McNab vs Black Russian Terrier - Breed Comparison

McNab vs Black Russian Terrier - Breed ComparisonBlack Russian Terrier is originated from Russia but McNab is originated from United States. Black Russian Terrier may grow 12 cm / 5 inches higher than McNab. Black Russian Terrier may weigh 30 kg / 67 pounds more than McNab. Both Black Russian Terrier and McNab has almost same life span. Black Russian Terrier may have more litter size than McNab. Black Russian Terrier requires High Maintenance. But McNab requires Low Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Working dog
Working dog
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Russia
United States
Height Male:
72 - 76 cm
28 - 30 inches
40 - 64 cm
15 - 26 inches
Height Female:
68 - 72 cm
26 - 29 inches
40 - 64 cm
15 - 26 inches
Weight Male:
50 - 60 kg
110 - 133 pounds
14 - 30 kg
30 - 67 pounds
Weight Female:
40 - 50 kg
88 - 111 pounds
14 - 30 kg
30 - 67 pounds
Life Span:
9 - 14 Years
13 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
6 - 12
1 - 7
Size:
Large
Medium
Other Names:
BRT Russian Black Terrier • Russkiy Tchiorny Terrier • Chornyi • Terrier Noir Russe • Russian Bear Schnauzer • Black Terrier • Tchiorny Terrier
McNab Shepherd, McNab Collie
Colors Available:
black only
Black or red with white feet, white tipped tails and white markings around the face
Coat:
Rough and thick, slightly waved
Short and dense
Shedding:
Minimal
Minimal
Temperament:
Alert, Courageous, Energetic, Independent, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Protective, Responsive, Stubborn, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Curious, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
High Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
No
New Owners Friendly:
No
Yes

History

black russian terrierDuring the cold war, the Soviet Union developed the Black Russian Terrier as a working military dog. During the early 1950’s, the Red Star Kennel developed this breed and in 2004 by the American Kennel Club. The Black Russian Terrier is not really a terrier at all, but a mid-sized working dog used for hunting and guarding or as a pet. The Red Star Kennel is thought to have developed the BRT using a wide variety of breeds – as many as seventeen – including breeds like the Newfoundland, the Rottweiler, the Caucasian Shepard Dog and a Giant Shepard and an Airedale. So, you can see the wide variety and several more breeds were added. The Red Star Kennel in Moscow was owned by the state and they developed the BRT for specific working conditions and not for appearance. They did not really care how it looked except that it had to be black. In 1957 the state allowed a few puppies to be sold to non-military breeders. These breeders began to breed the Black Russian Terrier for appearance as well as function.

As these breeders worked with the dogs, they spread the breed throughout Russia and into Finland, Poland, Hungary, Germany, Czechoslovakia and Germany. From there they spread to Australia, Canada and the United States. The breed standard was developed in 1958 and by 1996 an updated version of the standard was developed to reflect the dog we see today. In 1996 the United Kingdom also got their first introduction to the breed. They are still rare outside of Russian or previous Soviet Union states.

mcnabThe attractive McNab dog is also known as the McNab Shepherd or McNab Collie. This very lively dog originated in the Mendocino region of Northern California, being specifically bred to withstand tough weather conditions and rough terrain.

The dog is becoming popular outside of California now. A Scottish rancher with the surname McNab left Scotland and arrived in California in the 19th century. He crossed Scottish Border Collies with Shepherd dogs and the ranchers in California started using these dogs for herding livestock.

Today they are still being used as herding dogs in California and other countries. The dog isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club. It was in 2014 that a group of McNab Shepherd breeders established the McNab Shepherd Registry so as to work towards the advancement of the McNab Shepherd.

Description

black russian terrier puppy - descriptionA little larger than a mid-sized dog, the Black Russian Terrier is strong, powerful, stable and alert. His head is block shaped and has a broad skull. The muzzle is square with a beard and mustache. A black, large nose and full black lips are matched with powerful and large jaws. He has a scissor bite and his ears should be triangles with rounded apexes. They have very large paws that are bear-like in appearance with thick black pads. They are also covered with hair. Their legs are muscular, powerful and strong. They have a cropped tail.

mcnab puppy - descriptionThe McNab Dog is a medium-sized working dog. The appearance of this dog varies quite a bit. For instance you may come across a dog with erect ears or floppy ears or a long tail or one that is naturally bobbed.

When it comes to size, you will find that between the males and females they stand at roughly 40 – 64cm and weigh anything from 14 – 30kg.

Most of these McNabs are black or red with white feet, white tipped tails and white markings around the face. The coat is weather resistant and fairly short and dense. You also get tri-colored McNabs. Eyes are usually a brown or copper color though you might find some with bluish eyes as well.

Temperament:

These are such intelligent dogs so with training and socialization you’ll find he is able to learn easily and quickly. He is a self assured dog, so he will respond well to an owner who is firm and fair, patient, kind and consistent.

He is best suited to life in the country as he needs lots of place to run around. If you don’t live on a farm, take the dog for long walks every day as he requires lots of exercise and mental stimulation. He is a loving family member too, getting along well with kids in the home as well as other pets. He is also a good guard- and watch dog, taking his job as protector of his human family very seriously.

Characteristics

black russian terrier dog - characteristicsThe Black Russian Terrier is a working dog and he is confident, calm, self-assured and confident. He is responsive and intelligent, protective and fearless, loyal and aloof. He is not welcoming to strangers. If socialized well, he is enough of an independent thinker to be able to decide on his own who or what poses a threat to his family and what doesn’t. They get bored quickly because they are so smart. Keep him stimulated. These are strong, athletic dogs who will love to run with you, jog along side your bike, hike the mountain or just walk with you. Whatever your form of exercise is, the Black Russian Terrier can adapt to it. They also have a strong prey drive so don’t trust them with animals they do not know. They are ok with cats and dogs that they grow up with. They love to play with kids but be careful they don’t unintentionally knock the little ones down.

