Grooming your Black Russian Terrier

Black Russian Terriers have a very coarse, tightly wound black coat which comes in wavy rather than curly. It is weather tight and should be coarse to the touch. If it’s soft, it requires hand stripping in order to be considered up to the standards of the American Kennel Association.

Black Russian Terriers also have beards and prominent eyebrows which are carefully groomed by owners for showing. They are always black in color and if you are trying to get your dog recognized by the American Kennel Association, it has to be jet black or black with only a few grey hairs.

Prevent the Coat from Being Tangled

Black Russian Terriers need to be brushed weekly and have to be bathed in a certain way in order to keep their coats clean. They also need to be trimmed, especially around the ears and the beard and eyebrows, and require hand stripping when they get too soft. Grooming Black Russian Terriers also requires bathing your dog with special shampoos. Make sure to brush your dog in such a way that the overcoat is kept tight while the undercoat is kept full.

You have to brush your Black Russian Terrier a few times a week in order to prevent the top coat from being tangled. Do this using a short tined brush so that you reach the dog’s skin. After that, use something like a Comb King to get at the softer undercoat. You have to be careful not to pull out too much of the undercoat.

Bathing Your Black Russian Terrier

When you’re bathing your Black Russian Terrier, use warm water, not hot or cold as these extreme temperatures can damage the coat and your dog. You have to lather up the shampoo and dilute it until it foams and then work it into the dog’s wiry coat in order to clean it. Then rinse it out very carefully as leftover shampoo can dry and cause irritation. Make sure to brush your dog’s teeth a few times a week and clean out your terrier’s ears with soft cotton.

Tight and Wiry Coat

Black Russian Terriers also have to be carefully clipped in order to maintain a tidy beard and eyebrows and a coat which is only up to four inches long and with minimal wave. The coat is supposed to be tight and wiry, which can be managed with careful trimming and grooming. The fur can be a bit longer around the chest and withers so that it resembles a lion to suit the dogs shorter, stockier body type. Always trim away scraggly hairs with scissors so that your dog has a sleek appearance.

Learing to Groom Your Black Russian

Russian terriers are a little harder to learn how to groom because their coat has to be kept tight and wiry in order to retain their distinctive appearance. However, with regular grooming, these dogs don’t shed and will easily keep warm and dry even in inclement weather. This makes them great pets to have in climates that are less than stellar. When you learn how to groom your Black Russian Terrier, you can enjoy the time you spend with your dog making it look the best it can.