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Borzoi Dog Breed Introduction
Borzoi is a large-sized sighthound type of dog from Russia. It was developed for hunting wolves, hare, and fox. Until 1936, Borzois were referred to as Russian Wolfhounds. These dogs resemble some Asian breeds such as Saluki, Afghan Hound, and Kyrgyz Taigan. A Borzoi is intelligent, sensible, and a quiet breed. However, it is also strong-willed and independent. For this reason, they are not quite so eager to please or accept cues from their owners.
Borzoi History | Origin
Borzois were developed in the 16th century in Russia by crossing European sighthounds and Persian Greyhounds with thick-coated Russian breeds. During the Romanov rule in Russia, wolf-hunting was a leisure activity for the Russian aristocracy. Nobles would stage ritualized hunts on their vast estates with their hounds, horses, and guests ferried in on their special hunt trains. Hundreds of Borzoi and many servants were employed in these extravagant affairs.
However, following the Russian revolution in 1917, Romanav family was slaughtered together with their nobles and Aristocratic hounds in 1918. This was a disaster that set back the Russian breezing of Borzois and other Russian breeds for much of the 20th century. The breed would have gone extinct if not for the Borzoi devotees in abroad. Before the years leading to the revolution, dog fanciers in America and England had started the importation of Borzoi in their shores.
The early imports were used to revive the breed. At the time, the Borzoi was referred to as the Russian Wolfhound in the English speaking world. In the USA, the breed’s name was changed to Borzoi in 1936 after a long and spirited debate among the breed fanciers in the United States. ‘Borzoi’ was derived from the Russian word, Borzyi meaning swift.
Borzoi Lifespan | Life Expectancy
According to AKC, Borzoi have a lifespan of 9 to 14 years. The breed club in America states that if a Borzoi is given proper care, it can live up to the age of 9 or 10 years. However, many live up to the age of 12 to 14 years.
Borzoi Grooming
A Borzoi has a long and silky coat that may either be wavy, curly, or straight. Regardless of the coat texture, Borzois shed throughout the year at moderate levels. Regular brushing at least thrice a week is recommended using a slicker brush, pin brush, and/or a comb to remove dirt, loose hair, and promote new hair growth. Borzois shed heavily when experiencing seasonal change especially in a warm climate. During the shedding season, daily brushing is recommended to confine the loose hair in the brush that would otherwise spread around the house.
This is a relatively clean breed that needs an occasional bath every 6 to 8 weeks unless it rolls off in something stinky. While bathing your dog, use a hypoallergenic shampoo and conditioner that is designed for dogs. After a bath, use lukewarm water to thoroughly rinse off the grooming products from the skin that cause skin irritation. Wipe the face using unscented canine wipes or a damp washcloth instead of soapy water that tends to irritate the eyes.
Trim the nails of your Borzoi pet every 3 to 5 weeks using nail clippers or grinder to prevent overgrowth, splitting, and cracking. Brush the teeth of your dog at least twice a week if not daily using a tasty canine toothpaste and toothbrush to remove tartar. Clean the ears on a weekly basis using an ear cleanser solution and cotton balls to remove excess wax, dirt, or debris. While cleaning the ears, look out for redness, odor, and a dark discharge. These are signs that a dog manifest when suffering from an ear infection. Remember to trim the hair between the footpads every month or so.
Borzoi Shedding
A Borzoi sheds moderately throughout the year. However, it blows off its coat at least once a year when experiencing seasonal change in Spring or Fall. Intact females shed after a season. However, if spayed they shed same as their male counterparts.
Borzoi Hypoallergenic
Borzois are not a hypoallergenic breed, they shed all-year round at moderate levels and heavily when experiencing seasonal change. A moulting coat allows dander and fur to spread around the house aggravating allergies. Apart from dander and hair, dog’s saliva, mucus, and urine also contain a protein allergen that triggers allergic reactions.
Borzoi Training
A Borzoi is an intelligent and affectionate breed. However, they are independent and somewhat stubborn which makes training a challenge. Therefore, patience and consistency is key when training. Socialization helps parents to raise a pet that is well-adjusted and well-mannered. This training starts from the age of 3 weeks while a Borzoi pup is staying with the breeder until the age of 16 weeks after it has settled in its new home. Normally, parents take their puppies home from the age of 8 weeks. Although, this training may still continue even after the age of 16 weeks to ensure a Borzoi matures to have a well-rounded temperament and socialization.
To socialize a Borzoi, expose it to a wide variety of people, situations, animals, places, smell, surfaces, sight, and sounds such as baby crying sounds, lawn mowers, sirens, washing machine, vacuum cleaners, and whistles. Enrolling a Borzoi in a puppy class also serves as a form of socialization. A pup class ensures canines interact in a controlled setting. These classes also enables pet parents to not only have access to the basic training information and assistance but also identify and correct bad habits. A pet that is well-socialized from an early age will be able to cope with anything that comes her way.
Keep the training sessions short, fun, and challenging for a span of 2 to 3 minutes distributed throughout the day to avoid boredom and distraction. Borzois are selective learners that quickly become bored with repetitive sessions. This breed can be very stubborn especially when not properly motivated. Use positive reinforcement methods such as petting, use of treats, toys, or verbal praise to encourage positive behaviors. Although, baiting or use of food rewards may work well for some dogs but not at all for others. Avoid use of harsh correction methods such as yelling, kicking, or shoving the pet. This will affect the relationship between you and your pooch. In the long run, a Borzoi may develop fear aggression.
Start teaching basic commands words such as sit, come, lie down, recall, heel, stay, leave it, etc. immediately the pet comes home. Teach one basic command word at a time until the dog is well acquainted before proceeding to the next word. Owners are cautioned against issuing a command word while too frustrated or excited since the command words don’t sound the same for your pet. Effectively house break a Borzoi by creating a feeding schedule, potty training, and crate training.
A crate is an indispensable device that allows the pet parent to monitor the pet for signs that it wants to eliminate such as circling, squatting, whining, sniffing, restlessness, and trying to lift a leg against the crate door. Naturally, dogs are den animals that avoid soiling where they sleep. During potty training, take a Borzoi pup to the designated toilet area immediately it wakes up, 20 minutes after meals and drinks, every 2 to 3 hours, after naptime, following an exciting activity such as a car ride and playtime, and before bedtime. The bladder and bowel muscles of a puppy strengthens as it matures. Therefore, from the age of 8 months, the potty breaks for a Borzoi pet will be every 6 to 8 hours.
Borzoi Temperament | Traits
- Agreeable.
- Calm.
- Intelligent.
- Independent.
- Stubborn.
- Affectionate.
- Athletic.
- Gentle.
- Alert.
- Easygoing.
Borzoi Exercise
A Borzoi is an athletic animal that needs daily exercise in form of long walks or running in a secured yard. Borzois should always be exercised while on a leash or in an enclosed area since they are sighthounds that apt to chase anything that moves. Parents are cautioned against letting this breed to run loose. A Borzoi may be physically and mentally stimulated by participating in canine sports such as lure coursing and agility.
Borzoi Bark
A Borzoi seldom barks. It is devoid of strong guarding instinct hence it is not likely to raise an alarm when a stranger is sighted.
Borzoi Height
A female Borzoi has a height of at least 26 inches ( approx.66 cm ) with majority of the bitches having a height of 27 to 31 inches ( approx. 69 to 79 cm). On the other hand, its male counterpart has a minimum height of 28 inches ( approx. 71 cm) with majority of the dogs having a height of 30 to 33 inches ( approx. 76 to 84 cm).
Borzoi Weight
Male Borzois have a weight of 75 to 105 pounds ( approx. 34 to 48 kg ) while their female counterparts have a weight of 60 to 85 pounds ( approx. 27 to 39 kg ).
Borzoi Size
A Borzoi is a large sized dog. However, male Borzois are slightly bigger as compared to their female counterparts in terms of height and weight. Female Borzois have a height of at least 26 inches ( approx. 66 cm) with a weight of 60 to 85 pounds ( approx. 27 to 39 kg ) while their male counterparts have a height of at least 28 inches ( approx. 71 cm) with a weight of 75 to 105 pounds ( approx. 34 to 48 kg ).
Borzoi Health Issues
Borzois are relatively healthy dogs, although, they are affected by several health issues including bloat or gastric torsion, hip dysplasia, osteochondritis dissecans, elbow dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, and sensitivity to anesthesia.
Borzoi Names
A Borzoi owner may decide to get a name for the puppy before it leaves the shelter or a few days after it joins them home in order to understand better the personality of the particular dog. Pet parents may find name inspirations from the Russian heritage of the breed, coat colors, personality, celebrity Borzois, movies, books, songs, nature, food, and historical figures.
Regardless of where the parent gets his or her inspiration, they should ensure that the name in question freely rolls off their tongues and won’t make them embarrassed if uttered out loud in the public places such as malls and parks. Borzois and other dog breeds better understand names that have vowels. Avoid giving your pet a name that rhymes with command words to curb confusion.
If a pet has a long tedious name, the owner should find a cute nickname for the pooch. If a Borzoi shares a name with any family member or guest who frequent the household, it may result to confusion. Some of the name that Borzois owners give to their pets include:
- Ved.
- Werewolf.
- Rusalka.
- Domovoi.
- Ivan.
- Damir.
- Yuri.
- Amos.
- Casey.
- Hulbert.
- Samson.
