Russian Toy Standards
- AKC (FSS)
- FCI (Group 9)
- UKC (Companion Dog)
- 8-10"
- 3-6 lbs
- small, toy breed
- large, thin, erect ears
- tail may be docked or left natural
- coat can be smooth or long haired
- black and tan
- blue and tan
- brown and tan
- reds
History of the Russian Toy
The Russian Toy's main ancestor is the English Toy Terrier, which was one of the country's most popular companion breeds in the 20th century and has been known there since the 1700s. They bred in in isolation, thriving until losing ground in the 1920s due to the rise in Communism and their traditional link with the aristocracy. When fanciers later returned to small toy dogs in the middle of the 20th century their foundation stock could no longer be classified as English Toy Terriers. Most had no pedigrees or bloodlines, but were still small, smooth coated terriers. The longhaired variety would not appear in a litter until 1958. When the Iron Curtain fell in 1989 their numbers inside Russia began to drop, due to the sudden import of foreign breeds. However, this also brought attention to the breed to the outside world and as a result it is now slowly being recognized in other countries.
Related Breeds: