By Lucy Hine
The Borzoi is an elegant dog that is also known as the Russian wolfhound. Bred for wolf hunting by the Russian aristocracy, its name comes from the Russian word “borzii” which means swift.
The method of hunting the Russians used with the Borzoi was quite unique. Russian hunters rode on horses in a wooded area that wolves were known to live in. They kept their Borzois on leads until the wolf was driven out of cover by a pack of hounds called “beaters” and then they let the Borzoi off their leads and sent them after the wolf.
The Borzoi is tall and agile, making it a very fast runner. Built similarly to a greyhound, the Borzoi has a slim, long head, long legs and a deep but narrow chest. However, it is taller than a greyhound and has a long, silky coat. Their colours are white, golden, tan or grey with black markings.
Affectionate and devoted to its owner, the Borzoi can be shy and cautious with strangers. Exercise is a must with this breed, preferably jogging for an hour or running alongside a bike and ideally lots of time spent running around and playing. Keep in mind this dog has a hunting instinct, so obedience training is a must if you don’t want yours to run off to chase another dog or animal.
The Borzoi has a quiet, gentle nature and loves to live as part of the family, although it is more suitable for homes with older children and may need supervision around small pets and young children. They are an intelligent and proud dog, extremely loyal to their owners and affectionate with people they know well. However, owners must be aware that this breed is less willing to please people than some other breeds, so may ignore your calls while out walking.
Borzois like to keep themselves clean, so regular baths and grooming are important. They are a quiet dog and rarely bark, which makes them popular with the neighbours! They have little to no territorial instinct and are good with other dogs but should be supervised with small pets such as cats and rabbits. If Borzois are socialised well with cats and other pets at a young age, they can learn to live well with them.
The Borzoi can get along fairly well with children but is not really suited to be a children’s companion, because it doesn’t enjoy rough play and enjoys its quiet time and rest. During their growing stage, the Borzoi needs a highly nutritional diet to help keep its energy levels up.
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