The Black Russian Terrier matures later than other dogs. Treat the puppy the way you want the adult dog to be. If you don’t want a large dog on your bed don’t let the puppy sleep on the bed. He will soon be a large, powerful and strong dog with a mind of his own and you will not be able to keep him off the bed.

mcnab dog - characteristicsThe McNab makes a splendid pet and is known to be even-tempered, being friendly and tolerant with his entire human family.

He gets on well with children in the home as well as other pets. He has always been a hard working pet and doubles up as being an excellent guard dog too. Those who have had the McNab as a pet say that you couldn’t get a more excellent family canine friend.

Health Problems

black russian terrier puppies - health problemsThis is a healthy breed who faces some of the same issues other large dogs face such as dysplasia in the elbows and hips. Then they also face their own hereditary diseases such as Juvenile laryngeal paralysis, hyperuricosuria and polyneuropathy. They are also susceptible to heart disease, eye diseases, allergies, Panosteitis and hypertropic osteodystrophy. Let’s look at the major hereditary disease that are not so common.

Juvenile Laryngeal Paralysis

This occurs when the larynx arytenoid cartilages stop working and don’t operate so then the adjoining muscles don’t work either and the dog cannot swallow without the possible damage to the airway and the cannot breathe properly during exercise or while panting.

Hyperuricosuria

This is a condition that can occur in people and animals. This condition can lead to kidney or bladder stones as there is too much uric acid in their urine.

Polyneuropathy

Like any form of neuropathy, in this disease many different nerves are damaged, and this can cause weak reflexes and tremors. There are effective treatments however.

mcnab puppies - health problemsThis dog doesn’t really have genetic health issues, but they can suffer with hip dysplasia, a problem that many dogs battle with, whether small or large, young or old.

They can also suffer with epilepsy and an eye disease such as entropion where the lid of the eye is turned inwards. Check its ears and teeth regularly for infections and keep up to date with his vaccinations.

The McNab is a health dog breed so you aren't likely to face any of these common dog health issues.

Caring The Pet

Feeding

black russian terrier dogs - caringThis is a large, working dog that needs healthy nutrition. Feed once or twice a day but do not overfeed. Don’t let your Black Russian Terrier get overweight. Proper nutrition for puppies is critical given the nutrionally based diseases discussed below.

Health issues

  1. Hypertrophic osteodystrophy (HOD) – Watch out for this in your puppy. Like other large, puppies that grow fast the Black Russian Terrier is susceptible to this bone disease.
  2. Panosteitis (Wandering Lameness) – Again an issue for puppies of larger breeds as a nutritional issue causes an abrupt lameness at 6-8 months of age.
  3. Heart Disease – Cardiomyopathy, Mitral Valve Dysplasia and Aortic Stenosis
  4. Eye Diseases – Conjunctivitis, entropion and ectropion.
  5. Allergies – Food, contact and inhalant. Hot spots and fungal infections of the beard and ears.

Exercise and games

This is a high energy dog that needs to work. He doesn’t just want to work, he needs to work. So, find him a job and one that includes a lot of exercise. He needs consistent and firm training but will respond well and excel in Obedience Trials. They are good at Schutzhund and agility. They need plenty of exercise and will be unhappy and destructive without enough and a job. He needs to burn off that energy.

Diet:

mcnab dogs - caringYou can feed your McNab dog commercial dry kibble, but then you want to be sure its the best quality one. Buying inferior foods means that you’re getting a whole lot of ingredients in the food that are bad – sugar, salt, preservatives, fillers, colorants etc. Rather go for the best brands that will ensure that your dog is getting all the vitamins and minerals he needs.

Homemade food is also important and foods such as boiled chicken, brown rice and pasta as well as cooked or raw vegetables chopped up and added to his dry kibble can make for a delicious, wholesome treat. It will be to his benefit if you can every now and then give him some raw meat as well. Make sure to see that he has a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Exercise:

McNab Shepherds are very active dogs and they are going to require quite a bit of physical exercise as well as mental stimulation. They are dogs who have been used to herding livestock and he loves this busy life. It is why he wouldn’t be happy living in the city but is better suited to farm life or in a home with a large garden. Long walks and hikes will suit him as well as swimming and joining in every game there is.

Grooming:

The McNab is considered to be a low maintenance dog and grooming the short thick coat will be required twice a week. Always check around the eyes and ears as well as inside the mouth for problems and infections.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Black Russian Terrier vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  2. Black Russian Terrier vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. Black Russian Terrier vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  4. Black Russian Terrier vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. Black Russian Terrier vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Black Russian Terrier vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Black Russian Terrier vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Black Russian Terrier vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Black Russian Terrier vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Black Russian Terrier vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Black Russian Terrier vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Black Russian Terrier vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Black Russian Terrier vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Black Russian Terrier vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. Black Russian Terrier vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  16. Black Russian Terrier vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. Black Russian Terrier vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. Black Russian Terrier vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. Black Russian Terrier vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  20. Black Russian Terrier vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
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  22. Black Russian Terrier vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  23. Black Russian Terrier vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. Black Russian Terrier vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. Black Russian Terrier vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. McNab vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. McNab vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. McNab vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. McNab vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. McNab vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. McNab vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. McNab vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. McNab vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. McNab vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. McNab vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. McNab vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. McNab vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. McNab vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. McNab vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. McNab vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. McNab vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. McNab vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. McNab vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. McNab vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. McNab vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. McNab vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. McNab vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. McNab vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. McNab vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. McNab vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison