Borzoi: A Breed Of Dog Developed In Russia
The Borzoi is a graceful and elegant looking dog. It originated to fulfill hunting tasks in open terrain. To this end, this breed has keen eyesight and can run at high speed.
The Russian greyhound or Borzoi had its moment of greatest glory at the court of the Tsars. At court it was bred with great skill to be used in hunting the Siberian wolf.
An excellent hunter also of small animals, it is an affectionate and obedient dog with its master, but extremely distrustful of strangers. It is also known as a barzoi or Russian house dog.
History and background of the Russian Borzoi
For several hundred years, the Russian aristocracy sired the Borzoi or ‘Russian wolfhound’. Its name comes from the Russian word borzyi , which translates as ‘fast’.
In the 13th century, hare hunting was a popular sport among aristocrats. After two or three centuries, it was usual to cross the hunting dogs to increase the size and improve the coat of the original breed.
The first Borzoi specimen was documented in a hunting rule book in the 17th century. There is documentation of the careful care given to these hunting dogs at the Russian court.
The importance of this breed is revealed in one of the documents found that tells of a hunt for the Grand Duke Nicolai Nicolaevich. On that occasion, more than 100 Borzoi hunting dogs, along with other beaters, horses and hunters traveled long distances by train to participate in the event.
Towards the end of the 1800s, as many as seven different subtypes of the Borzoi breed existed in Russia. Grand Duke Nicolai Nicolaevich preserved the Borzoi race that descended from the Perchino race.
Most of the early imports into America were brought directly from the Grand Duke’s kennels. The Russian czar gifted many Borzoi to visiting royalty. The Russian Revolution put an end to the prosperity of the nobility, and subsequently many Borzoi died.
In the United States, the Borzoi dog breed became famous as a glamorous dog that accompanied movie stars. The borzoi is popular as a pet and is prized primarily for its graceful appearance and value as a hunting dog and pointing dog.
Physical characteristics and temperament
The Borzoi has an elegant and aristocratic demeanor. It has a long and silky coat that can be curly or flat and wavy. Its beautiful coat is vital to adapt to extremely cold climates.
For the hunting task, this breed runs at a very fast pace and is, at the same time, larger than the greyhounds. They have jaws powerful enough to catch a wolf.
Borzoi are usually good with children and shy with strangers. The Borzoi is an ideal specimen to have as a companion dog due to its good character.
When outdoors, the dog runs wild and even chases small animals. This hound is recognized for its independent and sensitive nature.
Borzoi health and care
They work best as house dogs if they have easy access to a yard. A Borzoi can reside outdoors in cold weather, provided warm shelter and soft bedding are provided. The male borzoi has a fuller coat than the female, and in both cases it requires combing or brushing two or three times a week.
This breed of dog needs the opportunity to get a good amount of exercise every day. Due to their nature as hunters, they have a lot of stored energy.
In addition, they enjoy an average life expectancy of 10 to 12 years, but the Borzoi dog breed is prone to significant health problems, such as gastric torsion. They can also suffer from less severe problems like cardiomyopathy and hypothyroidism.
Borzoi reacts adversely to barbiturate anesthesia. To identify some of these problems, your vet can perform regular thyroid and heart tests on this breed of dog.
