When choosing a breed of dog for your family, you should focus first and foremost on the character of the pet. Wiele osób szukając rasy dla swojej rodziny bierze pod uwagę wyłącznie wygląd zewnętrzny, ulegając stereotypom. Uważają oni, że dla rodziny lepszy będzie mały piesek który będzie spokojny, cichy i niekłopotliwy, a duży pies na pewno będzie głośny i niebezpieczny. But what is it really like?
When talking to people who call me, I often hear that, for example:
the family has not yet made a decision and is hesitating between a black Russian terrier, a Husky and a Caucasian Shepherd
Knowing the characters of these dogs, knowing what to expect from them, I try to explain that they are diametrically different dogs, often with behavioural traits that exclude them from living in a house full of small children.
Some people don't think about whether a dog of a given breed is gentle and patient with everyone, even the smallest members of the household. Instead, the family discusses whether the new dog should be black, white or brown. But the argument should be about whether you want a dog that loves being with its family members or one that doesn't need people and prefers the outdoors.
If we choose a dog whose character is not suited to our lifestyle, then in the future, when the dog grows up, we will tire not only ourselves but also the dog. This is when we often think of giving the dog away because "Honey, there is something wrong with our dog". Maybe everything is fine with the dog, we just chose a dog whose character is not compatible with our expectations. We will not make a Husky a patient dog to play with children by the fireplace. I would not dare to leave an adult Caucasian Shepherd alone with children. We cannot expect that every German Shepherd will be able to lie down quietly for a few hours when we need silence (although there are exceptions).
The family dog prefers to stay indoors rather than outdoors, such as Husky.
If there are children in the house, the family dog shouldn't be aggressive, should be able to control itself and patiently endure games invented by children. We are not always able to provide constant supervision over children playing with dog and believe me, children's creativity in inventing various games with big, shaggy dog is unlimited and the level of creativity could amaze everyone.
The family dog should also prefer to stay with the family rather than run off into the distance whenever the opportunity arises. However, when we want to rest, the family dog should be able to calm down, lie down and just lie quietly for a few hours rather than run and bark for hours.
And finally, if an intruder tries to enter our home or a closed area of our property, the family dog should not hesitate to try to protect its family.
The black Russian terrier breed was created to work with humans. The Russian Terrier needs frequent and close contact with its owners. It is not a dog that can be locked in a pen outside. A black terrier living outside will be unhappy and will bark or even howl. A dog of this breed feels good when it can live inside, at home with its family.
In general, the character of the black Russian terrier can be summed up in two words "strength of calm". We are, of course, talking about a standard, correctly managed black terrier assuming that no upbringing mistakes were made in puppyhood and adolescence.
I have never had any concerns leaving my children with my black terriers. In the worst cases, when one of my terriers got fed up of playing with the children he would just go away to another quiet place. But these were rare cases, most black terriers really enjoy playing with children.
I have also not had any of my dogs attack or behave in an unexpected or disturbing way towards any member of the household.
However, please remember that there are different black terriers. There are calmer lines but there are also more lively ones. Some may accidentally push a small child through their exuberance and size. A dog is a living creature with behavioural differences between individuals. Although in general the black Russian terrier is a calm and composed dog, there are still some more or less aggressive individuals. It should be remembered that our puppy came from a breeder which we trust, that will not use for breeding aggressive dogs.
The owners say that the black Russian terrier is like a shadow, always by the owners' side. His favourite activity is to lie on the floor and watch what the household members are doing. Family is all that interests the black Russian terrier. The black terrier does not impose itself when we do not want it to. It is one of the few dogs that can lie down or sleep peacefully for long periods of time when nothing is going on.
Safety and defensive qualities are one aspect rarely considered when choosing a dog for a family, but there may be times when this is one of the most important qualities. This is not usually taken into account for the simple reason that defence dogs are rarely suitable for families, especially those with small children.
Typical defence dogs are difficult to train and can be dangerous even to their owners, especially if vetting or training mistakes have been made.
And how does the Black Russian Terrier perform as a family defence dog? First of all, it is a relatively young breed, so it is closer to the standard for which it was created.
The black Russian terrier was created to cooperate with man. BRT can lie for hours observing its surroundings and analysing. It reacts only when it is really necessary. The black terrier does not run amok no matter what happens but adapts its reaction to the degree of danger.
If we have clearly defined expectations and we are looking for a dog for our family which will be both patient and gentle to the family members, which will always be nearby, which will be interested only in us but also will not impose itself when we want to rest, and when it gets dangerous it will react according to the danger without hesitation, then it will be difficult to find another breed than the black terrier.