Black Russian Terrier Breed Standard
United Kennel Club - Guardian Dog Group
Recognized 1/1/1995
HISTORY
The history of the Black Russian Terrier began in 1930. The breed was created by the selective interbreeding of Rottweilers, Giant Schnauzers and Airedales, by the Russian Military. The intent was to develop a native breed that would fulfill the need for a large, working terrier, suitable for a number of tasks, while being able to endure the harshness of the Russian winter.
In 1956, this culminated in the establishment of foundation stock that bred true. The Black Russian Terrier was recognized by the Russian Ministry of Agriculture in May of 1981, and internationally by the FCI in May of 1984.
The Black Russian Terrier was recognized by the United Kennel Club on January 1, 1995.
GENERAL APPEARANCE & CHARACTERISTICS
The Black Russian Terrier is a strong, agile, medium-sized dog. It is heavily-boned, and has well-developed muscles. Its skin is thick and elastic, and without wrinkles. It is superbly stable, dignified and reserved with strangers, but not aggressive; very protective of its family. The breed is energetic, alert, and fearless.
The breed is capable of great endurance and is adaptable to a wide range of climates, including harsh conditions. It is capable of being trained to a variety of tasks, and must be kept well-exercised and fit.
Males are masculine and larger, stronger, bulkier and more powerful than bitches. The height, at the withers, equals the body length, from the forechest to the rear projection of the upper thigh. In no case should the body length be great than 110% of the height at the withers. All faults are to be penalized according to the degree of deviation from the ideal.
Serious Fault - Body length greater than 110% of the height at the withers. Faults - Light bone. Weak muscle structure. Shyness. Excitability. Listlessness. Body length between 105% and 110% of the height at the withers.
HEAD AND SKULL
The broad head is in harmonious proportion to the body. It is long, being roughly 40% of the height, measured at the withers. Cheeks (jowls) are well-rounded.
The skull is flat. There is a moderate stop. The tops of the muzzle and skull are on parallel planes. The muzzle is of great power. The muzzle is well-filled-in, narrowing slightly toward the nose, ending in a blunt wedge. It is slightly shorter, and slightly narrower, than the skull.
The well-padded lips are not coarse or slack, and are tight on the upper jaw' The whiskers and beard emphasize the square corners of the shape of the head. Serious Faults - Very coarse head. Very light head. Round head. Very short muzzle. 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. Serious Faults - Misaligned incisors. Any bite other than scissors. Any deviation from the ideal. Two or three missing teeth. Fault - One missing tooth
EYES
The small, dark eyes are oval or almond-shaped; set obliquely. They are dark brown in color. Serious Faults - Very light eyes. Eyes of different color or size. Faults - Eyes too large. Too light. Round eyes. Third eyelid.
EARS
The short, triangular ears are high-set. They are pendant, the front of the ears must fit closely to the cheeks. Serious Faults - Drop ears. Upstanding ears. Semi-erect ears. Faults - Low-set ears.
NOSE
The nose must be black.
NECK
The long neck is well-muscled and dry. It is carried in an approximate 45 degree angle from the shoulders. The distance from the occiput to the withers is equal to the distance from the occiput to the nose (in a straight line). Faults - Too short. Too heavy. Set at less than 40 degrees to the backline.
FOREQUARTERS
The shoulders are well-laid back, with an angle of approximately 110 degrees between the shoulder blade and upper arm. The upper arm is strong.
FORELEGS
The thick forelegs are straight and parallel when viewed from the front. The elbows lie close to the chest. Pasterns are straight and short. Serious Faults - Little or no angulation between the shoulder blade and upper arm. Very weak pasterns. Faults - Shoulder and upper arm angulation less than 110 degrees. Fine-boned legs. Soft pasterns.
BODY
The withers are strongly pronounced, and form the highest point of the body, The back is level, broad, and strong. The short loins are well-developed and muscular. The croup is broad, muscular, and slightly sloping. The broad, deep chest is well-ribbed-up. The depth of chest reaches to, or slightly below, the elbow. The forechest is not prominent. The abdomen is well-tucked-up. Serious Fault - Extremely long loin. Roach back. Herring gutted. Barrel chested. Slab-sided. In mature dogs, the croup as high or higher than the withers. Faults - Low withers. Narrow back. Weak back. Croup too flat, too steep, or too narrow. Lack of tuck-up.
HINDQUARTERS
The well-muscled hindquarters are in balance with the forequarters. The thighs are muscular.
HIND LEGS
The hind legs are straight and parallel, standing slightly wider than the front legs. The stifle is long and sloping. The hocks are well-let-down, somewhat long, and vertical when the dog is standing. Serious Faults - Very lacking in muscular development. No discernible angulation between the upper and lower thighs. Extreme angulation between the upper and lower thighs. Faults - Poor muscular development. Cow hocks. Fine-boned legs.
FEET
The round, compact feet (cat feet) have heavy pads, and strong, well-arched toes. Dewclaws are removed. Serious Faults - Flat feet. Severely splayed feet. Lack of thick pads. Faults - Feet toeing in or out. Rear dewclaws.
TAIL
The thick, high set tail is carried vertically. It is cropped to three or four vertebrae. Serious Faults - Tail not docked. Faults - Low-set tail. Tail carried low while in action. Wrongly docked tail.
COAT
The weather-resistant top coat is rough and wiry, thick and tousled; approximately 11/2 to 4 inches (4 to 10 cm) in length, and covering the whole dog. A shorter-coated dog will have a relatively flat, but somewhat wavy coat.
The undercoat is tight and thick. Both long- and shorthaired dogs will have double coats. The head features a wiry, brush-like mustache, a wiry beard, and wiry eyebrows, which are overhanging. Serious Faults - Soft, cottony coat. Lack of undercoat. Faults - Lack of brows, whiskers or beard on a long-coated dog. Lack of brows on a short-coated dog.
COLOR
Acceptable colors include: black; and ashen, which is black ground hairs with random white or gray hairs, giving an ashen appearance. The random white or gray hairs may be spaced over either a part of or the entire body. Faults - Brown or grey tinge to black ground hairs. Sun burned coats are to be forgiven.
HEIGHT
The height range for males is from 26 to 28-1/2 inches (66 to 72 cm). The height range for females is from 25 to 27-1/2 inches (64 to 70 cm). Faults - Over or under the stated height ranges for each sex.
GAIT
Movement is free, easy, straight and springy. A short trot and gallop are characteristic. At the trot, the movement of the front and hind quarters is parallel. The back and rump swing in time to the movement. As speed increases, the dogs single track. Serious Faults - Feet crossing. Hackney gait. Restricted movement. Faults - Crabbing. Over-reaching. Hind feet kicking up. Pacing. Ambling. Toeing in or out, both front and rear.
DISQUALIFICATIONS
Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid. Extreme viciousness or shyness. Overshot bite. Undershot bite. Four or more missing teeth. Brown colored coat. Grey colored coat. Any area of solid white.
RareBreed Network - UKC 1995 BRT Standard
