The Moscow Water Dog, though now extinct, was once a fluffy four-foot canine that eventually led to the creation of the Black Russian Terrier. While you won’t find these breeds around today, here are some things you might want to know about these temperamental dogs.
The Moscow Water Dog was originally commissioned by the Russian government and Navy. Their goal was to create the ultimate rescue dog. But instead of saving people, the dog would attack and bite victims out of aggression.
Qualities Of the Moscow Water Dog
It has been difficult to understand the nature of the Moscow water dog. But because of the parent breeds involved, we can assume that this water-loving hound was bold, hard-working, and incredibly intelligent.
Though breeders envisioned the Moscow water dog would reap some of the gentle, kind traits from the Newfoundland genealogy, unfortunately, it was the total opposite. The Moscow water dog was more aggressive when faced with high-pressure situations. Which eventually led to the ultimate demise of the breed.
Though these dogs were admiringly intelligent, it was challenging to say whether or not they would be highly trainable due to their projected gutsy, independent attitude. The Moscow water dog was probably at medium liveliness pooch throughout the day, while being ready to leap into action at a moment’s notice. And like most other functional dog breeds, these four-foot dogs were probably most pleased while doing their job and remaining active.
If the Moscow Water Dog were still around, the kind of dog food that would be ideal for them would be those specially formulated for giant breeds. They have high energy levels and would need all the nutrition they can get.
While they may have been developed from intelligent breeds and is quite smart as well. It was assumed that it would have been easy to train, unfortunately, this was not the case. Due to their aggressive and independent nature, training was quite challenging. (Source: Pet Guide)
What is the Reason Behind the Breed’s Extinction?
The Moscow water dog reached extinction due to the breed’s unexpected aggressive behavior. This was especially evident when exposed to drowning victims. This dog was planned to be the greatest water rescue dog. So when they were more willing to bite drowning victims than save them, the project was stopped. (Source: Pet Guide)
Can You Still Own a Moscow Water Dog?
These unique dogs are extremely difficult to find. However, you can find Newfoundland blends that have shepherds in their gene reservoir, which may deliver a somewhat similar cross. While it is uncertain it seems that the breed ran extinct sometime during the 1980s. One of the breed’s relatives, the Black Russian terrier, gained international recognition in 1984. (Source: Pet Guide)
How Alike are the Moscow Water Dog and the Newfoundland
Even though there are some similarities between the two breeds, the Moscow water dog is not exactly the same as the Newfoundland. This species is a cross between three further breeds: The Newfoundland, the East European shepherd, and the Caucasian shepherd which is also known as a Russian Prison Dog.
Even if these massive dogs aren’t around today, the Moscow Water Dog aided pave the course for some of the most hard-working fearless dogs you can find. This brief-lived breed was a soft yet strong soldier. (Source: Pet Guide)