About the breed

Loyal Charming Smart

The Russian Toy is a small, elegant, lively dog with long legs, fine bones, and lean muscles. They are active and cheerful, possessing keen intelligence and a desire to please. This breed loves to snuggle and be close to their human companions, although sometimes slightly aloof to strangers. They are neither cowardly nor aggressive.

The Russian Toy is a toy breed with a lineage that dates back to the Russian aristocracy. In general, he is a good-natured imp that loves to run and play. They will dash through the house or yard chasing toys as long as you can keep up, while many others are willing to do nothing more than lounge in your lap all day long, content in knowing that they are the prize jewel in your home. They thrive on human companionship and will let you know if they are feeling neglected. Their coat is either semi-long or smooth. The longhaired variety carries a nice ruff on the chest and unique feathering on the extremities, tail and ears. Long-coated Russian Toys will not have an adult coat until it is more than a year old and full fringing not until three years of age. The smooth-coated variety is sleek and smooth to the touch. There is also a slight attitude difference between the two varieties. Smooth Coats tend to be a little more terrier-like than Long Coats. However, both share a larger-than-life personality.

History

The history of the Russian Toy began with English stock and dates back as early as the 18th century when the English Toy Terrier arrived in Russia. Evidence of this can be seen at the Zoological Museum in St. Petersburg, where a preserved specimen of a small black and tan terrier from 1716-1725, stands on exhibit. The specimen stands approximately 14 inches at the withers with the inscription: “Dog of the sleek-hairedterrier breed named Lisetta, belonged personally to Peter the Great.”

During the 18th century in Russia, it became popular to import English Toy Terriers. Socialites adored these dogs due to their small size and lively temperament. It became quite stylish to appear in public with a well-behaved small terrier at social events and the opera. The Toy Terrier became a kind of “living accessory” to those of the upper sleek-haired terrier class.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the numbers of these toy dogs had grown and the breed was no longer a raritynumber but had become a symbol of prestige. However, the breed was no longer referred to as the English Toy Terrier. In Russia, it was simply referred to as the Russian (Russkiy) Toy Terrier.

The Russian Revolution of 1917 nearly exterminated the Russkiy Toy. The breeding of dogs for companionship was brought to a halt and the fate of the Russian Toy was uncertain. After the death of Stalin, a concentrated effort was made in several regions of the Soviet Union, including Moscow, Leningrad, Sverdlovsk, and Irkutsk to restore the Russian Toy to prominence.

Whether by a mutation or the introduction of other unknown small breeds into various lines, a unique puppy was born in 1958. This son of a pair of smooth-coated parents became the foundation of the modern day Long Coat (called the Moscow Long Haired Toy Terrier in the early years). The first official standard for the two breed varieties was written in 1966. In the 1980s, a new breed standard declared that the Moscow Long Haired Toy Terrier and the Russian Toy Terrier were in fact two varieties of a single breed. In 2006, with the Russian Toy’s addition to the FCI list of recognized breeds, the “Terrier” was dropped from the breed’s name and is now called the Russian Toy, with both long and smooth coat varieties.

Did You Know?

Russian Toys are one of the smallest dog breeds in the world.

Russian Toys come in several different colors; Black & Tan, Blue & Tan, Red, Red & Brown, Red Sable, and Brown & Tan

AKC Official Standard of the Russian Toy

General Appearance

A small elegant dog, lively, long-legged, with fine bone and lean muscles. Sexual dimorphism only slightly defined. Active, cheerful, possessing keen intelligence, slightly aloof to strangers but neither cowardly nor aggressive.

Size, Proportion, Substance

The Russian Toy has a square build; the height, when measured vertically from the ground to the highest point of the withers, is equal to the length, when measured horizontally from the prosternum to the point of the buttocks. The height at the elbows is only slightly more than half of the height at withers. The chest is sufficiently deep reaching to the elbow. Height at withers for both dogs and bitches: 8 inches to 11 inches.
Weight for both dogs and bitches: up to 6½ pounds.

Disqualifications - Height at withers over 12 inches or under 7 inches. Weight less than 2 pounds.

Head

The head is small compared to the body. Expression - The expression is bright, attentive with attitude.

Eyes are quite large, rounded, dark, slightly prominent, set well apart and looking straight ahead.

Eyelids are tightly fitting. Black and Tan dogs have eyes that are darkest brown to black with black eye rims. Chocolate and Tan dogs have eyes that are brown to light brown and eye rims that are brown to light brown (darker color preferred). Blue and Tan dogs have eyes and eye rims that are slate grey.

Red-coated dogs have eyes that are darkest brown to black with black eye rims.

Red Sable dogs have eyes that are darkest brown to black with black eye rims.

Red Brown dogs have eyes and eye rims that are brown (darker color preferred).

Ears - Ears are big, thin, set high, erect and wider at the base tapering to a triangular shape. Semi-pricked ears in longhaired dogs with heavy fringes is permissible but not desirable.
Disqualification - Hanging (completely down) ears.

Skull - The skull is high but not too wide (width at the level of zygomatic arches does not exceed the depth of the skull). Stop - The stop is clearly pronounced.

Muzzle - The muzzle is lean and tapered and is slightly shorter than the skull.

Cheekbones - The cheekbones are only slightly pronounced.

Nose - Black and Tan dogs have black noses. Chocolate and Tan dogs have noses that are brown to light brown (darker color preferred). Blue and Tan dogs have slate grey noses. Red coated dogs have black noses.
Red Sable dogs have black noses. Red Brown dogs have brown noses (darker color preferred).

