The Black Russian Terrier, commonly abbreviated BRT and also known as “Stalins dog”, was developed in the former USSR and is quite rare outside the former Republic.
However, recently, it became quite popular outside the Russian borders. There is even an American organization, the BRT Club of America (BRTCA), dedicated to the breed. It was officially bred as a guard and police dog and, despite the official name, it is not really a terrier, being a mix of about twenty very distinct breeds, including the Giant Schnauzer and the Rottweiler. In the development of the breed, the main aim was to obtain a dog with very good working abilities and endurance. The FCI (Federation Cynologique Internationale) recognized the BRT in 1984, while the American Kennel Club recognized it in 2004 (classified in the Working Group).
The Black Russian Terrier is a powerful, robust, large and agile dog with great endurance. Its average height at maturity is around 28 inches (70 cm). It has a double-layered coat, between 7 and 15 inches thick dense and hard, wooly and quite silky. The color is always black, sometimes with very few gray hairs. While the males weigh about 55 kg (120 lbs), the females weigh around 47 kg (105 lbs).
The Black Russian Terrier is always very smart, brave, calm, loyal, and confident. These dogs are quite demanding, but, if you meet all the requirements, they can make you extremely happy. They are not fit to be chained to a fence or left alone because, even if they seem highly independent, they are quite attached to their owners and might suffer if they do not have something to do. This is why they should not be kept outside or be neglected for extended periods of time. Also, they can be very territorial and intimidating to strangers.
Even if they are very friendly with children, you should always take into consideration the fact that they are big dogs and, if the child is small, he could get mildly injured without any sort of intention from the pet. The Black Russian Terrier is not always friendly with other animals in the house, as he can be, like above said, quite territorial. However, this is not a rule of thumb, just a precaution that needs to be taken into consideration.
An adult can eat up to 10 lbs (4.5 kg) of dry food a week, so the breed can be quite expensive (like many other big breeds). The BRT Club of America estimates that the vet bills of a BRT can cost between $200 to $500 each year, depending on its age and health.
The BRT lives for about 12 years and is usually a very healthy animal. However, the breed is sensitive to certain hereditary diseases, hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia or PRA (progressive retinal atrophy).
As mentioned before, even if the Black Russian Terrier is a demanding breed and needs many specific conditions, if you are within the regular range of a BRT owner, this animal will offer you great satisfaction.
