The Russian Toy (also known as the Russian Toy Terrier, and in Russia as the Russkiy Toy, ) is a very small
breed
A breed is a specific group of breedable domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist seve ...
of
dog
The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the gray wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it was selectively bred from a population of wolves during the Late Pleistocene by hunter-gatherers. ...
originally bred in Russia from the
English Toy Terrier
The English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) is a small Dog breed, breed of terrier in the toy dog group.
Appearance
According to the Kennel Club (UK), the English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) should be in height and in weight. The only permitted colo ...
. There are two types of coats in the breed: smooth coat and long coat. The smooth-coated variety was previously known as the Russian Toy Terrier and long-coated as the Moscow Long-Haired Toy Terrier. Both were brought together under the same Russian Toy Terrier name in 1988 and the "Terrier" was dropped from the name when the breed was added in 2006 to the official list of breeds registered with the
Fédération Cynologique Internationale
The (; FCI; ) is the largest international federation of national kennel clubs and purebred registries. The FCI is based in Thuin, Belgium and has 98 members and contract partners (one from each country).
History
The FCI was founded in 1911 un ...
.
The breed has been registered in the
Foundation Stock Service of the
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit breed registry, registry of purebred dog pedigree (animal), pedigrees in the United States. In addition to maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions eve ...
(AKC) since 2008, and has been allowed to compete in AKC companion events since 2010.
The first official breed standard of the two varieties was written in 1966 in Russia.
The breed was nearly wiped out twice; first in the 1920s with the rise of
Communism
Communism () is a political sociology, sociopolitical, political philosophy, philosophical, and economic ideology, economic ideology within the history of socialism, socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a ...
due to the
toy dog
Toy dog traditionally refers to a very small dog or a grouping of small and very small breeds of dog. A toy dog may be of any of various dog types. Types of dogs referred to as toy dogs may include spaniels, pinschers and terriers that have been ...
's traditional link to the aristocracy and again in the 1990s with the influx of foreign breeds following the
fall of the Iron Curtain. The smooth coat type is the older of the two types, with the long coat type first appearing in 1958.
Until the 1990s, the breed was almost unknown outside of Russia, and so relatively few details on associated health issues are known. The Russian Toy was originally bred as a rat fighter and watchdog, and can still exhibit the vocalization expected from the latter. It is a friendly dog and can become very attached to the family unit. Due to its size and similarities to the
Chihuahua, the two are often compared, but are not closely related.
Description
The Russian Toy is one of the smallest breeds in the world, measuring and weighing . It has a small, distinctive head with large eyes and triangular ears. In countries where
docking is prohibited, the tail is curved in the shape of a
sickle
A sickle, bagging hook, reaping-hook or grasshook is a single-handed agricultural tool designed with variously curved blades and typically used for harvesting or reaping grain crops, or cutting Succulent plant, succulent forage chiefly for feedi ...
. There are two types in the breed, distinguished by their coats; one is long-coated and the other smooth-coated.
The smooth-coated dog has a short, shiny, close-lying coat. The long-coated variety has a longer coat and profuse feathering in the ears, legs and tail. The feathering or "fringe" on the ears is usually long, can be straight or with a slight wave. It will be grown by the age of three and should completely cover the outer edges and tips of the ears.
The smooth coat type of the breed closely resembles the
Pražský Krysařík breed of the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
.
The Pražský on average is a little shorter on leg and a little heavier than the Russian Toy.
Both of the Russian Toy varieties can be crossed and produce smooth- and long-coated puppies from the same litter. In addition, when two smooth-coated dogs are bred together, they may occasionally bear a long-coated offspring if the long hair gene is present in their pedigrees. However, there have been no records of two long-coated Russian Toys breeding together and producing smooth-coated offspring.
The breed has four main colors: black and tan, blue and tan, brown and tan, and solid red of various shades. Red includes sable (red where the tips of the hairs are black, known as overlay) and red sable (red with brown overlay).
Health

A Russian Toy will often require the help of a
veterinarian
A veterinarian (vet) or veterinary surgeon is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, veterinarians also play a role in animal r ...
to remove any retained
deciduous teeth
Deciduous teeth or primary teeth, also informally known as baby teeth, milk teeth, or temporary teeth,Fehrenbach, MJ and Popowics, T. (2026). ''Illustrated Dental Embryology, Histology, and Anatomy'', 6th edition, Elsevier, page 287–296. are ...
(known as "puppy teeth" or "baby teeth") that fail to fall out and make way for the permanent teeth. Without this intervention, usually done under anesthetic, the baby and permanent teeth will occupy the same socket in the jaw, which can cause
tartar deposits,
tooth decay
Tooth decay, also known as caries,The word 'caries' is a mass noun, and is not a plural of 'carie'.'' is the breakdown of teeth due to acids produced by bacteria. The resulting cavities may be a number of different colors, from yellow to black ...
