www.aReLeTTe.com

Home of the Russkiy/Russian Toy dog, also known as Moscow Toy Terrier, Russian Longhaired Toy Terrier and Russkiy Toy

RT Breed History (Russia)

“Fragile as a crystal, precious as a diamond”

History

During the Middle Ages, a specific breed of dog was formed called the Terrier. These dogs were primarily used for hunting foxes, minks, etc. They were also praised for their outstanding ability to trap mice and rats. The title of the best rat catcher belonged to the Manchester terrier, which is now a cousin to the Russian Toy dog (RT).

Manchester Terrier

The terrier’s sleek and flexible body, personality, patience and persistence in achieving its target made it a perfect dog for the uneasy and, at times, dangerously tricky task of catching rats. Rats were the number one spreader of the bubonic plague, which wiped out one third of the Medieval European population. Four hundred years later, in the 18th century, people all over Europe entertained themselves by organizing rat terminating contests. They used terriers as hunters, and the dog that could find and kill the largest amount of rats in the shortest period of time was the winner. When this kind of sport became illegal, terriers became more of a decorative dog and were at first mostly owned by the aristocracy.

The men owned hunting dogs and any respectable aristocratic lady would own a ladies dog. The smaller the dog, the more valuable it was.

“Ladydogs” were often depicted on family portraits.

As years went by, terriers became more and more available to the general public and quickly spread all over Europe, and eventually to Russia as well. During the Red October revolution, Russia lost most of its terriers because most owners were capitalists. The capitalists were prosecuted and killed together with their dogs during this period. During Stalin’s regime, decorative dogs were viewed as worthless to the government and to the general public. It took about 60 years for Russia to repopulate itself with terriers. Many terriers were brought from overseas and bred within the country. Slowly, through the process of intense breeding and gene variations within the gene pool, a new breed of dog emerged, which we know today as the modern Russian/Russkiy Toy dog.

There are two types of Russian/Russkiy Toy dogs.

Smooth haired and longhaired. The smooth haired variety has a much longer history.

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Smooth Russian/Russkiy Toy - - - - - - - - - - - - Longhaired Russian/Russkiy Toy

No, RTs are not Chihuahuas, Papillons or Miniature Pinchers. The Russian Toy is often mistaken for any of these three breeds.

Moscow became the center for breeding the longhaired variety. It was in fact called the Moscow Toy Terrier, but is now generally known as the Longhaired Russian/Russkiy Toy.

On February 21, 2006 this breed was recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) and given the official name of Russkiy Toy. Classification in Group 9 Companion and Toy dogs.

The ancestor of the longhaired breed is considered to be a dog nicknamed Chikki, who was born on October 12, 1958, from two short haired toy terriers, one of which had slightly longer hair and no family tree. At one year of age, Chikki had grown a beautiful feathery fringe on his ears, legs and neck.  Chikki was mated with a female named Irma, whom also had slightly longer hair.

They had three longhaired puppies.

Nelli (one of Chikki's mates) w/ puppies

The Moscovite breeder/cynologist Eugenia Zharova played an important role in the creation of the Russian Longhaired Toy Terrier. She was also instrumental in strengthening their nervous system, creating frost resistance and the accumulation of other useful qualities. In 1966, the Standard of this pedigree group of dogs was written and authorized at the Ministry of Agriculture of the USSR. The breed quickly grew in popularity due to its simple care of coat, ease of transportation, small size and weight, devotion to owner, courage and boldness.

What is the modern Russian Toy dog like?

Small, elegant, lively, agile, hardy and long limbed. A typical RT is intelligent, loving, fine boned, lean muscled and square shaped. The head is small. Ears are big and raised. Legs are slender. The average height is 8-11 inches and the average weight is between 3-6 pounds. They are very devoted to their owner, eager to please and seldom aggressive. They stay playful all of their life. They are very portable and like to travel with their owner. They come in a wide range of colors,which adds to their attractiveness.

There is a definite temperament difference between smooth & long haired RTs. The smooths tend to be more “terrier-like” than long haired. However, both have great personality.

Small dogs, such as Russian Toy dogs, have more slender necks and tracheas than large dogs. Therefore we recommended the use of a harness instead of a collar, when walking your Russian Toy. We also feel that you should not leave a collar or harness on your Russian Toy dog while in your home. A collar or harness can get caught on things around the house and injure your Russian Toy dog.

Click here for a link to an interesting Russian Toy History from the Swedish Russkiy Toy Club, translated to English by  A.Larsson:

HISTORY of RUSSIAN/RUSSKIY TOYs  in the UNITED STATES.

The longhaired variety of Russian Toy was the first to be imported, bred and sold in America. Its initial name was Moscow Toy Terrier, since the longhaired variety was developed in Moscow by the now famous kynologist Eugenia Zharova. [link to article].

