RUSSIAN BLACK TERRIER STANDARD (FCI NUMBER 327)

RUSSIAN BLACK TERRIER

Standard FCI № 327. New edition for recognition by the FCI.

The standard was accepted by the RKF in August, 19, 2008.

TRANSLATION: Murashova E. Ya.

THE EDITOR OF TRANSLATION: Gorachek A. E.

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Russia

STANDARD PUBLICATION DATE: 06.2010

UTILIZATION: working dog, guarding dog, sporting dog, companion dog.

FCI CLASSIFICATION: Group II-Pinscher and Schnauzer, Molossoid Breeds, Swiss Mountain and Cattle.

Section II.I-Pinscher and Schnauzer

Section II.I.IV-Black Russian Terrier

Working trials are desirable.

BRIEF HISTORY: Black Russian Terrier (BRT) was created in Russia in the late 1940s - early 1950s years of the 20th century by selective interbreeding of many breeds, including Rottweiler, Giant Schnauzer, Airedale Terrier and Newfoundland. The Giant Schnauzer is considered to be the ancestor of the breed. The breed was developed in a war dogs training school outside Moscow based on the Krasnaya Zvezda ("Red Star") kennel. The aim of the breeding of the breed was development of large, brave, strong and manageable dog with a pronounced guarding instinct; fit for various services and easily adapting to various climatic conditions. The breed was recognized by the FCI in 1984.

GENERAL APPEARANCE: The Black Russian Terrier (BRT) is a large size, very athletically built dog, slightly longer in body, robust coarse type. The BRT has such qualities as massive bone and powerful muscles. Harmoniously built. The BRT distinguishes itself with a large head and compact body with a big voluminous and deep chest.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS:

Withers height is 72-76 cm (28.4-30 inches) for dogs and 68-72 cm (26.8-28.4 inches) for bitches. The body is not more than 6% longer than withers height for dogs and not more than 8%, for bitches. Depth of chest is approximately fifty percent (50%) of the height of the dog. Length of head is not less than 40% of the height at the withers. The muzzle is slightly shorter than the skull.

BEHAVIOR AND TEMPERAMENT: The RBT is a dignified and self-confident dog, well controlled in all circumstances. On emergency, the dog adopts an active defensive posture immediately but calms down quickly when danger is over. RBT is characterized by generally good health; it is unpretending, amiable, smart, friendly and has great endurance. The dog adapts well to various climatic conditions; it is easy trainable, hard-working and reliable.

HEAD:

Head is proportional to the general build, large, massive, long (not less then 40% of height at the withers), with a moderately broad skull and rounded but not pronounced dry cheek bones. Forehead is flat, stop is noticeable but not sharp; the top line of the skull is parallel to the top line of the muzzle. The superciliary arches and occipital bone are moderately pronounced. Nose is large and black.

Muzzle: The muzzle is massive, broad, with a wide base, narrowing slightly to the tip of the nose, slightly shorter than the skull. Moustache and beard accentuate the volume of the muzzle and impart it a rectangular, blunt shape. Lips are thick, fleshy, well-pigmented and tight. Inner mouth pigment is dark.

TEETH AND BITE: Teeth are large, white, closely set, with a full dentition in compliance with teeth formula (42 teeth); incisors are aligned at the base and meeting in a scissors bite.

EYES: Eyes are of medium size, almond shaped, set straight and wide apart, dark. Eyelids are dry, well fitting and black.

EARS: Ears are set high and symmetrically, of medium size, hanging on cartilages, triangular in shape, with the front edge lying tightly against mid-cheek. The pendant part of the ear is tough, without dimples or folds. The hanging part of the ear is dense, without dimples or folds.

NECK: The neck is massive, dry, well muscled, in length approximately equal to the head, and set at approximately 45° to the horizon. The nape is strong and well developed.

BODY:

Body is solid, deep, roomy and well balanced. Topline is slightly sloping from the withers to the root of the tail. The withers are powerful, long and well developed; it is better pronounced in dogs than in bitches. The back is strong, straight, muscular, and makes half of the total length of topline (from the start point of the withers to the base of the tail). The loin is wide, short, muscular, slightly arched, and half as long as the back. Croup is broad, muscular, slightly sloping, and of medium length.

Chest: The chest is deep, long, broad, with long and slightly-sprung ribs, the shape of the thorax in cross-section is oval. Chest underline is on the same line as elbow joints or little below them. The breast-bone is long. The forechest protrudes slightly forward relative to shoulder joints and is well muscled. The abdomen is moderately tucked up. Folds of the flanks are weakly developed. Tail is thick at the root and high-set. The tail is carried alertly but not headward at the set ("squirrel tail"). The tail is usually docked at an early age. Undocked tail, its length and shape are not penalized. Preference is given to saber or sickle tails.

