Borzoi
Description
It was in about
1600 when it was thought that the Borzoi was probably first brought from
Arabia to Russia. It was there that this elegant sight hound was adopted
by the nobility, crossed with longer haired sheepdogs and used as a
fierce and brave wolf hunter thus earning the name Russian Wolfhound
where they bred and hunted with these dogs for hundreds of years.
Eventually spreading through to Europe where Queen Victoria owned
Borzois and many of the British aristocracy soon followed suit enabling
this breed to become favored for gifts among royalty. As his use as a
companion dog increased the Borzoi became more docile. The name comes
from the Russian word 'borzoi' which means swift. This dogs many talents
include hunting, sighting and lure coursing.
Temperament
This intelligent
and sweet dog is extremely loyal to their family and quite affectionate
with people they know well. Able to be trained in obedience, but
remembering that they are hounds, and as such are more free-thinking,
and less willing to please humans than some breeds, even so making very
intelligent, and capable learners. Appearing to be rather cat-like in
that they keep themselves quite clean, these dogs rarely bark and like
all other sight hounds are very fast and have little-to-no territorial
instinct. Therefore, they cannot be trusted off the leash, unless in a
securely fenced or very safe area because if they get sight of a small
animal they may take off after it and not even hear you calling them
back. Can be trusted with other dogs, however should be supervised with
small non-canine pets such as cats and rabbits. Socialize them well with
cats and other pets at a very early age. The Borzoi is a noble dog that
gets along fairly well with children, but it is not ideally suited for
being a child's companion as it does not take well to rough-housing
play.
Appearance
Height: 66-71cm (26-28in)
Weight: 27-48kg (60-105lb)
Group: Hounds
The tall Borzoi is
an aristocratic dog with a long, thin, narrow head, a slightly arched
muzzle and a long, low-hanging curved tail. With its characteristic
heavy-necked ruff and its oblong and dark eyes the Borzoi has ears
which lie back on the neck but may prick up partially when the dog is
alert. The longish silky coat may be wavy or with large curls, with a
heavy mane at the neck and colors are white, golden, tan or gray with
black markings, in either solid or mixed colors.
Grooming
The long silky
coat of the Borzoi is relatively easy to groom by regularly using a firm
bristle brush, and dry shampoo when required. Regular bathing should
only be done as necessary and shouldn't be required very often. This
breed is a seasonally heavy shedder and it is recommended that the hair
between the toes is clipped to keep the feet comfortable.
If you don't have the
time to bath or groom your dog, your local dog grooming
salon provides these services.
Life Expectancy
10-12 Years
Health Concerns
It is best to feed
the Borzoi only small meals two to three times a day as they can be
picky eaters and prone to bloat.
Always try to feed
quality dog food to ensure a healthy happy dog.
Suitability
The Borzoi will be
quite happy living in an apartment if sufficiently exercised and as they
are relatively inactive indoors and so peaceful it might escape notice,
but outside they need plenty of space to walk and run, so it will do
best with at least an average-sized yard. In the city he should only be
let off the lead in a safe, enclosed space.
Borzoi -
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