THE STORY OF ZASHA, MIKHAIL, AND HIS FAMILY IS A WORK OF FICTION. THE EFFORT TO CREATE A RUSSIAN “SUPERDOG” IS BASED IN FACT, ALTHOUGH IT DEVELOPED DIFFERENTLY THAN IN THIS STORY.

After World War II, which devastated the Soviet Union, there were almost no dogs left alive. Private dog breeders and kennels had vanished. Starvation, abandonment, illness, injury, and service in the military had all but eliminated the rest. The Soviet government realized that it alone had the resources and ability to do something about the problem. A decision was made to create a new breed of dog, a hardy Russian dog, to be used primarily for working and military purposes.

Outside of Moscow at the Central School of Military Dog Breeding, more commonly know as the Red Star Kennel, the experiment began shortly after the end of the war. Most of the dogs were imported from territories occupied by Russian forces, especially East Germany. The few surviving breeds that could be found in Russia were also included. Under the direction of Colonel G. P. Medvedev, and with the assistance of Professor of Biology N. A. Iljin, the first dogs were mated.

The dog they hoped to produce would have several desired physical features and personality traits: a large, brave, strong dog — a hard worker, but one that was sociable and required minimum grooming. It had to be protective and smart, but they also wanted a loyal, calm canine that gave and needed affection.

Three breeds made huge contributions to these efforts: the giant schnauzer, the Rottweiler, and the Airedale terrier. The Great Dane, the German shepherd, the Newfoundland, and the Moscow water dog (now extinct) also played valuable roles. Although all the records from the government program have never been officially released, enough information has been shared that it is known that well over a hundred dogs were used, and at least seventeen breeds.

By 1955, the Red Star Kennel felt confident that they had achieved their goal, and they presented the first generation of black Russian terriers to the public at the National Agricultural Exhibition. Everyone loved the dog immediately. In 1957, they began sharing black Russian terrier puppies with private breeders. Their popularity spread rapidly and to many nearby countries by the 1970s. The dog was nicknamed “the Black Pearl of Russia.”

Today’s black Russian terrier can weigh 80–150 pounds and be as tall as 30 inches. His dense, black, wavy, waterproof coat gives him protection in the harshest climates. This dog loves to play with children, strives to please his master, is protective but nonaggressive, and needs lots and lots of exercise!

In 2004, the American Kennel Club gave the black Russian terrier official recognition in what is known as the Working Group. These dogs help their owners with tasks such as managing livestock, guarding property, pulling sleds, and acting as rescue dogs on water and land. The passionate, but fictional, Dimitri Moravsky would have been proud.