Collection: Personalised Black Russian Terrier Gifts

Calm, aware and courageous, the Black Russian Terrier has a temperament that makes it ideal for standing guard. It was bred in the cold war era to guard Russian prisons and gulags, this pooch is not your typical household pet! They have also adapted to working on farms and competing in sport and agility trials. It is rare to come across this breed, especially in the UK.

The Black Russian Terrier was developed directly by the USSR state during the cold war era. Sadly, during the Russian Revolution, many native purebred dogs died out, so there was a need to build an army of dogs suited to working. A breeding group called the Red Star Kennel set out to create a tough, intelligent breed that could guard prisons and gulags. To do this, they crossed around 17 breeds, including the Rottweiler and the Newfoundland. In 1957, once the gulags started to close, the Black Russian Terrier was made available to civilians. It didn’t take long for the breed to become a popular companion pet in Russia and its neighbouring states.

Calm, aware and courageous, the Black Russian Terrier has a temperament that suits what it was bred to do. If you’re considering purchasing or adopting this breed, then you must research it thoroughly and beconfident that you can train it to a high standard. It’s not recommended for dog newbies, as if this breed senses that you are intimidated by it, then it will use this to its advantage and refuse to follow your command. Don’t let this put you off, though, as with suitable training, the BRT will reward you with unconditional loyalty. They are always on the watch for danger and will protect their humans at all costs.