I read where the AKC has now recognized the BRT. :rolleyes:

Hehe....not that anybody has seen much work out of these dogs to begin with! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

By the wya what is BRT ?

BRT = Black Russian Terrier????

I have only worked with one BRT. I liked him. But I have heard mixed things about them.

I haven't seen very stable temperments in the ones that I've seen, but I've only seen eight of them total, and none of them were "working class" type dogs of the breed.
Maybe good ones are real fire crackers, but the fact that they're getting a big enough population to get AKC registration, but we're not seeing them on the SchH fields and such, is not a good sign.

Sounds like a great combination then. Unstable temperments, and AKC popularity. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I agree that they are going to go down hill rapidly. The problem is bigger than just AKC though. They have become popular in European conformation also and there are only a handful of people world wide working them. Add to that the VAST majority of owners have no clue about dealing with a working dog and there is a recipe for disaster. Many of the people in the breed consider the BH and AD as "working titles". Many "experienced" breeders totally deny the protective nature of the breed. Most see them as huge teddy bears, until one goes to work. The "national breed club" for AKC is disorganized and can't get even the simpelest things right (like the Standard). They can't even get agreement on how they should be groomed.

The breed is still close enough to working only that there are many "confomation" lines that still maintain strong protective instincts. So now there is a wide variety of reactions to stimuli as well levels of drive. They are considered to have low drive, and I think that is a huge misperception of the breed. Many have good drive but they work and train so much differently than the breeds people are used to working with that it can go unrecognized. What would be cosidered prey drive in most breeds they have no interest in at all, what would bring out defense in most breeds stimulates prey in the BRT. Working with them has forced me to re-define a "Defensive Breed". A good comment I have heard used is that they are more like a LGB than the more traditional herding breeds.

Their actions at home and with their family lulls people to sleep regarding their actions to strangers and they don't get the type and level of socialization and training they need. I have heard some interesting things for training ideas. Like using a halti to control aggression in them. As a breed I would say it is much more important to prevent problems rather than to try and correct them. They are very dominant with anything out side their "pack" and that will lead to problems. They can be people and dog aggressive and if they are not controled early they have the potential to be a huge problem. Many of the people getting the dogs have no experience in working dogs and can't read their dogs at all. So they are often totaly shocked when the dog goes after someone. They are often put in bad situations for a protective breed. Many of the people involved are coming from conformation line "working breeds" and think they are going to get the same thing as they see in showline dogs. I have had several people contact me about aggression problems and in every case it is what I would consider a standard reaction by a good working dog.

Temperament wise they are not unstable unless you make them that way. They require extensive socialization and training early. If it isn't done, when they come in to their adult temperament the level of suspicion and aggression is difficult to work with. They will react to very slight provocation if they aren't trained in what is and is not a real threat. With out proper socialization movement towards the owner may be considered a threat. Since they don't bark or growl much they need to be read by the owner/handler to prevent problems. I can count on both hands the number of dogs invloved in doing protection training. Most of the dog sports are not well suited for the temperament and working style of the breed.

They are never going to make good sport dogs, but as PPD they have the potential to be great. Low activity level, low sharpness level, the ability to react quickly to a threat, able to cool down quickly, fairly quiet, Defensive to threats, easy to train (done right), more interested in protecting their people than in territory, and faster than any dog that size has a right to be. They are much more impressive in person than they will ever be on film or even watching them. They use their dominance to intimidate and when they turn on the only thing you are going to see is teeth. The training information for the breed is based on what is being done in Russia and it is very Defensive and starts later in the dogs life. The result of that is there are good training opportunities that are missed and the opportunity to stimulte and channel drive are gone. In addition the type of trial being done in Russia is more defensive than is done other places so it is better suited to the breed. They require some modification to training methods with other protection breeds and mature slowly. They come up slowly and it would be easy to give up too soon on one.

For someone willing to put in the work they are a great breed. Easy to live with, able to be a true protector, and very good with their people. Many are affectionate with their people to the point of being a pain. They love kids. They will get along with other animals, including dogs, if raised with them. They will not be dominated by anyone or anything but their handler. Definetly not for everybody.

The ones that I see are all in the same kennel, and don't recieve any socialization that I can see, so I'm sure that's part of their problem. All the dogs have ben imported from Russia, mostly as adults.

A male from that kennel just bit one of the kennel workers and caused an impressive injury. The kennel worker was reaching for the dog ( whom she had handled in the past ) and the dog took her on the forearm. Now it's daily visits to the hospital for whirlpool treats and wound care, and skin grafts may be needed in the future.
Ouch... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

The breed doesn't do well as a kennel dog. They need interaction with their people. Left in a kennel they would develop some bad problems. Because they are so good with their people, many people that get one get more than one. When they start to pack up they will feed on each others behaviors and that could escelate in to a problem. Since they don't show many of the typical signs of aggression they need to be watched for the signs they do show.