The Black Russian Terrier in Germany

Before reading this article I`d like you to note that it was written in 1998. It has passed many years since that time and the situations with black russian terriers in Germany has change, many dogs were imported from Russia, many kennels came into being and many breeders pay attention for breed`s exterier, temper, mentality and health.

Dear friends! As fas as such possibility arroused, I`dlike to share with you my impressions about blackies we have seen in Germany this year. We managed to take several pictures of the dogs bred in Germany, which are considered to be worth good marks and even titles in western Europe. It`s pity but the majority of blackies make feeble impression. Almost all dogs are not enough size, with too flat ribs, with too long and narrow loins, their coat is not enoufg rough, tails are low-set, the heads are short and almost each dog is disfigured with wrong and bad grooming.

The most worth dog was 2 years-old bitch named ZAREWNA DIBAH, owner Harald Feber (she is a descendant of the 3th generation of her father - "Er-Kay-Anchar and 3th and 4th generation descendant of her mother - Guy-Gans and Laf-Dzerom).

Among the males the dog which could have been quite nice was ASKAN vom AMUR, owner Angela Schumann (a descendant of Er-Kay-Anchar and Les-Lavr as well in the 3th generation), if not for his bad foremost extremities movements because of the wrong built of his front and back angulationsand certainly the average condition of his hair which have been prepared quite unprofessionally.

During our journeys to Germany we live with our friends - the Gyzelmann family, who also has blackies. Their kennel is called "ROSSIJA`S" where two dogs live - two bitches whom we have brought from Russia: GLAFIRA-GRAD IZ VERB (Green-Grad x Greta-Nick) and ONEGA (Bart-Barbi s Bronich x Urs-Donna-Ara).

The have very good exterrier and temper, they are quite strict but very communicable and nice. It`s a pitybut for the reason of the time`s lack the kennel`s owners don`t exhibit their pets and don`t breed them anymore. These dogs are of such a high quality that they could be a most plesant sight on the rings of western Europe,they even could match our best dogs.

Seven or eight years ago quite a lot of very good dogs were produced by the kennl "ROSSIJA`S", they are: ROSSIJA`S ASHOTALIK, BABETTE, BELLA,BRATIK. All the above-mentioned dogs have the highest exterrier marks. We`ve seen these dogs in previouse and we`d like to notice that their titles were given for really exellent exterriers. The "ROSSIJA`S" dogs come from 2 dogs, imported from Russia - SHARM-SHAN (Le-Vim-Lekar x Bek-Shashi) and GLAFIRA-GRAD.

ROSSIJA`S BABETTE was born in 1992 and has exellent achievemnets in training as well as in considerable exhibitioning results. She is still considered one of the best working blackies in Germany (Bringhton region Champion, 20 x 1 place in regional contests) and her owner Klaudia Hess has a title of "The sportsman of the year" for her tremedous work with the dogs.

It`s a pity we couldn`t take pictures of a very beautiful male imported from Fussia - ARGONAVT IZ PEREDELKINO. Not very large - his owner supposed - 73 sm, mighty, wide, with long typical head, exellent movements, with charming toplime and well-structured rough coat. This male, if he lived in Russia, could be a match to his famouse brothers AKBAR, ALI-BABA, ALLADIN and ARSENIY. But to our disappointment he is not exhibitedtoo. Such dogs as GLAFIRA, ONEGA an ARGONAVT could change the image of german Black Terriers.

By the way we visited Germany not only to look at the new generation of blackies but to participate in two international shows as well. The shows took place in Lingen and Saarbrucken. At both exhibitions our BINA-BRAIT was magnifivent and won 2 CACIB, 2 CAC and the title "SAARLAND-SIEGER 1998".

Besides, it was intressting to talk to german breeders, discussing variouse aspects of the problem of breeding, exhibitions, hair preparing and others. We gained some information which will be intressting to Russian breeders. Since July, 1th, 1998 it is forbidden to cut tails to blackies in germany. In this way, blackies with their cut tails, even if they were born in other countries, have no right to participate in VDH/KFT exhibitions after this date.

It`s a subject to thinking - isn`t it?

ELENA LAPINA,the owner of the kennel "BRIGHT NOSE"