,
gingivitis
Gingivitis is a non-destructive disease that causes inflammation of the gums; ulitis is an alternative term. The most common form of gingivitis, and the most common form of periodontal disease overall, is in response to bacterial biofilms (also ...
and
periodontitis
Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is a set of inflammatory conditions affecting the tissues surrounding the teeth. In its early stage, called gingivitis, the gums become swollen and red and may bleed. It is considered the main c ...
, and can lead to premature
loss of teeth. Retained puppy teeth can also cause misalignment of the teeth.
As with most breeds of dog, the Russian Toy can suffer from
patellar luxation
A luxating patella, sometimes called a trick knee, is a condition in which the patella, or kneecap, dislocates or moves out of its normal location. It can be associated with damage to the anterior cruciate ligament.
Patellar luxation is a common ...
, which is where the
knee cap slips out of place when the knee bends as the groove that normally holds it in place is too shallow. It is usually an inherited defect, which occurs during the development of the
foetus
A fetus or foetus (; : fetuses, foetuses, rarely feti or foeti) is the unborn offspring of a viviparous animal that develops from an embryo. Following the embryonic stage, the fetal stage of development takes place. Prenatal development is a ...
and rarely by trauma.
Russian Toys can suffer from bone fractures due to their small and sometimes delicate nature.
Temperament
Active and cheerful,
the Russian Toy was originally bred both as an anti-rat dog and a watch dog. The second quality is still active in the breed, and they can be very vocal. They can become quite attached to their family, regardless of the ages of the family members.
Russian Toys are usually very reserved with strangers, but very loyal to their owners, always ready to protect them from any perceived danger.
History
The first evidence of English-style terriers in Russia can be seen in the Museum of Zoology in
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
. On display is an English style terrier dated 1716–1726 with a sign that reads "This dog is a short hair terrier named Lizetta. It personally belonged to the Russian Emperor
Peter the Great
Peter I (, ;
– ), better known as Peter the Great, was the Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia, Tsar of all Russia from 1682 and the first Emperor of Russia, Emperor of all Russia from 1721 until his death in 1725. He reigned j ...
."
Indeed, the breed was developed as a companion dog for the
Russian nobility
The Russian nobility or ''dvoryanstvo'' () arose in the Middle Ages. In 1914, it consisted of approximately 1,900,000 members, out of a total population of 138,200,000. Up until the February Revolution of 1917, the Russian noble estates staffed ...
. According to some accounts, records indicate that eight smooth-coated Russian Toys competed in a dog show in Saint Petersburg as far back as 1874.
The more generally accepted first reference to the breed appears in May 1907 when 11 Russian Toys were shown at an exhibition in Saint Petersburg.
In 1923, two dogs appeared at a Moscow dog show and in 1924, three more were awarded medals at a show in Odessa. But as a result of the
October Revolution
The October Revolution, also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution (in Historiography in the Soviet Union, Soviet historiography), October coup, Bolshevik coup, or Bolshevik revolution, was the second of Russian Revolution, two r ...
, the Russian Toy diminished in popularity and in numbers as these types of dogs were closely linked to the aristocracy and therefore frowned upon.
In 1947, only one dog was shown in Saint Petersburg. When breeding began to revitalize the stock of Russian Toys in Russia, only a few of the dogs left had pedigrees or were purebred.
The lack of numbers and political isolation of the country at the time caused the creation of a new breed quite distinct from the former English style toy dog as breeders sought to stabilise the remaining toy sized terriers into a standard breed.
The resulting contemporary Russian Toy has most of the features of the classic toy
terrier
Terrier () is a Dog type, type of dog originally bred to hunt vermin. A terrier is a dog of any one of many Dog breed, breeds or landraces of the terrier Dog type, type, which are typically small, wiry, Gameness, game, and fearless. There are fi ...
, with the addition of some new characteristics. The head is high but not wide, the cheeks are flat and the eyes are round. By 1960, 76 dogs were entered into an exhibition and the first standard for the two Russian Toy varieties was written in 1966 and authorized by the
Ministry of Agriculture
An agriculture ministry (also called an agriculture department, agriculture board, agriculture council, or agriculture agency, or ministry of rural development) is a ministry charged with agriculture. The ministry is often headed by a minister f ...
.
[ ]
In 1988, the Russian Kynological Federation published a new breed standard, combining the short-coated Russian Toy Terrier and the long-coated Moscow Toy Terrier under "Russian Toy Terrier." However, after the fall of the
Iron Curtain
The Iron Curtain was the political and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1991. On the east side of the Iron Curtain were countries connected to the So ...
in 1989, the popularity of imported exotic breeds nearly drove the Russian Toy into extinction.
A resurgence occurred thanks to a new energetic generation of dog breeders,
but the breed remained virtually unknown outside of Russia until the 1990s.
