MyDogBreeds
Sussex Spaniel is originated from United Kingdom but Black Russian Terrier is originated from Russia. Sussex Spaniel may grow 38 cm / 14 inches shorter than Black Russian Terrier. Sussex Spaniel may weigh 40 kg / 88 pounds lesser than Black Russian Terrier. Both Sussex Spaniel and Black Russian Terrier has almost same life span. Sussex Spaniel may have less litter size than Black Russian Terrier. Sussex Spaniel requires Moderate maintenance. But Black Russian Terrier requires High maintenance
The Sussex Spaniel comes from Sussex in southern England. The whole purpose of his development was for him to rush between reeds, causing birds to fly up and for their owners to then shoot them so that they could retrieve them.
His history dates back to the 19th century when breeding for the dog started. The first breed standard was also written during this time.
It was about in 1969 that some of these Sussex Spaniels were imported to the United States where they were referred to as a sporting breed. Today they are still a rare breed.
During the cold war, the Soviet Union developed the Black Russian Terrier as a working military dog. During the early 1950’s, the Red Star Kennel developed this breed and in 2004 by the American Kennel Club. The Black Russian Terrier is not really a terrier at all, but a mid-sized working dog used for hunting and guarding or as a pet. The Red Star Kennel is thought to have developed the BRT using a wide variety of breeds – as many as seventeen – including breeds like the Newfoundland, the Rottweiler, the Caucasian Shepard Dog and a Giant Shepard and an Airedale. So, you can see the wide variety and several more breeds were added. The Red Star Kennel in Moscow was owned by the state and they developed the BRT for specific working conditions and not for appearance. They did not really care how it looked except that it had to be black. In 1957 the state allowed a few puppies to be sold to non-military breeders. These breeders began to breed the Black Russian Terrier for appearance as well as function.
As these breeders worked with the dogs, they spread the breed throughout Russia and into Finland, Poland, Hungary, Germany, Czechoslovakia and Germany. From there they spread to Australia, Canada and the United States. The breed standard was developed in 1958 and by 1996 an updated version of the standard was developed to reflect the dog we see today. In 1996 the United Kingdom also got their first introduction to the breed. They are still rare outside of Russian or previous Soviet Union states.
With his low, long body and short legs, this beautiful golden liver color spaniel has long, silky ears and a long, feathery tail.
He is a moderate shedder. He is quite a distinctive looking dog with his silky coat and sombre expression. You’d descibe him as medium sized dog, standing at between 33 – 38cm in height and weighing 16 -20kg.
The Sussex Spaniel is more slow and sedate than the Cocker Spaniel but he still makes an excellent pet and companion.
He is strong and robust. He is clever too, but slightly stubborn, while also being clownish and entertaining. They’re the kind of dogs who bond strongly with their family and aren’t that enthusiastic with strangers.
They take a while to warm towards people they don’t know. He is steady, reliable and determined and makes a good watchdog. Because he is gentle and even tempered he makes an ideal pet for children and he is able to get on well with other dogs too.
It’s good to have them trained and socialized as they become even more amicable around other people and dogs they don’t know.
A little larger than a mid-sized dog, the Black Russian Terrier is strong, powerful, stable and alert. His head is block shaped and has a broad skull. The muzzle is square with a beard and mustache. A black, large nose and full black lips are matched with powerful and large jaws. He has a scissor bite and his ears should be triangles with rounded apexes. They have very large paws that are bear-like in appearance with thick black pads. They are also covered with hair. Their legs are muscular, powerful and strong. They have a cropped tail.
He is a low drooling dog and he adapts easily to life with his human family, preferably in the countryside.
He isn’t the most intelligent breed, but most people love him just like that because he’s eager to please and just wants to be your trusted, loyal pet and companion.
