Page 230 - ShowSight - February 2020

Donna Patterson continued
than that they just want to be where you are doing what you are doing. I regularly bring one to work with me and they are just as comfortable laying by my desk all day as they would be home run- ning in the back yard.
They are easily trainable. They learn quickly. They get bored if you repeatedly ask them to do the same training.
The drawback is the same thing that makes then an effective guardian—it’s difficult to have strangers in the home. Especially with multiples; the best way is to bring each one out for an introduc- tion, but if people are not “dog” people, that process can be over- whelming unless you do it individually. If they aren’t “dog” people, it’s impossibly intimidating.
A lot of grooming required to maintain their coats in breed standard cut.
Are there any misconceptions about my breed? They are not big, black, cuddly teddy bears. They can be absolutely the most won- derful dogs with proper temperament, training and socialization. I always cringe when I hear the TV announcers say, “This breed is not for the first time dog owners”, but it’s very true. If you get a bad temperament or don’t put in the work necessary to make a good canine citizen, you have a large, strong, powerful problem to find a way to manage.
What special challenges do BRT breeders face? Breed Specific Legislation. I think the only reason that BRT’s aren’t included in BSL is that a lot of people don’t know what the breed is. Of my six dogs, I have three that I will take anywhere and never worry about what they will do around strangers or any unleashed dogs because they are very solid, the other three are a little more aloof around strangers, so I am more conscious on how people approach them and who I let them be social towards. I never want to be a party to a lawsuit over a dog bite.
At what age do I start to see definite signs of show-worthiness? A really nice looking puppy (8-20 weeks) will usually become a nice looking dog, but it’s usually not until they are fully grown at about 15 months to two years that you see the basics of exactly what you will have in size, structure and movement. Then a really good, solid dog will continue to improve with maturity—get fuller and more muscular until they get to be four to five years old. Some really nice puppies with beautiful lines just don’t get big enough to compete in today’s ring, where bigger sometimes is confused with better.
The most important thing about the breed for a new judge to keep in mind? There is a breed standard that has a severe fault for being oversized, over 30". When I first got into this breed 15 years ago a 28" male was a large male. Now a 28" male is probably the smallest in the ring. If judges keep putting up bigger dogs with no regard to the standard the dogs will keep getting bigger and bigger to the detriment of the breed. Also the head piece is very distinctive, the head should be flat with proper planes. Movement is supposed to be efficient, not huge (Afghan style), but efficient.
The best way to attract newcomers to my breed and to the sport? Be welcoming and positive in your interactions with new people
and generous with your time and knowledge. If a new person comes with a horribly groomed dog, ask them if they would like some suggestions on what they could tell their groomer regarding show grooming, or if they would like some help grooming to make their dog look it’s best in the ring. Offer them opportunities to become more educated on the breed and health initiatives they could become part of.
My ultimate goal for the breed? To see the Black Russians improve all aspects of health, especially in hip and elbow dyspla- sia. The BRTCA has recently undertaken some health initiatives which have the potential to make a big impact in future genera- tions which I think is the direction that we should all be concerned about. A beautiful show dog is useless if it cannot back that up with health to make a positive improvement in the breed as a whole. And an unhealthy, unsound, overly inbred, breed cannot survive. My goal is to breed healthy, sound and beautiful dogs that conform to breed standards.
My favorite dog show memory? They involve milestones in the breed—my male, Zilya, being the first Platinum Grand Champi- on in the breed (and there are still only two), the first one to win WMK, the Nationals and the AKC Championship and then his daughter (Boots) becoming the highest ranked female BRT of all time in all breed rankings and having become the only female BRT to win a Best in Show.
If you are interested in becoming a BRT owner, do a lot of research. Be familiar with the OFA website, and research both the parents of your proposed puppy and the familial lines. Make sure your breeder is knowledgeable about the breed, performs all avail- able health testing and discloses it and verify any claims they make about what they are producing. Read your contract carefully. Don’t get a BRT because you think they are beautiful dogs—make sure you know the intended purpose of the breed, what they were bred for, and what your breeder hopes to accomplish with the particular breeding you are considering.
JEAN TUGGLE & EMILY FOSTER
Emily lives in central Oregon and works in the medical field. Jean lives in Northwest Washington and has been working around animals in a variety of capacities for the last two decades.
Black Russian Terrier Q & A
“Don’t get a BRT because you think they
are beautiful dogs—make sure you know the intended purpose of the breed, what they were bred for, and what your breeder hopes to accomplish with the particular breeding you are considering.”
228 • ShowSight Magazine, February 2020