History
History
The Black Russian Terrier ist the youngest of the Russian dog races. It's history is interesting and mystical at the same time.
With the Russian revolutian and the civil war in the years 1917 - 23 most private kennels were destroyed andabout 90% of the pure-bred dogs got lost.
But the army and the police needed more and more service dogs, but the sources were gone. In 1924 the governement issued the resolution about the utilisation of dogs for military purposes. Upon this, the "Central Armyschool of Kynology" was opened. Joined to this school was a kennel for military and sport dogs with a scientific laboratory. The biggest centre of this system was the kennel "Krsnaya zvezda" (Red Star). The aim was to breed new races, which are robust and could adapt to the most different conditions in this big country. The dogs should be unpretentious, large, strong, defensive and of fast intelligens, though be reserved and aggressive against strangers. These qualities were necessary for the service in the army, surveillance of borders and military object, guarding of prisons and gulags.
Generalmajor G. P. Medvedev
Under Generalmajor Medvedev and the professor for biology Ilinov the first cross-breeding attempts were made. But the initial material did not meet the needs. The first success was made with the Giant Schnauzers and Rottweilers wich were brought from soldiers from the occupied lands. The Giant Schnauzer Roy (today acknowledged father of the tribe of Black Terriers) was one of these imports and was used in the new cross-breeding attempts.
The cross-breedings were made as follows:
| East European Shepherd | x Newfoundland |
| St. Bernard | x Caucasian Ovcharka |
| Great Dane | x East European Shepherd |
| Newfoundland | x Caucasian Shepherd |
| Giant Schnauzer | x Airedale Terrier |
| Giant Schnauzer | x Rottweiler |
The litters were taken for further breeding.
It is said that the Black Russian Terrier is made of 30% Giant Schnauzer, Rottweiler and Airedale Terrier each. The remaining 10% are a combination of Newfoundland, Caucasian Ovchaka, East European Shepherd, Grate Dane, Moskow Great Dane as well as Moscow Waterdog. After many puppies were born with a different colourd coat or irregular or insufficient teeth, a very stong selection in the fifties began. Only black, good haired and splendid animals were taken to breed further.
The Giant Schnauzer ROY
The first generation of the Black Russian Terriers was exhibited in the WSHW Show. The breed of the Red Star won the gold medal and a special diploma which was the highest honour for a kennel. In this time, it was highly respectable to get a dog from Red Star.
1957 were, in this same exhibition, already 43 dogs shown, which drew the interest of many private dog lovers and professinal dog breeders from Moskow and St. Peterburg. It was the time when Stalin died. Upon Stalin's death, many prisons were closed, what meant for the military kennels that they could sell litters to private persons. These persons praised the qualities of the dogs and continued with the breeding.
Now the triumphant advance of the Black Russian Terriers across the Soviet Union was not to be hindered. The race was still instable. The look was wild and the dogs were too aggressive for the normal owner.
The first race standard was published in these times.
After this, all over Russia the breeding of the race was very popular.
With the clubs the character, psyche and usage properties were important. While in the Central School the main subject was the appearance of the dog. This means an easy-care short coat.
But the private breeders wanted to have a Black Russian Terrier with thick hair.
Because the private breeders and the Red Star did not agree on the breed, it became neccessary to design a standard for type and exterieur of the Black Russian Terrier.
In 1979, the kennel Red Star and the Voluntary Society for Assisting Army, Air Force and Navy (DOSAAF) approved of the standard for the Black Russian Terrier.
Towards the end of the seventies the UdSSR have produced more than 800 litters with more than 4000 puppies that were regarding to standard. But the Black Russian Terrier was not allowed as an own race, rather it was considered a race group.
Central School Krasnaya zvezda
From Leningrad and Wyborg, Black Russian Terriers came to Finnland and spread quickly across the remaining Eastern Europe.
In the eighties, Black Russian Terriers could be seen on various international exhibitions where they had often great success.
In 1981 the Black Russian Terrier was recognized as an own, independent Race.
The first official standard was approved of on the 13th of Mai in 1981 throught the order No 19 of the Central Administration for Nature of the Ministry for Agriculture of the UdSSR.
The international approval was given by the FCI general assembly on the 22nd and 23rd of Mai in 1984 in Mexico. The Black Russian Terrier was given the number 327 and was assigned to the group 3 (Terriers).
Kennel "Red Star"
Later, the Black Russian Terrier was re-assigned to the group 2, because it looks more like Schnauzer or Bouvier.
In 1993 the Russian cynological federation changed the standard of the Race. This standard is what is applied today.
In June 1996 the change was applied also by the FCI. At the same time the name was changed for Black Russian Terrier to Black Terrier or Tchiorny Terrier.
The Black Terrier of today has a wonderful character and an unspoilet temprament, which makes him to a most loving and devoted fellow. S/he is intelligent, disciplined, sensitive with children, old people and disabled people. Though, at the same time, s/he is capable of handling strangers or intruders. S/he is extremely fit for work and responsible. The race unites only the best qualities of it's ancestors.
The energy of the Giant Schnauzer, the cheerful charakter and the learning ability of the Airedale Terrier, the strength and the courage of the Rottweiler, the strong nerves and the balanced being of the Newfoundland, and not to forget the cross-bread ancestors, who brought excellent health, resistance and astonishing interlligence.
The Balck Terriers of today are no longer watch dogs, although this trait is unmistakebly connected with it's being, but are friends and loveable fellows.
This dog is exceedingliy charmant, quiet but watchful, courageous, strong with a balanced character. All these traits, it's elegance und dignity, it's charme and kindness have given the race the name "Black Russian Perl".
General Medvedev gives the prize to a dog owner at a dog show in Leningrad.