I came to Cynology in 1988. Working and service dog club in DOSAAF system in my city Armavir at the South of Russia was my first "dog-home" and I still a member of it. At that time during USSR all clubs responsible for working and service breeds had to belong to DOSAAF, a special Russian organisation - Voluntary Society for Assisting Army, Air Force and Navy. So, I learned many useful army skills such as discipline, order and responsibility, planning and breeding strategy exactly there.

Beginning of my activity in the asset of my club was combined with study in Kuban State University with major Biology. In 1990, I was offered to lead a section of Giant Schnauzers and Black Terriers (the breed was then called so) in the club, which I agreed with great pleasure and enthusiasm. In 1992, I got my first judicial qualification (category III), started judging dogs at shows in the North Caucasus, and became a DOSAAF instructor. In 1994 I finished my study in Kuban State University and earned my Master degree in Biology.

Since 1988, the Black Russian Terrier breed has been and still my only love. I trained and competed with my Blackies in many working trials, participated and won a lot of dog shows, beside that I was also actively involved in breeding, judging and other cynological activities. Soon in 1998 for a number of reasons I had to limit some of my cynological activities as well as many Russian dogbreeders, dog fanciers and even professionals in the hardship of Russia in the 90s. I started over only in 2001 by registering my new kennel "iz Doliny Vetrov" in RKF, a new cynological organisation after USSR had collapsed. Unfortunately, at that difficult by all meanings time, due to economic, politic and other obstacles, I was not able to confirm my judge qualification again in RKF. I had to start the way of obtaining a conformation judge qualification again, going though all necessary traineeships and exams, but as they say better late than never. During all that time since 1988 I had my Blackies walking beside and supporting me in all possible life situations, both stressful and joyful.

In 2003, fate brought me to Sweden but since 2013 I live alternately in the both countries, changing locations time to time. I was lucky to get Blackies out of my previous breeding and even with my personal dogs in the pedigrees back to Russia, which was a very successful step. 2 eye-catching beautiful and smartest dogs, with an excellent exterior, an unique mentality and with an extraordinarily truly human charisma - Nochnoy Dozor Doliny Vetrov aka Gosha and Novaya Zvezda for Doliny Vetrov aka Nova, which fully met and corresponded to my idea of what the Russian Black Terrier should be. Nochnoy Dozor sired a lot of the offspring of the highest quality and proved himself as a very propotent producer: his breed type and very balanced and plastic mentality are stably passed on to the numerous of his children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren and are easy recognizable. My personal dogs are his progeny of few generations.

The absolute priority in my breeding always been and will be the combination and happy middle between a beauty and functional exterior, a stable mentality, health and easy trainability. I have a lot of friends among BRT breeders and owners allover the world and Im always open to share my experience and get a new one, trying to keep up on breed's progress and development.

Alexandra Goratchek
RKF/FCI Judge,
Russian Black terrier breeder, groomer,
Member of Russian National Russian Black terrier club