Living with Borzois.

Borzois are a sighthound originating in Russia where they were bred to hunt large game including wolves - hence they are also known as the Russian Wolfhound. In size they range from 27 inches to 31 inches (56 - 66cm) at the shoulder and weigh in the region of 75 - 105lb (35 - 48kg) making them one of the larger of the sighthound breeds.
The first time I ever saw a Borzoi my jaw quite literally dropped, and I remember exclaiming “Wow! What beautiful dogs – what are they?!” I had no idea that such a stunningly beautiful breed existed, but that day I knew instantly that I had to have one (or more!) in my life!
The Borzoi makes a wonderful companion being beautiful, intelligent, loyal to it’s owner and sensitive to their moods. However, being a sensitive dog it needs a relatively peaceful and stable home environment in which to live happily. It is not a dog for people who like to ‘rough and tumble’ with their dogs; or for families with boisterous/noisy children (whatever their ages!). Borzoi will live with children provided they respect their sensitive nature and treat them in a calm and gentle manner. A Borzoi will let you know when it wants attention and you ignore it at your peril! It can pin you against a door or wall etc. so that you are unable to move until it decides that you have petted it enough, or it can ‘goose’ you without warning from behind – and even walk through your legs! If you’re lucky you stay on your feet….unlucky….you’re on the floor with a large hairy dog standing over you!!
Training a Borzoi needs lots of patience and understanding, and should be started early. The Borzoi’s quiet and sensitive nature means he responds easily to gentle handling. If he needs to be corrected a sharp tone of voice should suffice. He should not be roughly handled as he is very sensitive to pain and will scream at the slightest injury. He also has a long memory, and if incorrectly handled can become stubborn, making training more difficult. Whilst Borzoi are not easy to train it can be done with patience and plenty of tasty treats! When I took Sable to local dog training classes the trainer was very doubtful that I would succeed. Needless to say I was extremely proud of Sable the day we were presented with her Kennel Club Good Citizen Scheme certificate!!
Borzoi must be given adequate exercise! They love to run free and are a joy to watch in motion. However, as they are hunters by nature they should only be allowed to run free in secure areas where they are not a threat to other peoples small pets or livestock – and where they can be easily retrieved should they decide that it is YOU who should come to them and not the other way round! I give mine an hour of free running in the fields morning and afternoon. I would say that 2 hours exercise a day is the minimum a healthy Borzoi should get (at least half an hour of that time being free running - obviously the more the better)
Regular grooming for a Borzoi is an absolute must as whilst their silky coats drop dirt quite easily they matt on the feathers at the rear, legs, and behind the ears if not brushed/combed regularly. Living in the country where my Borzois’ coats are subjected to mud and coat tangling burrs and brambles etc. I have to groom my dogs daily. In less extreme conditions, two/three times a week should suffice. Generally speaking Borzoi do not enjoy grooming, but tolerate it if done gently!
The Borzoi coat sheds hair constantly – so to live with one of these beautiful dogs you should not mind (a) hoovering daily (when they are dropping their coats twice daily!!) wearing clothes which are constantly covered in long silky hairs and (c) frequently finding hairs in your food!!
Although they are large dogs Borzoi do not require large amounts of food - eating about the same amount as a Labrador (divided into two meals a day). In common with other Sighthounds one of their favourite pastimes is ‘counter surfing’ - scavenging from the kitchen work tops - their height making this a simple task requiring minimal effort! Our worst food thief is Sable who has a passion for bread, but will take just about anything edible which is inadvertently left on the kitchen surface. As if to prove how strong a Borzoi’s jaws are she once lifted a large saucepan full of uncooked potatoes off the hob and carried it to the living room placing it on the floor without spilling a drop of water!
The health issues concerning the Borzoi breed are bloat, (there is a breed disposition and possibly a genetic basis) eye problems (very occasionally seen in the breed) and lymphocystic thyroiditis which can develop into the common disease seen in many breeds – namely hypothyroidism. This condition is thought to be inherited in Borzoi, but it is not a common condition.
So….to summarize …. living with a Borzoi is very much like living with a Greyhound except for the hair and maybe the ‘wimpish’ streak! Hairy Couch Potatoes? Definitely! And, I love ‘em to bits!! Photos kindly supplied by Borzoislady. © All rights reserved.