Several kennels have now been established outside Russia, the most successful ones located in Finland, Estonia, Belarus, Ukraine and Czech Republic. Interest in the breed is on the rise in the US and Japan.
The Russian Toy was provisionally recognised by the
Federation Cynologique Internationale
A federation (also called a federal state) is an entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governing status of the co ...
in 2006 and gained definitive recognition in 2017.
[ ]
The
United Kennel Club
The United Kennel Club (UKC) is a kennel club founded in 1898 in the United States. In contrast with the American Kennel Club, which is non-profit and which only clubs can join, the United Kennel Club is a profit-making corporation, open to indivi ...
and the
Foundation Stock Service of the
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit breed registry, registry of purebred dog pedigree (animal), pedigrees in the United States. In addition to maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions eve ...
both accepted the breed in 2008
Russian Toys are also recognized by the
American Rare Breed Association
The American Rare Breed Association (ARBA) is a kennel club for owners and fanciers of dog breeds and types not recognized by the American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit breed registry, registry of purebre ...
and
International All Breed Canine Association.
Development of the long-coated Russian Toy

The original long-coated Russian Toy is arguably a dog named Chikki born on 12 October 1958 to two smooth-coated dogs that both had slightly longer hair than was typical. Initially, the puppy was not to be registered as its coat was too long to meet the breed standard, and usually such dogs would not participate in breeding programs and would often be put down.
Chikki, however, was registered with a pedigree and purchased by Evgeniya Fominichna Zharova.
Zharova is thus the long-coated variety's founding breeder as the first breeder to intentionally retain and breed a dog with a longer coat. Chikki developed an ear fringe and was mated with a female named Irma, who also had a longer coat than most smooth-coated dogs, and together they produced a litter of three long-coated puppies.
Zharova developed the breed in Moscow, and so it came to be known as the Moscow Toy Terrier. The breed made its first appearance at a dog show in 1964 and the standard was set in 1966. Ten years after Chikki's birth, between 1968 and 1969, approximately 300 long-coated dogs were registered
– a significant number considering that Russian Toy litters tend to be small, typically one to three puppies. Today, the long-coated variety has an established presence in Poland, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Ukraine and a number of other countries, but the breeding program is particularly strong in Finland.
The first Russian Toy was brought to Finland in 1988 when a long-coated male named Black-Champion-Bonaparte was imported from Russia and registered by Sirpa Lehtinen under Kennel Jojamint's. A female named Ste-Shihu was brought later that same year from Estonia by the same owner, and the two produced Finland's first Russian Toy litter (Jojamint's Agostini and Jojamint's Alboreto) also in 1988.
Black-Champion-Bonaparte and Ste-Shihu were the first Russian Toys to appear in a dog show in Finland in 1989.
American Kennel Club history

The
Foundation Stock Service (FSS) of the
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit breed registry, registry of purebred dog pedigree (animal), pedigrees in the United States. In addition to maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions eve ...
(AKC) accepted the Russian Toy into its records in August 2008, and in July 2009, the Russian Toy was approved to compete in AKC
companion events from 1 January 2010 onwards.
Russian Toys can also be shown and earn Certificate of Merit Points at FSS Open shows.
In 2008, the AKC board and FSS also acknowledged th
Russian Toy Club of America(RTCA).
[ Foundation Stock Service of the ]American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit breed registry, registry of purebred dog pedigree (animal), pedigrees in the United States. In addition to maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions eve ...
The following year, the AKC board and FSS acknowledge
Russian Toy Dog Club of America, Inc. (RTDCA).
In 2010 this second club, RTDCA, decided to become the National Club for the Russian Toy breed in the
United Kennel Club
The United Kennel Club (UKC) is a kennel club founded in 1898 in the United States. In contrast with the American Kennel Club, which is non-profit and which only clubs can join, the United Kennel Club is a profit-making corporation, open to indivi ...
(UKC), where it became known as the ''Russkiy'' Toy Dog Club of America, Inc. (RTDCA). In 2013, the RTDCA was asked by AKC to separate into two distinct clubs with different officers to form two independent clubs: one to represent the AKC club and the other to represent the UKC Club.
The AKC Russian Toy Dog Club of America added the word "The" to their name and becam
The Russian Toy Dog Club of America(TRTDCA) while the UKC club retained the origina
Russkiy Toy Dog Club of America name (RTDCA).
In August 2013, AKC stated that the two clubs RTCA and TRTDCA must combine into one club to represent the Russian Toy breed in the AKC.
References
External links
American Kennel ClubRussian Toy Club of America, Inc. (AKC Recognized)Russkiy Toy Dog Club of America (UKC recognized)Russian Toy Club of Finland (in Finnish)Russian Toy Information & Pictures (in English)
{{Terriers
FCI breeds
Rare dog breeds
Toy dogs
Companion dogs
Dog breeds originating in Russia
Dog breeds originating in the Soviet Union
Toy terriers