- Tatiana.
- Irina.
- Anya.
- Nina.
- Calina.
- Elena.
- Vera.
- Alice, etc.
Borzoi Speed
A Borzoi can run up to a speed of 35 miles per hour ( approx. 56 km/h ).
Borzoi Muzzle
Just like Greyhounds, Borzois may also participate in racing. While racing, dogs are supposed to be muzzled to prevent injuries before, during, and after the race. A muzzle is also used in a situation where the owner is not sure how the dog will react to a new stimulus. Parents should muzzle dogs that are in pain since they are likely to nip or bite. AKC urges pet parents to create positive associations with the device through the use of treats and verbal praise. However, a muzzle is not used to correct behavior issues such as biting, chewing, or excessive barking.
Apart from Borzois, other dog breeds include:
Borzoi Food | Feeding
The amount of food that a Borzoi feeds on depends on its age, activity level, metabolism, size, and body build. Borzois Puppies tend to have a high metabolism rate as compared to adults and seniors. Therefore, puppies eat small portions of food 3 or 4 times a day from when they start weaning until the age of 6 months. From the age of 6 months, Borzois feed a total of two meals in a day for the rest of their lives.
A Borzoi is a deep-chested dog that is prone to bloat or gastric torsion. This is a life-threatening condition that causes stomach swelling. To avoid this condition, parents are urged not to; feed their dogs one large meal a day, allow the dog to drink large amounts of water after eating, or vigorously exercise the dog one hour before or after exercise.
Surprisingly, an adult Borzoi tends to eat less than one might assume for their size. A Borzoi may feed on a raw diet, home made, dry food, or wet food depending on the budget of the owner and the time of preparation needed. Regardless of the food that the dog feeds on, owners should ensure that a Borzoi feeds on the right amount of proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, fats, amino acids, water, and fatty acids to maintain a healthy bone structure and weight.
If the dog is feeding on dry or wet commercial food, the parents should ensure that the first three listed ingredients are proteins from a known source. Commercial food should neither have meat by-products, fillers, preservatives, chemicals, additives, nor generic meat products. The commercial dog food should also be formulated for large-sized puppies, adults, and seniors depending on the age of your Borzoi. Check the physique of your pet to tell whether it is underweight or overweight.
The dog is underweight if the ribs are visible. However, if the ribs are not visible but can be felt without pressing hard, a Borzoi has an ideal weight. However, if the ribs cannot be felt after pressing, the pooch is overweight and should be exercised. Owners who want to switch to another dog food should gradually do this over a period of one month by mixing old food with new food. As the week progresses, the amount of old food decreases as the amount of the new food increases until the Borzoi is only feeding on the preferred food.
Borzoi Colors
A Borzoi may have any color or a combination off colors is also acceptable. Some of the coat colors that Borzoi have include red, black, black and white, red and white, white and brown, white, yellow and white, white and grey, white and sandy, etc.
Borzoi Ears
A Borzoi has small sized ears lying back on the neck when at rest and raised when the dog is alert.
Borzoi Head
A Borzoi has a long, narrow, and slightly domed head with scarcely any perceptible stop.
Borzoi Tail
Borzois have a long tail that is seton and carried in a graceful curve.
Borzoi Teeth
At birth, Borzois puppies are whelped with no teeth. Although, the milk teeth start growing in from the age of 2 to 3 weeks until the dog has a total of 28 deciduous teeth around the age of 6 to 8 weeks. From the age of 12 weeks, the deciduous teeth start falling out as the adult teeth erupt beneath them. Between the age of 6 to 8 months, a Borzoi should have a total of 42 permanent teeth.
Borzoi Nose
A Borzoi has a roman nose. Reportedly, a two-year-old Borzoi went viral with a 12-inch long nose ( approx. 30 cm) in 2020.
Do Borzois Have Health Problems
Yes. Borzois are affected by various health problems including elbow and hip dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, bloat, sensitivity to anesthesia, and osteochondritis dissecans.
Do Borzois Shed
Yes. Borzois shed at moderate levels all-year round and heavily during spring or fall when experiencing seasonal change.
Are Borzois Hypoallergenic
No. Borzois are not hypoallergenic. These dogs shed all-year round at moderate levels and heavily once a year. Shedding spreads danger and hair around the house which aggravates allergies.
Are Borzois Smart
Yes. Borzois are smart and affectionate dogs. Although, they are independent and sometimes can be stubborn which makes training a bit difficult.
Borzois Quick Facts
- They are sighthound dogs that hunt by sight. They will not hesitate to chase small games if they spot one. Therefore, they should exercise in a secured yard or while on a leash.
- Although Borzois are large-sized dogs, they tend to eat less than one might assume for their size.
- Borzois are selective learners that easily get bored with repetitive training.
