Family-friendly: | 4/5 |
Exercise needs: | 4/5 |
Easy to train: | 4/5 |
Tolerates being alone: | 2/5 |
Likes other pets: | 2/5 |
Energy level: | 3/5 |
Grooming needs: | 3/5 |
Shedding: | 3/5 |
- Dogs suitable for experienced owners
- Extra training required
- Generally healthy breed
- Enjoys vigorous walks
- Enjoys more than two hours of walking a day
- Large dog
- Some drool
- Requires grooming daily
- Chatty and vocal dog
- Barks, alerts and may be physically protective/suspicious of visitors
- Might not like other dogs
- May need additional training to live with other pets
- May need additional supervision to live with children
- Needs a large garden
- Best suited to countryside
- Can be left occasionally with training
The Russian Black Terrier breed can suffer from:
- Hip dysplasia
- Elbow dysplasia
- Hyperuricosuria which is a condition where a substance called uric acid can build up in the urinary system, sometimes forming stones, and this can result in infections.
- Juvenile laryngeal paralysis and polyneuropathy which is a condition where the nervous system deteriorates. The disease affects the nerves in the throat first which can obstruct breathing.
Priority Kennel Club health schemes and testing:
- Hip dysplasia screening scheme
- Elbow dysplasia screening scheme
Personality
Impressive, confident, courageous and self-assured, the Russian Black Terrier, is not actually a terrier at all – they are a working dog and apart from some influence from the Airedale Terrier, the only strong terrier characteristic is the traditional trim leaving the ears, back, buttocks and thighs bare, and the coat on the legs, chest and face shaped and long. The RBT has a strong work ethic, a suspicion of strangers and a calmness that belies their ferocious nature if aroused by a real threat. They need lots of exercise and plenty of training, particularly early socialisation with other people and animals, to reach maturity as a sensible, pleasant adult dog.
Did You Know?
- The Russian Black Terrier may be bred for military work; however, they are easily capable of a variety of tasks such as pulling a small dog cart, and competing in agility, obedience and more.
- Some of their military tasks included guard dog, service dog accompanying soldiers and even rounding up fugitives.
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