

BODY

Solid, deep and voluminous, well-balanced.

TOPLINE - Slightly sloping, from the withers to the root of the tail.

WITHERS – High and well-developed. More pronounced in males than in females.

BACK – Strong, straight and muscular. The length of the actual back is equal to half the length measured from the withers to be base of the tail.

LOIN: Wide, short, muscular and slightly arched. The length is equal to half the length of the actual back.

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

CHEST – Deep, long and broad, with slightly sprung ribs. The shape of the thorax (in cross section) is oval. The breast bone is long, and the forechest slightly extends the shoulder joint, and is well-muscled. Depth of chest should not be less than half of the height at the withers.\

UNDERLINE and BELLY – On the same line as the elbow joint, or slightly below. Belly is moderately tucked up. Flanks only slightly developed.  Faults: Withers not pronounced. Sway back. Narrow back. Loin too long; narrow; not muscular enough. Serious Faults: Croup horizontal. Croup too steep. Shallow chest. Short chest.

HINDQUARTERS

The well-muscled hindquarters are in balance with the forequarters.

HIND LEGS - Hind legs are straight and parallel when viewed from behind, standing slightly wider than the front legs. When viewed from the side, placed slightly behind the dog.

THIGHS - Moderately long, slightly inclined, wide, with well-developed, ample muscles.

STIFLE – Well bent.

LOWER THIGH: No shorter than thighs.

REAR PASTERNS – Strong, low, vertically positioned. No dewclaws.  Faults: Hocks turned in or out. Sickle hocks.

FEET

Front feet a large, compact and round. The hind feet are slightly smaller than the front feet, tending toward an oval shape. Nails and pads are black. Faults: Feet turning in or out.

TAIL

Thick at the root, and set high. When the dog is moving, the tail is carried jauntily, but the root of the tail does not incline over the back (squirrel tail). The tail is traditionally docked in the country of origin. The length and shape of an undocked tail had no influence on the evaluation of the dog. The preferable shape of an undocked tail is sabre or sickle. Serious Fault: Squirrel tail.

COAT

Rough and thick double coat. The outer coat is coarse, extremely dense, and wavy. The undercoat is soft, short and dense. The natural, untrimmed coat varies from two inches to six inches in length.

The legs are covered in a long, dense hair.

The head furnishings form a fall over the eyes, and mustache on the muzzle.

Recommended grooming for presentation in the show ring. The clipped coat should emphasize the character of a strong and assured dog, and by no means be excessively decorative. Clipping should accentuate the massive head with flat forehead, well-lying ears, strong neck, and well-constructed, strong body. The coat is left longest on the legs, the fall, and around the muzzle. Faults: Soft guard coat. No undercoat. Serious Fault: Silky guard coat. Disqualifications: Smooth guard coat. Lack of head, chest and leg furnishings.

COLOR

Black. Solid black is the most desired. Black with insignificant, scattered gray hair, not to cover more than a third of the entire body; and Black and Tan (black with tan points) are permissible, with soundness, structure and overall breed type being of the utmost importance. Tan points on Black and Tan dogs are found over each eye, on the sides of the muzzle and cheeks, on the undersides of the ears, on all feet and/or legs, and under the tail. Tan points on the chest on Black and Tan dogs are optional; neither absence nor presence is penalized. Fault: Rusty shading in the guard coat. Eliminating Fault: Any other color than described above. Disqualifications: Albinism. White spots or markings. Clearly defined patches of gray.

HEIGHT & WEIGHT

The desired height range for males at maturity is from 28? to 30 inches, but no less than 27 inches, and no more than 31 inches. The desired height range for females at maturity is from 26? to 28 inches, but no less than 25 inches, and not more than 29 inches.

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

The weight range for males is from 110 to 132 lbs. The weight range for females is from 99 to 110 pounds. Faults: Over or under the stated height ranges for each sex.

GAIT

Free, and well-balanced, with smoothly bent joints. Typical gait is an energetic trio with long strides which comes from the powerful rear drive and significant reach in the forequarters. Topline to remain firm. Fault: Pacing. Serious Faults: Movement restricted; sluggish or heavy.

ELIMINATING FAULTS

(An Eliminating Fault is a Fault serious enough that it eliminates the dog from obtaining any awards in a conformation event.) Any other color than described above.

DISQUALIFICATIONS

(A dog with a Disqualification must not be considered for placement in a conformation event, and must be reported to UKC.) Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid. Extreme viciousness or shyness. Any bite deviation from scissors. Missing teeth. Nose color other than black. Wall eye. Different colored eyes. Albinism. White spots or markings Clearly defined patches of gray hair. Smooth guard coat. Lack of head, chest and leg furnishings.

The docking of tails and cropping of ears in America is legal and remains a personal choice. However, as an international registry, the United Kennel Club, Inc. is aware that the practices of cropping and docking have been forbidden in some countries. In light of these developments, the United Kennel Club feels that no dog in any UKC event, including conformation, shall be penalized for a full tail or natural ears.