The Black Russian Terrier is not a terrier. In fact, it is a true working breed, developed in Moscow to be the ultimate police and military dog. As such, it is a serious breed that should only be owned by those who know what they are doing, definitely not for novice dog owners or those looking for an “easy dog”. Extremely intelligent, steadfast, and trustworthy, he requires an owner with the same traits. Black Russians are confident and not easily ruffled. Assuming they were socialized correctly, they should never be skittish. With strangers, they may act aloof but this is not fear, rather it is their standoffish personality.
As might be assumed by their background, they are a breed that must be given firm (yet fair) obedience training from an early age to prevent them from becoming too dominant or aggressive. They were bred to be working dogs first, and companions second. Unlike other breeds where the primary importance was based on breeding easy-going, docile dogs, Black Russians needed to be bred as soldiers and guards. Thinking about them in this way, one can see how important it is to not allow them to gain the upper hand in a home situation. Black Russian Terriers raised by people who allow their dogs to get away with whatever they want at home will likely end up with an aggressive, biting dog!
Adding to this, the Black Russian is a superb protection dog as long as he has been trained and socialized correctly. He is a “defensive” breed that will wait for a threat to come to his home or his owners, but he will not go actively seeking a fight. This protectiveness usually begins to show itself when the dog is 12-18 months old. Many times, Black Russians will never show aggression to their owner, but will show aggression to other people, sometimes causing quite a surprise to an owner who “never saw it coming”. This does not mean that the dog is unpredictable, but rather that the owner did not spend enough time socializing or training the dog. It is worth remembering that this breed was bred to bite people (through training). Someone who wants to own this breed needs to keep this in mind at all times and put in all the work necessary to ensure their dog is never a liability!
Alright. Well, how hard is this breed to train? Black Russians are incredibly intelligent, but also tend to get bored with too much repetition. You must keep this in mind as you work with them, and vary the obedience routines. They also tend to work best with their owners and people that they know. A professional trainer must first earn the trust of a Black Russian before real work can get started. This said, the breed learns quickly and has great problem-solving abilities. Overall, Black Russians are fairly easy to train. This is good because they need to be worked regularly.
Black Russians have a background of working with people, and therefore should never just be outside-only dogs. They are a true people-pleasing breed, and need to spend a lot of quality time with their owners. This breed will follow their owners from room to room just because they want to be as close as possible. Some need to always be touching their owners with a foot or a nose. One other reason why Black Russians do not make good outdoor dogs has to do with the fact that their thick, black coats were designed for Russian living. Our Texas weather can cause them to overheat if left outside for too long.
Now that we have gone over the most important aspects of owning a Black Russian Terrier, we shall look at other factors. One such factor is cleanliness. One of the key physical characteristics of the breed is their large beard. Although beautiful, they do tend to get wet quite often in the home as the dog drinks from their water bowl. This water will get all over your house, including in the carpets and up the walls! This, combined with the fact that they also shed a lot, does not make them good candidates for clean freaks.
Grooming alone can take up a lot of time, as they do need regular care. Their thick coat will need to be brushed two-three times a week, and they need baths every two-four weeks. Their coats are traditionally clipped into the style you see at dog shows, they do not naturally “come like that”. Add in the fact that you must take care of nails and teeth, and you can see why they require so much time dedicated to grooming.
The Black Russian usually does very well with children and is very gentle and tolerant. Because of his giant size, he still may not be a great choice for those with very small children because he may accidentally injure them. When it comes to other pets, it depends on the dog. If raised with cats and other dogs, many do just fine although others have dog aggression issues and will need to be only-dogs. Two intact males of this breed normally do not do well together at all and is usually not recommended.
“Malahovkaja Serenada” by Guidopatek
It is important to exercise Black Russians regularly. They are very adaptable to the type of exercise and will do everything from jog with you, run on a treadmill, swim, hike, and run alongside a bike. As long as you provide enough physical (and metal) workouts, it is possible to have a Black Russian in an apartment. They have been called an “energy-efficient breed”, meaning that they are content to lay around lazily at home until it is time to do their job, at which point they will suddenly be ready to work! This “on off switch” is a rarity among most breeds, and is a highlight of the Black Russian Terrier. Here at The Academic Hound, we have experience with Black Russian Terriers. If you live in the Austin, TX area and are looking for a dog trainer, give us a call!