The next name for this longhaired variety was the Russian Longhaired Toy Terrier.

In 2006 the breed was acknowledged by FCI and named Russkiy Toy. The "terrier" was dropped, since it was felt the breed to be solely a companion dog. This is the name now widely accepted by Kennel Clubs around the world. Several Clubs in the US are using this name, such as UKC, NAKC, ARBA & IABCA. The American Kennel Club (AKC) is suggesting to call the breed Russian Toy.

Year 1996 ?

The very first known importers to the US, of the longhaired Russian Toy (then called Moscow Toy Terrier) were Anna Frumina and her then partner Arkady Rotenburg.

On April 27, 1997 we have a photo of two RTs at an ARBA Dog Show at Cherry Blossom Classic., with a Group Placing.

In January 2000, Anna Frumina was stripped of her kennel license and barred from AKC & UKC for 11 years, due to very unhealthy kennel conditions and other charges.

Frumina and her new partner Eugene Zelenyk continued to sell dogs over the internet for a, to us unknown, number of months or years.

[Click here] for  a 13 page document of great interest.

Year 2000

Sheryl Allred, a breeder from Utah, was the second (known to us) person to import a few Russian Toys to US, for breeding and selling. She sold her dogs on a web site called Mozaika. Ms. Allred never showed her dogs at any venues available at the time. She often spayed/neutered them, it is said, in an effort to stay the only breeder available in the US at the time. She started breeding Russian Toys around 2000. Around 2003-04 there was a Russian breeder whose website was translated in English.  Allred ordered several dogs from this breeder, sent the breeder some money, but never received her shipment of dogs. When she found several more US customers, who had encountered the same problem, they joined forces and alerted the Russkiy Toy Club in Moscow, and Russian Kynological Federation (RKF), also in Moscow. These Clubs barred this particular Russian breeder from their Clubs, until she had made restitution. Naturally, Allred and others did not receive the perfect dogs they had ordered and paid for, but instead they were sent sick and frail RTs. This must have been the ultimate blow, and Mozaika closed down the Russian Toy part of the kennel in 2004.

Year 2004

Anki Larsson bought her first "Moscow Toy Terrier" from Mozaika. She fell in love with the breed and decided to import this elegant and wonderful little dog to the US..The www.aReLeTTe.com kennel was formed in late 2004. Kennel owner Anki Larsson corresponded with Russian, Swedish and Finnish breeders in her effort to find a trustworthy and reputable breeder in the Moscow region. She found the wonderful kennel at Hrustalnaya Mechta, with owner Elena B. Morozova.

Ms. Morozova was put in charge by Ms. Larsson to find the best bitches and stud dogs available, to start the aReLeTTe kennel. Elena found them in her own kennel, as well as 3-4 other reputable, long time RT breeders in the Moscow area.

In June of 2005, Ms. Larsson flew to Moscow to meet Ms. Morozova and meet the longhaired Russian Toys chosen for her. Ms. Larsson formed a partnership with Ms. Morozova, and for two years imported about 30 Champion pedigreed Russian Toys. Some stayed in her own kennel and others went to breeders and show fanciers on the mainland US & Hawaii, Canada and Norway.

aReLeTTe brought to US such wonderful Russian Toy dogs as: 1. JrCH RUS, Int'l & Nat'l CH of America, Hrustalnaya Mechta I-Zet.   2. The very first Russkiy Toy CH with UKC & first blue/tan smooth coated RT in US -  Povelitel Vseya Rusi Yaromir (Mr. BLUE).   3. UKC Champion Hrustalnaya Mechta Cenitel Prekrasnogo(Pooh). Phyllis Blaha bought Pooh and had him shown by her groomer/friend for many years, in the venues available in US at the time.

aReLeTTe also brought these fine dams to the US: 1. Int'l & Nat'l CH of America Bulochka S Izuymom.   2. Int'l & Nat'l CH of America Cecilia   3. UKC CH H.M. Klassika Zhanra and  4. Raiskaya Ptichka Malenkaya Vera. They facilitated the purchase of H.M. Nadezhda Rossii (Nadii), UKC GRCH in 2009, 2010.

Anki Larsson at aReLeTTe owns/co-owns all seven(7) Russkiy Toys in the UKC TopTen 2010.

Six of the Russian/Russkiy Toys that aReLeTTe imported are direct descendants of the first longhaired RT, named CHIKKI. Chikki is the 11th Great Grandparent to these six dogs. In 2010 there are around 34 dogs in the US from aReLeTTe dogs who are direct descendants in 11-13th generation.

In May of 2011, there were 115 Russian Toys registered with the AKC-FSS.  Over 90 of these dogs have at one time or another belonged to aReLeTTe.

At this time, we estimate that there are about 250 Russian/Russkiy Toys in United States. Russian Toys are allowed to participate in AKC sponsored Agility, Obedience and Rally events.

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