RUSSIAN BREED
GENERAL APPEARANCE
The Black Russian Terrier is the biggest of the terriers. It sturdy dog, well-balanced and squarely built, well-boned and muscular, with the height at the withers being about the same the length from shoulder-point to buttock. The male has a definitely masculine appearance and the female has a feminine appearance. "Bitchiness" in dogs and "dogginess" in bitches are most undesirable. Because of its constitution it adapts easily to different climatic conditions. He is wary of strangers and protective to it-s property and family. The expression is eager and intelligent.
FAULTS: Cloddy appearance, being fine-boned or looking fragile.
SIZE: Height about 100-105 cm taken from top of head.
FAULTS: Being much over or under the size limit.
HEIGHT TO POINT OF WITHERS:
Dogs: 66-72 cm; bitches: 64-70 cm.
FAULTS Too tall or too short on legs.
CHARACTERISTICS IN RELATION TO SEX
The difference between the two sexes must be well marked.
COLOUR: Black or black with grey hair.
FAULTS: White patches on head, neck or chest. Shades of grey, tan or brown.
COAT: Harsh, dense, weather-resisting. From cheeks, lower lips and under chin coat increases in length forming moustache and beard, giving to the muzzle the typical square form. Hair long from forehead onwards covering eyes.
FAULTS: Smooth, curly or soft coat highly undesirable. No broken appearance or loose skin anywhere on body.
HEAD AND SKULL: Head long with no apparent difference in length between skull and foreface. Skull long and not too broad between ears. Rounded cheeks, medium stop. Skull line and bridge of nose are parallel. The muzzle is strong and narrowing slightly to end. Lips should be black, thick and well tight. Nose black.
FAULTS: Light or heavy head, deep stop. Skull domed. Muzzle too long or too short.
EARS: "V" shaped, small, set high, lying close to cheek.
FAULTS: Set on low, out of proportion, fold above level of skull, rose-shape, half pricked.
EYES: Dark in colour, small, almond-shaped, set obliquely.
FAULTS: Too big, too light, yellow eyes, visible third eyelid.
MOUTH: Teeth should be strong and white. Jaws strong. Scissor bite.
FAULTS: An overshot or undershot mouth undesirable. Teeth small, discoloured or missing; too much space between teeth in the sides of the jaw. Teeth leaning away from the correct position. Tolerated the missing of two premolars 1 or one premolar 1 and one premolar 2. Missing incisor, canine tooth, one premolar 3, one premolar 4 or one molar should be severely penalised.
NECK: Clean, muscular and free from throatiness. The disired angle between neck and back is 40-45 degrees.
FAULTS: Too long or too short. Throaty.
CHEST: Broad and deep. Ribs well sprung. The depth of the chest should be approximately on a lower level with the elbows.
FAULTS: Barrel ribs, chest shallow, too broad, scarcely developed.
ABDOMEN:
The abdomen line should be approximatly lifted up on the inferior line of the chest.
FAULTS: Sloping or loose.
WITHERS:
Should be high and well marked above the back level.
FAULTS: Short or scarcely developed.
BACK:
Should be large, strong and level.
FAULTS: Sag in the back, roached-back.
LOINS:
Short, muscular, of good width, slightly rounded.
FAULTS: Long, scarcely developed.
CROUP:
Large and muscular, slightly descending to tall, set on high.
FAULTS: Scarcely muscular. Straight backline.
TAIL:
Customarily docked to 3-4 vertebrae, set on high, of good substance. Carried gaily when moving.
FAULTS: Set on low, not properly docked.
FOREQUARTERS:
Forelegs perfectly straight with good bone. The desired angle of shoulder-blade and humerus is 110 degrees.
Elbow perfectly close to body. Forearm should be straight and strong,, pastern front straight and short.
FAULTS: Straight shoulder, lacking muscle. Elbows deviated inward or outward. Feet turned in or out.
HINDQUARTERS:
Thighs long, powerful and muscular. Hocks should be well marked and parallel with each other when viewed from behind.
FAULTS: Legs with lack of muscle, short thighs. Open hocks, cow-hocked. Stifle not well bent.
FEET:
Should be small, round with a good depth of pad, well cushioned.
FAULTS: Hare-foot, flat-foot, splay-foot, turned either in or out.
GAIT / MOVEMENT:
Although it is a powerful dog it must be well balanced and harmonious when moving. characteristic of this breed are light trot and gallop. Especially in gallop it shows a perfect mix of grace and power. When approaching back and loins should have an agile movement. Fore and hind legs move parallel.
FAULTS: Stilted, overreaching, plaiting or pounding gait. Lumbering gait, crossed legs. Amble. Having poor movement.
TEMPERAMENT:
Alert, reliable and intelligent. Self-confident neither timid nor aggressive, with natural guarding instincts. Protective to owner and property.
FAULTS: Shyness, nervousness and unprovoked aggression highly undesirable.
FAULTS:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
NOTE:
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.