The Black Russian Terrier breed of dog was developed in Russia as a guard dog. Despite its name, the Black Russian is a member of the Working Group and not the Terrier Group. It is a large, agile and powerful dog, muscular with large bones. The temperament of the Black Russian Terrier breed of dog is critical: it must have a stable and reliable temperament. The desired height to length ratio of the Black Russian Terrier breed of dog is approximately 9.5 to 10, making the dog slightly longer than it is tall. Females may be slightly longer than males. The Black Russian Terrier's head must be in proportion to the body and give the appearance of power and strength. It is approximately equal to the length of neck and not less than 40% of the height of the dog at the withers. The eyes are oval, of medium size, dark, and set relatively wide apart. Eye rims are black without sagging or prominent haw. Light eyes are a serious fault. The ears are medium in size, triangularly shaped, set high, but not above, the level of the skull. The ear is rounded at the bottom, hanging with the front edge lying against the head and terminating at approximately mid-cheek. Cropped ears are not acceptable. The skull is moderately wide with round, but not too pronounced cheek bones. The supraorbital arches and occiput bones are moderately expressed. The back skull is flat. The stop is moderate. The back skull is slightly longer than the muzzle measured from the stop to the occiput and stop to end of nose, an approximate ratio of 5:4. The muzzle is broad with a slight tapering towards the nose. A moustache and beard emphasize volume and give the muzzle a square shape. Viewed in profile, the topline of the muzzle is parallel to the topline of the backskull. The nose is large and black. Nose color other than black is a disqualification. Lips are thick, fleshy, black, tight and without flews. The gums have dark pigmentation. The teeth are large and white with full dentition. Any missing tooth is a severe fault. The incisors form a straight line at the base. A correct bite is a scissors bite. Two or more missing teeth or bite other than a scissors bite is a disqualification. The neck of the Black Russian Terrier breed of dog should be thick, muscular and powerful. The nape is strong and well expressed. The length of the neck and the length of the head should be approximately the same. The neck is set at an approximate 45 degree angle to the line of the back. The whole structure of the Black Russian Terrier's body should convey an impression of strength. The chest is oval shaped, deep and wide with well-sprung ribs. The bottom line of the chest extends to the elbows or below and is not less than 50% of the dog's height measured from the withers. The withers are high, well developed and more pronounced in the male than in the female. There is a slight slope from the top of the withers into a straight, firm back. The back is approximately ½ of the distance between the top of the withers to the base of the tail. The last half of the backline is comprised of two equal parts, the loin and the croup measured to the base of tail. (The ratio of back to loin to croup measured to base of tail is 2:1:1.) The loin is short, wide, muscular, slightly arched and elastic. The croup is wide, muscular, and slopes slightly (5 to 10 degrees). The tail is thick, set moderately high, and carried at an approximate 45 degree angle. When the tail is docked, there are 3 to 5 vertebrae remaining. An undocked tail is not penalized. The preferred shape of an undocked tail resembles a sickle or saber. The abdomen is moderately tucked up and firm. The shoulders of the Black Russian Terrier breed of dog are laid-back with blades broad and sloping. The angle between the shoulder blade and the upper arm is approximately 100 degrees. Upper arms are muscular. Elbows sit close to the body and turn neither in nor out while standing or moving. The forelegs are straight, thick, of medium length, and parallel when viewed from the front. Length of the foreleg to the elbow is approximately 50% of dog's height at the withers. Pasterns are short, thick, and almost vertical. Front and rear dewclaws should be removed. Feet are large, compact, and round in shape. Nails are black. Viewed from the rear the legs are straight and parallel, set slightly wider than the forelegs. The hindquarters are well boned and muscular and are in balance with the front shoulder angulation. Thighs are muscular and broad when viewed from the side. The hocks are moderately short and vertical when standing. The Black Russian Terrier breed of dog has a double coat. The natural untrimmed coat length varies from 1 ½" to 6". While the outer guard hair is coarser than the softer undercoat, it is not wiry or curly. The body coat has a slight to moderate wave. The furnishings on the head form a fall over the eyes and a moustache and beard on the muzzle. The legs are covered by a long, dense coat. For the show ring, the Black Russian Terrier should be trimmed so that the dog's outline is clearly defined. The trimmed length of coat and leg furnishings may vary from 0.2" to 6" depending upon the location on the body. The fall and muzzle furnishings may be longer than 6". The only acceptable color for the Black Russian Terrier is solid black or black with scattered gray hairs. The Black Russian Terrier breed of dog should move freely in a smooth, fluid motion. In movement, the normal head carriage is extended forward and the backline remains level. As movement accelerates, the feet will converge toward a centerline. The Black Russian Terrier covers a lot of ground with its strongly reaching forelegs and hard driving hindquarters.