Lips - Lips are thin, lean, tight-fitting. Black and Tan dogs have black lips. Chocolate and Tan
dogs have lips that are brown to light brown (darker color preferred). Blue and Tan dogs have
slate grey lips. Red coated dogs have black lips. Red Sable dogs have black lips. Red Brown
dogs have brown lips (darker color preferred).

Bite - The teeth should meet in a scissor bite. Russian Toy teeth are small, white. Absence of two incisors is permitted in each jaw. Faults -Level bite or incisors sloping forward. The absence of more than two incisors in either jaw is a serious fault. Disqualifications - Overshot, undershot. Absence of one canine. .

Neck, Topline, Body

Neck - The neck is long, lean, carried high, slightly arched.

Topline - The topline gradually slopes from the withers to the root of the tail.

Withers - The withers are slightly pronounced.

Body - The chest is oval, sufficiently deep and not too wide.

Underline -The underline has a tucked up belly and drawn up flanks, forming a nicely curved line from the
chest to the flanks.

Back - The back is strong and straight. Loin - The loin is short and slightly arched.

Croup - The croup is somewhat rounded and slightly sloping.

Tail - Tails may be natural or docked (only two or three vertebrae are left), and is carried high. The undocked (natural) tail is a sickle tail. The tail should not be carried lower than back level when moving.
Fault - Low set tail.

Forequarters

Shoulders - The shoulder blades are moderately long and not too sloping.

Upper Arm - The upper arm forms an angle of 105 degrees with the shoulder blade. The length
of upper arm is approximately equal to the length of shoulder.

Elbow - The elbow is in line with the body.

Legs - Forequarters legs are thin and lean. Seen from the front, the front legs are
straight and parallel. The forearm is long, straight. The carpus (wrist) is lean. Pasterns are
almost vertical. Dewclaws may be removed or left natural.

Feet and Toes - Forefeet are small, oval, turning neither in nor out with pads that are cushioned. Toes are well knit and arched. Hind feet are a little bit narrower than forefeet with pads that are cushioned and toes are well knit and arched.

Pads and Nails - Black and Tan dogs have black nails and pads. Chocolate and Tan dogs have nails and pads that are brown to light brown (darker color preferred). Blue and Tan dogs have slate grey nails and pads. Red coated dogs have black nails and pads. Red Sable dogs have black nails and pads. Red Brown dogs have brown nails and pads (darker color preferred).

Hindquarters

Seen from the rear, the hind legs are straight and parallel, but standing a little bit
wider than the forelegs. Stifles and hocks are sufficiently bent. Angulation - Hindquarters
should be sufficiently angulated. The upper thigh muscles are lean and developed. The upper
and lower thighs are of the same length. Hocks should be vertical. There should be no rear
dewclaws. Serious fault - Short legs.

Coats

Skin: The skin should be dry and tight-fitting

Hair - There exists two types for the breed: smooth-coated and long-coated.

Smooth coat dogs have short, close-lying, shiny hair, without undercoat or bald patches.

Long coat dogs have bodies covered with moderately long (one inch to three inches) straight or slightly wavy hair, close-lying, which does not hide the natural outline of the body. Hair on the head and on the
front part of limbs is short and close-lying. There are distinct feathers on rear side of limbs.

The feet have long, silky hair which completely hides the nails. Long coated dogs have ears that are
covered with thick, long hair forming a fringe. Dogs of more than three years have such a fringe
which should completely hide the outer edges and tips of the ears. Body hair should not look
tousled nor be too short (less than ½ inch).

Disqualification - Long coat dogs: absence of any fringes on ears and presence of curly hair. (Dogs younger than 18 months may have sparse or few fringes).

Color

Russian Toy coats may be Black and Tan, Chocolate and Tan, Blue and Tan, Red, Red
Sable, or Red Brown. Black and Tan coats are jet black with rich, bright tan markings over eyes,
on cheeks, inside ears, on chest, legs, and on underside of tail. Chocolate and Tan coats are rich
chocolate brown with tan markings over eyes, on cheeks, inside ears, on chest, legs, and on
underside of tail. Blue and Tan coats are blue-based grey coloring with tan markings over eyes,
on cheeks, inside ears, on chest, legs, and on underside of tail. Red coats are whole-colored red
that may range from rich ruby to lighter hues, but deeper saturated color is preferred. Red Sable
coats are red with black-tipped hair on body and ears. Red Brown coats are red with brown-
tipped hair on body and ears. Faults - Presence of bald patches in smooth-coat dogs. Too long or
too short hair on body of long-coat dogs. Small white spots under ½ inch on chest and toes.
Solid black, brown and blue colors. Tan markings too large or with dark shadings. Any white
spots on the head, abdomen and above metacarpus. Severe fault - Large white patches over ½
inch on chest and throat.

Disqualification - Presence of brindle markings.

Gait

Easy, straightforward, fast. No noticeable change in the topline when moving.
.

Temperament

Active, cheerful, possessing keen intelligence, slightly aloof to strangers but
neither cowardly nor aggressive.

Fault - Timid behavior

Faults

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness
with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect
upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Disqualifications

Height at withers over 12 inches or under 7 inches.
Weight less than 2 pounds.
Hanging (completely down) ears.
Overshot, undershot.
Absence of one canine.
Long coat dogs: absence of any fringes on ears and presence of curly hair.

(Dogs younger than 18 months may have sparse or few fringes).

Presence of brindle markings

Photo Credit: AKC www.akc.org

References: www.akc.org/dog-breeds/russian-toy/