The Black Russian Terrier is a working dog and he is confident, calm, self-assured and confident. He is responsive and intelligent, protective and fearless, loyal and aloof. He is not welcoming to strangers. If socialized well, he is enough of an independent thinker to be able to decide on his own who or what poses a threat to his family and what doesn’t. They get bored quickly because they are so smart. Keep him stimulated. These are strong, athletic dogs who will love to run with you, jog along side your bike, hike the mountain or just walk with you. Whatever your form of exercise is, the Black Russian Terrier can adapt to it. They also have a strong prey drive so don’t trust them with animals they do not know. They are ok with cats and dogs that they grow up with. They love to play with kids but be careful they don’t unintentionally knock the little ones down.
The Black Russian Terrier matures later than other dogs. Treat the puppy the way you want the adult dog to be. If you don’t want a large dog on your bed don’t let the puppy sleep on the bed. He will soon be a large, powerful and strong dog with a mind of his own and you will not be able to keep him off the bed.
Your Sussex, like any other dog, is going to be prone to some diseases and conditions. If you are going for a puppy, always look for a reputable dog breeder, as this at least gives your dog a better chance of a healthy life.
This is a congenital heart disease where blood doesn't flow properly and where the right side of the heart works harder and actually enlarges.
If the obstruction is severe, it can cause arrhythmia or congestive heart failure.
If the stenosis is mild, you may not even notice any conditions, but if it's severe, your pet may have difficulty with breathing, his stomach may be distended, and with strenuous exercise he could even collapse.
This is when a disc in the spine ruptures and pushes upward into the spinal cord. It can be an injury or an inherited condition.It is painful and will include anti-inflammatory medications and possibly surgery.
This is a healthy breed who faces some of the same issues other large dogs face such as dysplasia in the elbows and hips. Then they also face their own hereditary diseases such as Juvenile laryngeal paralysis, hyperuricosuria and polyneuropathy. They are also susceptible to heart disease, eye diseases, allergies, Panosteitis and hypertropic osteodystrophy. Let’s look at the major hereditary disease that are not so common.
This occurs when the larynx arytenoid cartilages stop working and don’t operate so then the adjoining muscles don’t work either and the dog cannot swallow without the possible damage to the airway and the cannot breathe properly during exercise or while panting.
This is a condition that can occur in people and animals. This condition can lead to kidney or bladder stones as there is too much uric acid in their urine.
Like any form of neuropathy, in this disease many different nerves are damaged, and this can cause weak reflexes and tremors. There are effective treatments however.
Because of the long, silky hair, brushing your Sussex twice a week will be necessary to prevent matting from dirt adhering to the fur.
The insides of those long floppy ears can be a breeding spot for bacteria as they don’t easily dry. When you brush him, check inside the ears to make sure they aren't red which could be a sign of ear infection.
Remember, if you don’t like to do all the grooming chores there are, a grooming parlour will do the chores for you. They cut your dog’s hair, check inside his ears, clean his teeth and trim his nails.
Every dog needs excellent food to be healthy. Many people feed their pets the wrong kinds of foods and then wonder why they have to fork up so much on vets fees.
If you feed your Sussex Spaniel one of the commercial manufactured foods, make sure its one of the good ones packed with vitamins and minerals. Tasty home-made food added to his kibble a couple of times a week can do him the world of good if its kept simple – no spicey, exotic foods that can upset the stomach.
Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots all chopped up and mixed into the dry kibble once or twice a week will ensure a healthy, happy pet.
To avoid skin allergies and a dull coat, try and add in some raw meat occasionally. Always make sure he has access to fresh, cool water.
These dogs have been accustomed to a life of running in open spaces and they’re going to want lots of exercise. They love ball games and they love a walk in the countryside with lots of new scents to follow.
It’s why this dog isn’t suited to life in a small city property. He needs space and the outdoors to use up his energy.
This is a large, working dog that needs healthy nutrition. Feed once or twice a day but do not overfeed. Don’t let your Black Russian Terrier get overweight. Proper nutrition for puppies is critical given the nutrionally based diseases discussed below.
This is a high energy dog that needs to work. He doesn’t just want to work, he needs to work. So, find him a job and one that includes a lot of exercise. He needs consistent and firm training but will respond well and excel in Obedience Trials. They are good at Schutzhund and agility. They need plenty of exercise and will be unhappy and destructive without enough and a job. He needs to burn off that energy.