The Borzoi Hunting Sighthound is definitely the most aristocratic Russian dog. Having a rising reputation of a glamour pet, this Russian wolfhound often accompanies celebrities and takes part in luxuries' commercials.
This coverdog can be easily recognized by its long, narrow head and tall, slender body covered in soft and silky, wavy, and a little curly coat of white, tan, bronze, and gray combination of colors. In the meantime, the Borzoi is a large, strong, and healthy dog with great hunting and sporting abilities.
Photo Credit: Kim Fleming/Flickr CC
History of Borzoi
Translated from Russian, the Russkaya Psovaya Borzaya means a swift dog. For several centuries the Borzois were bred by Russian nobility to hunt wolves. The Borzoi, as its breed standard states, should have enough muscles and very strong jaws to fulfill this aim.
After the Bolshevik revolution this Russian dog, being one of the symbols of the "tsarist past", was ousted from a new communist life. The fate of the Borzois was left in the hands of several breeding kennels outside the Soviet Union, mostly in Great Britain, and the US. Thanks to Western breeders this top Russian breed has been saved and returned back to people, including Russians themselves.
Borzoi Dog Personality
The Russian wolfhounds, despite their hunting instincts and speeding powers, have a rather laid-back personality. The Borzoi dog doesn't seek the attention of strangers and prefers to share time with its sleeping or reading master rather than with noisy kids. At the same time, the Borzoi may get suddenly excited at the sight of a game. It would willingly compete with other dogs in spontaneous or arranged dog racing.
Photo Credit: Kim Fleming/Flickr CC
Health Concerns
The borzois are not suffering from many diseases that are common for large dog breeds. Overweight, heart problems, and dysplasia are quite rare. The most dangerous for this Russian dog is bloat. Their life expectancy is up to 8-10 years, or even more.
Owning a Borzoi
Owning a Borzoi dog is both a pleasure and a responsibility. The Russian wolfhound may become your devoted friend and a beautiful showpiece for your home, but it surely needs daily exercise. Besides taking marvelous Borzoi pictures you should find time for long walks with your dog and give it a chance for sprints in a large fenced area. Its silky coat requires careful attention too.
Sweet and gentle, the Borzoi represents a well-mannered home dog. It is quite intelligent and can be taught impressive tricks (click for video). And, of course, the Russian wolfhound is a welcome visitor at any National or World Dog Show.
Our reader Jenn, the owner of Empower's Nikolai Loki Noodlebonk, is happy with her one-year-old Borzoi. Loki is quite a character, with a catlike personality and a hugely independent streak, but he also loves snuggles and quality time with us and his big brother, Thor the Great Dane (pictures courtesy of Jenn).
Borzoi Size:
Height: 26 to 32 inches (males about 30, females about 28)
Weight: 55 to 105 pounds (males about 90, females about 70)
Borzoi speed: up to 37 mph (60 km/h)
Breed Names: Borzoi, Russian wolfhound, Borzoi Hunting Sighthound, Russian Hunting Sighthound, Russkaya Psovaya Borzaya, Barzoi, Русская Борзая
Rumble Video: Racing Borzoi
Say it in Russian:
Borzoi Breed Standard
Find a Russian dog name for your Borzoi dog puppy!
Learn some Russian dog commands!
Scott McCalla says
HI there,
I am interested in getting a Borzoi, but my wife and I already have a 5-year-old Chug (Half Chihuahua half Pug), and we are concerned that a Borzoi would consider her to be prey when playing with her and injure her. What do you think? Do you think because our dog is bigger than a borzoi puppy would be that the borzoi would always think of her as bigger and not mess with her? We were thinking of getting a Russian Windhound because it would be a bit closer to our dog’s size, but I was really hoping for a Borzoi!
RussianDog says
Hi Scott, difficult to say, it mostly depends on particular dogs.
Borzoi is often considered as a glamour pet but it’s actually a strong hunting breed that was used against wolves. Borzoi’s instinct is to catch, and Borzoi has very powerful jaws. Borzoi might obey and respect your Chug the whole life if you bring it home as a small puppy (there was a lion who obeyed Scotch Terrier). On the other hand, Borzoi may try to catch your Chug if she wants to play and harm her by chance.
It’s usually less risky if two dogs are of different sex. A male dog would not fight a female but there’s nothing more dangerous than the fight of two females. You may consider getting a male Borzoi but in this case, it would be better if one of your dogs is neutered.
Silken Windhound should not create such problems. BTW, it’s not a Russian, it’s a new American breed developed from Borzoi and Whippet bloodlines. The breed is not yet recognized by AKC but is already recognized by UKC.
Richard Dey says
I was close to Petrov and Xena, famous on Boston’s Esplanade in the 1970s. Petrov spent most of his life in a bathtub snoozing; but, when out and about, bounded at terrific speed. The laziest dog I ever knew, Petrov could turn humans into petrified stone at a glance; with friends, they can be unexpectedly timid. Not the smartest dogs on earth, they are unexpectedly friendly and, given half a chance, get along with other dogs quite well. They do need space (lots of space). Females can be difficult to housebreak.Unlike many dogs, Their best feature is that they rarely need to be trained off begging if dry food is available. Their long coats are a bit of work but not as bad as some dogs though, as upland dogs, they are subject to burrs. They also don’t take to heat well.
виталий says
это не волкодав, псовая борзая создана для скорости, её задача догнать и остановить!
волкодавами в России считаются совсем другие собаки, например кавказкая овчарка…
Irene says
I believe it is a family of a Greyhound. We used to have one in Russia. These dogs are very graceful. No wonder Russian royalties like to show them off.