Russian Toy: Dog Breed Information

The Russian Toy is a small, delicately built dwarf dog with prick ears and big eyes. It’s easy to fall under the charm of the little one, but the Russian toy has a lot of personalities and a typical terrier temperament.

Origin and history

In the early 20th century, the English Toy Terrier was one of the most popular toy dog ​​breeds in Russia. There, however, the breed was hardly bred further and the stock fell sharply. It was not until the 1950s that Russian breeders took up this breed and from then on the development of the Russian variant took its course. The breed standard initially only provided for short-haired dogs, later the long-haired breed was added. Today, the Russkiy Toy (also known as the Russian Toy or Russian Miniature Spaniel ) is a preliminary FCI-recognized breed of dog that is enjoying increasing popularity.

Appearance

The Russian Toy is a small, long-legged dog with a graceful body. It is built roughly square and weighs no more than 3 kg. It has a narrow, pointed snout and large dark eyes. The ears of the Russian Toy are relatively large and erect. The tail is docked in some countries. Naturally grown, the tail is of medium length and sickle-shaped.

The Russian Toy is bred in short-haired and long-haired varieties. The short-haired toy has short, close-lying, glossy hair with no undercoat. With the long-haired toy, the whole body is covered with long (3-5 cm) straight to slightly wavy hair. The long fringes on the backs of the legs and the ears are striking. With its butterfly ears, this variety is very reminiscent of the Papillon.

The coat color of the Russian Toy is black with tan, brown with tan, or blue with a tan. It can also be solid red with or without a brown overlay.

Nature

The breed standard describes the Russian Toy as very lively, joyful, and neither fearful nor aggressive. For his size, he is even extremely curious to daredevil. Despite its tiny size, one mustn’t forget that real terrier blood runs in the veins of the Russian Toy. It is brave, alert, and assertive.

Little Russian Toy has a big personality and is extremely confident. It’s upbringing, therefore, requires empathy and loving consistency. Otherwise, it wraps people around its finger with its incomparable charm and takes command of itself.

The active and playful Russian Toy is well suited for people who like exercise and variety in their lives. It is an ideal companion for single people but also a loving companion for families. However, small children under the age of five could easily perceive the dainty Russian Toy as a toy, so it is better off with older children. Due to its compact size, the Russian Toy can also be kept well in a city apartment.