It amazes me how many people feel the need to mislead just to make them and their own look or seem to be more than they are. There is misinformation being circulated about this breed that makes it difficult for new comers to know the truth. Why do people think that just because the Internet is not policed that this gives carte blanch to fabricate an already well-documented history? But then again it is probably the same reason that plagiarists happily pass off other people’s hard work and research as their own.
I would like to point out a few truths…just for the record.
The first Russian Black Terrier imported into the UK was a bitch brought in on the Bali directive in 1996. She came over into a kennel in the North of England. The first adult male RBT to enter the UK was Russian born living in Italy served the mandatory six months in quarantine; he was imported in 1997 by the same kennels that imported the first bitch. This information is not hearsay, it is fact written in black and white documented by the UK Kennel club and available publicly through the breed record supplements.
Please don’t be put off this marvellous breed by what has been said here. The Russian Black Terrier community in the UK is, by and large a very closely knit and caring family. The only UK KC recognised Club strives to strengthen the breed, through promotion and education. The familiar and instantly recognisable dressing for the booth at DISCOVER DOGS (both Earls Court and Crufts) is always a hit. With informative displays and plenty of club members on hand to assist and answer any enquiries. The Club website which offers plenty of useful information on the breed, a comprehensive list of links to other sources of information, members advert pages, a puppy list of members who have pups available (a service offered to any club member) and contact details of the whole committee who are all more than willing to help.
If you are thinking of using the internet to show off your kennels be honest after all you are only fooling yourself if you think that in the long run will achieve anything other than ridicule by lying. Unless your aim is to make money and then you should be informed that you are in the wrong game.
We do show and have bred, if people say that they show ask them the wins where the UK championship shows are concerned you can find the results out for yourself, if they say they don’t breed for money ask how many litters they have had, if they say they are respected ask them if they are members of the club, or even better call the breed club secretary and ask her for a list of breeders who have puppies! Respected breeders are members of the breed club. Also visit a dog show or two and see who is there.
We have made made mistakes, our selection of breeder for our first RBT born June 2000 left lot to be desired, oh don't get us wrong we love our first bitch as much now as the day we bought her home, after all she's not responsible for where she came from. I had researched the breed but unfortunately not the breeders. Everything was fine and dandy until we dared to speak to the wrong people, funny really as we weren't so bad when it came to taking our deposit! Everything was fine in fact until the second failed mating to one of the breeders imported males once my bitch was old enough. Fortunately both matings were fruitless, but it was nice to chat to an acquaintance from the Rottweiler world who was on hand to assist. My bitch did produce a litter the following year (04) to a dog from another kennel and all the surviving pups (no trips to the vets to do the dirty deed needed here!) are fit, well and happy in their homes. With the puppy sales contracts in place safe guarding the pups, letting the new owners know that at whatever age we are here to help. We restrict all our puppies (yes even the ones that stay here) not to be bred from, a choice we make to safeguard our pups. We don't not charge nor do we ask people to jump through hoops, use our studs or any other demands before we will lift a restriction, if the dog/bitch is healthy, happy, of breedable age and a good example of the breed then the restriction will be lifted. Non of the owners of the pups from that first litter have requested for their restrictions to be lifted in fact non of the pups went to homes that were interested in breeding.
If someone claims to have tested their dogs under KC/BVA health schemes ask to see certification, anyone who has official results will be happy to show them to you.
Is a German Shepard any less of a dog if it was bred in America? I think not, this is a new breed and all bloodlines lead back to the original Russian dogs! There are only 19 or 20 generations between the dogs that lay before us and the first mating.
It is unfortunate that the equilibrium has to be upset by one case of sour grapes but I felt it necessary to put my feelings, based on the facts, together before there is too much damage done. In an ideal world the guilty party will read this and my unending optimism in human nature will be realised...but I won't hold my breath. Don't be afraid to question people, speak to as many people as you can and make your own decisions...
THE DOG’S ARE HONEST WHY SHOULDN’T WE BE!