Borzoi
The borzoi is a Russian sighthound bred by the aristocracy to course wolves across open steppe, working in pairs to hold the animal until hunters arrived.
The name simply means swift. The breed nearly disappeared after 1917, surviving through dogs already gifted abroad.
It is very tall and narrow, with a long curved skull, a silky wavy coat and remarkable elegance in motion. The temperament is quiet and cat-like — borzoi are undemonstrative, sensitive to harsh handling, and spend most of the day lying down. Prey drive, however, is absolute: anything small and fleeing will be chased.
- Origin
- Russia
- Size
- 27–48 kg, 68–85 cm at the shoulder
- Lifespan
- 9–14 years
- Coat
- Long, silky and wavy, with a heavy ruff
- Temperament
- Quiet, gentle, aloof with strangers, sensitive
- Exercise
- An hour daily with room to gallop
3 borzoi photos, newest first
Living with a borzoi
Brush two or three times a week; the coat is silky rather than woolly and mats mainly behind the ears and on the britches.
Never off lead in unfenced ground. A borzoi in pursuit covers extraordinary distance at speed and will not respond to a call, and the breed's prey drive extends to cats and small dogs it does not live with.
Deep chest means real bloat risk. Like other sighthounds they are sensitive to anaesthetics, which any vet should be told. They need soft bedding: there is very little padding on those joints.
General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual dogs vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.
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