Collection: Personalised Russian Toy Gifts

Supposedly beloved and cherished by the Russian Emperor, Peter the Great three centuries ago, the Russian Toy is a small terrier breed that would have made for an interesting companion to the giant, Peter the Great, who stood at 6’8” so the story goes.

Very much a dog for the aristocracy, the breed understandably fell out of favour in the years that followed the Russian Revolution when the nobility has also lost their popularity.

An ancient breed, the Russian toy was the nominated companion for Russian nobility and acquired a status and a cachet because of this association which only waned after the Russian Revolution in 1917. The theory is that the breed evolved from the English Toy Terriers which were given as a gift to Russian Royalty by their English counterparts.

After the Revolution, the breed all but disappeared and had to start again with new canine influences from Toy Spaniels. A breed standard was devised in the 1950s and it wasn’t until 1958 that a long-haired version was accepted alongside the previously smooth-coated Russian Toy when a long-haired puppy was quite unexpectedly born to two smooth parents. The long-haired dogs were called Moscow Longhaired Toy Terriers. In 2006, the Russian Toy was recognised as a breed by the FCI and then by the United Kennel Club in 2008.

Russian Toys are very popular in Russia but they remain relatively unknown across the rest of the world. It can be a long wait for a puppy from a UK breeder.

If you like a miniature ball of fun and spirit then the Russian Toy could be the dog for you. They are curious and interested in life but don’t require a huge amount of exercise and their size means they are suitable for an apartment lifestyle. However, their love of life does mean the Russian Toy can make a great family pet as well.