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The Russian Toy is an elegant and delicate little dog, with large mobile pricked ears, appealing round eyes and a compact, muscular body. They come in two coat varieties; the smooth coated variety which has a short, close-lying and glossy single coat without undercoat; the long coat which has a moderate length of fur over the body, short on the face and fronts of the legs and long feathering on the backs of legs, tail and ears. This coat should be silky and glossy.
The Russian Toy breed can suffer from:
- Patellar luxation
- Dental disease
Priority Kennel Club health schemes and testing:
None but there are several recommended schemes that the Kennel Club recommends which can be found here.
As with many small breeds, the Russian Toy has a huge personality, unsurprising given their ancestry lies in the terrier type. Active, cheerful and thriving on human companionship, the Russian Toy loves family life. They can be reserved with strangers and do require thorough socialisation from an early age, particularly with children, pets and other dogs. They are ever alert for anything they deem dangerous and will behave as a perfect watch dog, sounding the alarm should anything appear suspicious. This may not be peaceful or restful to live with, so take this trait into consideration. They are intelligent and will enjoy training, and any activity that involves being with their human family.
| Family-friendly: | 4/5 |
| Exercise needs: | 3/5 |
| Easy to train: | 3/5 |
| Tolerates being alone: | 2/5 |
| Likes other pets: | 3/5 |
| Energy level: | 3/5 |
| Grooming needs: | 2/5 |
| Shedding: | 2/5 |
The Russian Toy owes its existence to the small toy terrier types of England, and the desire of Russian aristocracy and elite families to own English things (particularly English dogs and English horses). The first small companion-type toy dogs were seen in Russia in the early 1700’s, and there is an example of a black and tan toy terrier named Lizetta in the Museum of Zoology in St Petersburg. Lizetta belonged to the Russian Emperor, Peter the Great, and this made the ownership of neat, tiny toy companion breeds popular.
By 1874, Russian Toys were competing in dog shows, and 11 Russian Toys were listed as being exhibited in a St Petersburg show in 1907, however these were still very closely related to the English Toy terriers.
The October Revolution in 1917 meant that the Russian Toy diminished in popularity, as all things relating to aristocracy, wealth and nobility were then frowned upon. The lack of numbers and the political isolation of the country caused the creation of a new breed, with a breed standard drawn up that was distinct from the earlier English style breed. Since the 1950’s this new, contemporary style Russian Toy differed significantly from the classic toy terrier, and in 1958 the first long haired Russian Toy litter was born. Years of careful development later and the breed now has two varieties, the Long haired and the Smooth haired.
First recognised by the Russian Kynological Federation, but at that time classified as Terriers, following a revision to the breed standard in 2003 in conjunction with the Federation Cynologique Internationale, they were finally moved to the Companion and Toy group in 2006. In the UK, they are currently on the Import Register for the Toy group.
If you’re a first time owner who enjoys short but active walks, has an interest in dog training for basic manners and fun tricks, then the Russian Toy could be your new best friend! Although small they are sensibly proportioned, economical to feed house and transport, and are not difficult to groom, even in the long coat variety. Although a little too small for very young children, older children and child-free homes will find this delightful character fun and engaging to live with.
An hour a day, minimum – an adult Russian Toy is capable of much more so take this as a base-line for daily exercise, and add more as appropriate. They have active and inquisitive minds so some kind of training, dog sport or activity, and plenty of enrichment and puzzle solving, should help to keep them fulfilled and content.
Small enough to live almost anywhere, the Russian Toy does not need lavish or vast housing. However, being so small may mean that busy pavements and city streets are overwhelming, and of course they can squeeze through the tiniest of holes, so super secure fencing is necessary. A small town, rural suburbs or truly rural home will suit this breed down to the ground. For city dwellers this is a dog you may need to carry to keep them out of range of stomping feet!
Toy dogs have a fast metabolism, meaning they burn energy at a high rate, although their small stomachs mean that they must eat little and often. Small-breed foods are specifically designed with appropriate levels of key nutrients and smaller kibble sizes to suit smaller mouths. This also encourages chewing and improves digestion.
The short-coated variety of Russian Toy is easily groomed with a bristle brush once a week. The long coat requires combing through every other day and a thorough brushing weekly. This variety can also pick up a lot of debris and muck in their hairy feet and feathering, teach them to tolerate bathing and drying from an early age.
Quick and clever, this is a breed who will enjoy training as a hobby in its own right – clicker training for heelwork to music or trick routines will be fun and easy. They are also easily capable of some of the sports larger dogs enjoy such as Rally, Hoopers, mini agility and Man-trailing. Do not be fooled by their small size, there is an active and capable dog inside this tiny package!
A brilliant little dog for the family as long as children understand that this is a real dog and not a toy or play-thing. Consider waiting until children are old enough to understand how to be respectful of a dogs needs, as this is a delicate little breed with easily damaged limbs. Best suited to families with older children who enjoy dog training.
While many dogs are traditionally thought of as being good with children, all dogs and children need to be taught to get on with and respect each other, and be safe together. Even so, dogs and young children should never be left alone together and adults should supervise all interactions between them.
