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The Black Russian Terrier is a somewhat rare breed in the United States. They are a large working breed that has been used in police and military work. They are an excellent guard dog and with proper training will be a marvelous companion. The Black Russian Terrier does need a strong leader in the home or they will try to rule the roost. These dogs require a good amount of exercise each day and there are several activities that you can do with your Black Russian Terrier to keep them happy.
Schutzhund, also known as IPO or Internationale Prugungs-Ordnung, is a three-phase training system that fosters a strong bond between the handler and dog. These three phases include obedience, tracking, and protection. Both dog and handler must be in great condition to be able to handle the rigorous training and competitions. IPO is a tool for protection training of police and military dogs; it is also a sport that many people enjoy. This activity can be done in any weather. IPO training is an expensive sport and you can expect to dole out a lot of time and money while training. During IPO training, your dog will earn different levels of achievement. Puppies should never start IPO training until they are over a year old. It takes most dogs two to three years to earn their first achievement level, IPO1.Â
Rally obedience or simply, rally, is a competition where you and your dog work together to navigate a set course. Rally was approved by the American Kennel Club in 2005 and dogs can earn four different titles. Rally Novice or RN is the first title that can be earned, followed by the Rally Advanced or RA title where the dog performs off-leash. The Rally Excellence or RE and the Rally Advanced Expert or RAE are the hardest titles to earn and must be performed completely off-leash. Â The handler steers their dog through a course that has between 10 to 20 instructional signs. Handler and dog move continuously through the course and are judged on how well the skills are executed and how quickly the course is navigated.
Most people are familiar with this fast-paced dog sport where dogs race through an obstacle course at top speed. Usually, small to medium-sized dogs excel in this sport, however, the Black Russian Terrier has been known to adeptly race through an agility course and amaze onlookers with their quickness. Training a Black Russian Terrier for agility is fairly easy. They are smart and intrepid, willing to work for food and praise. It can be expensive to train for agility if you purchase the obstacles and set up your own course. You can cut costs, however, by joining a dog club with an agility course. Entry fees can also be expensive depending on the venue hosting the competition.
Trick training is a fun and easy activity to do with your Black Russian Terrier. Trick training is simply building on your dog’s obedience skills. It is easy, cheap and can be done anywhere. Plan on spending about 15 to 20 minutes at a time learning a new trick or reviewing tricks they already know.Â
The Black Russian Terrier needs a lot of exercise and also needs a strong leader to keep them in line. Long walks through the neighborhood are great ways to get the needed exercise but also to work on their obedience skills. While walking, be sure to use obedience commands to keep them in line and build a mutual respect between you.
While the Black Russian Terrier is not the right dog for everyone, they are a majestic, large breed that requires a significant amount of exercise. The foundation of any activity with your Black Russian Terrier will be basic obedience skills. Obedience should be started at a young age. These dogs also require early socialization to be able to participate in dog activities without incident.Â