LEGS:

FOREQUARTERS:

Forelegs are straight and parallel in front-view. Shoulder blades are long, wide and well laid back in side-view. The angle between the shoulder blades and upper arms is approximately 100 degrees. Upper arms are not shorter then the shoulder blades and are muscular. Elbows are directed strictly backwards. Forearms are thick, round, straight, of medium length, vertical both in front-view and side-view. The pasterns are short, massive, and set slightly slanted in side-view. The distance from the elbow to the ground (at elbow ulna level) is 50-52% of the withers height.

HINDQUARTERS:

Hindlegs are straight and parallel in rear view, set wider then forelegs and slightly backward. The upper thighs are moderately long, set slightly inclined, wide, with well developed voluminous muscles. The lower thighs are set inclined and are not shorter then upper thighs. Stifles are well bent. The rear pasterns are massive, not long, and vertically positioned.

FEET:

Feet are large, arched, compact and round in shape. Rear feet are slightly smaller and more oval then front feet. Nails and paws are black. Dewclaws should be removed.

GAIT:

Movement is free and well balanced. The typical gait is an energetic extended trot due to powerful rear drive and significant forereach. The joints of the front and rear legs bend and unbend smoothly. The back remains firm and bends elastically together with the loin while in movement.

SKIN:

Skin is tight and closely fitting, with well-developed subcutaneous tissue, without folds and loose skin, fairly elastic and evenly pigmented.

COAT:

The coat is rough and thick. The coat is double. It consists of thick coarse tight outer coat with slightly bent hairs and a softer and shorter thick undercoat. The outer coat covers the whole body and, in natural state, is 5 to 15 cm long. Well developed head furnishing coat forms abundant eyebrows, mustaches and bears. Forelegs and hindlegs are covered with a long thick furnishing coat. Grooming in prescribed form is required.

COLOUR:

Black and black with the insignificant gray hair (not more them 1/3 of the coat surface).

SIZE AND WEIGHT:

The desired height is 72-76 cm (28.4-30 inches) for dogs and 68-72 cm (26.8-28.4 inches) for bitches. Dogs may not be shorter than 70 cm or taller than 78 cm and bitches, not shorter 66 cm and not taller than 74 cm. Weight is 50-60 kg for dogs and 45-50 kg for bitches. Taller BRTs are not to be faulted if proportionately built and retain a correct breed type.

DEVIATIONS: Any deviation from items specified above should be considered as a fault. The degree of a fault should be in proportion to its extent.

FAULTS:

  • slight deviation from sex type
  • inertness/sluggishness or excitability
  • head shortish or lightish
  • skull roundish
  • largish and slightly asymmetrical ears, ears insufficiently close to the cheeks, slight indentations on ears
  • roundish, lightish, obliquely or narrow set eyes; raw eyelids; slightly visible third eyelid
  • lack of pigmentation in gums and lips
  • shortish, rawish, insufficiently muscular neck
  • insufficiently pronounced withers
  • swayback
  • softish or narrowish back
  • longish, narrowish, insufficiently muscular loins
  • shortish, horizontalish, somewhat sloping croup
  • shallowish, too wide, shortish chest
  • flattish forechest
  • abdomen too tucked up or flabby
  • shoulders a bit too straight
  • slightly bowed forearms
  • shortish or longish forearms
  • elbows turned in or out
  • toes turning in or out
  • insufficient angulations of hindquarters
  • sickle hocks
  • hocks turned slightly in or out
  • insufficiently fluid, heavy, short-reaching, sluggish, insufficiently balanced movement
  • rump slightly higher than withers while moving
  • slight swaying of the croup while moving
  • trot interspersed with pacing
  • softish, straightish (without bend) or too wavy topcoat
  • longish undercoat that partially overlies topcoat; lack of undercoat.
  • too wavy, straightish (without bend) coat, partially clinging to the body
  • brownish shade in coat
  • untrusting beyond measure, pronounced malevolence, shyness, phlegm
  • incisors not aligned at the base or small incisors

SERIOUS FAULTS:

Same as listed above but more pronounced; squirrel tail

DISQUALIFICATIONS:

  • obvious deviation from desirable type towards the ancestry breeds
  • shyness, excessive excitability, uncontrolled aggression
  • nose other than black
  • leucoma (wall-eye)
  • differently coloured eyes
  • knuckling-over
  • any deviation from scissor bite
  • any teeth missing
  • soft, short, silky topcoat
  • furnishing hair missing on head and legs
  • non-standard colour
  • white spots and marks
  • well defined grey hair patches
  • significant fading of colour on limbs
  • cryptorchism

N.B. Males must have two normally developed testicles fully descended in the scrotum.

Sick, injured and handicapped BRTs are excluded from the ring.