Black Russian Terriers Breed Profile

Quick Stats for Black Russian Terriers

Height (at the shoulders): dogs: 25 – 29 inches (64 – 74 cm) ; bitches: 25 – 28 inches (64 – 72 cm)
Weight: 80 – 143 pounds (36 – 65 kg) - dogs are generally bigger than bitches
Life Expectancy: 10 – 14 years
AKC Group: Working Group – AKC recognized in 2004
Shedding: non-shedding
Living Conditions: okay in apartment (with sufficient exercise); relatively inactive indoors; yard is okay but not necessary

Personality of Black Russian Terriers

The Black Russian Terrier is a courageous, confident, intelligent, and affectionate member of the Working Group. They are considered a top choice for a loving family pet who are wonderful with children. In fact, Black Russian Terrier dogs need to be close to their family to be truly happy. They crave human attention and interaction.

They are wary of strangers, especially once they mature, which makes them excellent guard dogs who will protect their territory and their families. But they are also some of the quietest dogs around.

History of Black Russian Terriers

This breed is pretty recent on the dog scene. They originated in the Soviet Union sometime during the 1950s. In the 1940s the Russians really wanted to have good working dogs to train as military dogs. So, they imported dozens of breeds from various countries and set out to create the working dog they desired.

The first generation of BRTs were bred from a magnificent Giant Schnauzer. This dog was bred with females from several different breeds. The most successful cross came from breeding with the Rottweiler, Airedale Terrier, and the Moscow Water Dog. Each dog was full black and the best dogs were bred with each other.

By 1957, the second and third generations of puppies were sent to various breeding programs. The goal was to keep refining and improving the breed, in particular their versatility as a working dog. But improving conformation was also important.

In the military, Black Russian Terriers were used to locate wounded soldiers, pull sleds, and detect explosives. These dogs were active in both Bosnia and Afghanistan.

An official breed standard was not drafted until 1968. And it wasn’t until 1984 that the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) recognized the Black Russian Terrier breed. Since then, more and more Black Russian Terriers were exported to various parts of the world and the breed increased in popularity.

The breed was officially registered by the American Kennel Club in 2001 as part of the Miscellaneous Class, but was moved to the Working Group in 2004.

Black Russian Terriers Care and Grooming

Because of the breed’s natural instinct to work, daily exercise is a requirement. To help satisfy this working need obedience training and agility training are both recommended.

Grooming requirements include a good brushing of their hard and wiry coats at least twice per week. Their coats are also weatherproof. A full trim is recommended every six or seven months to keep the coat in good condition.

The BRT sheds very little, if at all, especially if they are brushed regularly.