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Breed Name:Borzoi |
A top quality female lure coursing Borzoi from 1977 |
| Dog Group: Hound (Sighthound) |
Registration Organizations: AKC with online copies of the Breed Standard |
National Club Name: Borzoi Club of America |
The Borzoi Club of America's Home Page |
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| National Club Mailing Addresses: | |
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Recording Secretary: Shen Smith, PO Box 175 Elk Rapids, MI, 49629 |
Corresponding Secretary Karen Mays 29 Crown Dr Warren, NJ 07059 |
Breed Description:
- Original Purpose: These are large coursing hounds bred to hunt
on the open steps of Russia. They are sighthounds, chasing their fleeing quarry
as long as it is in sight. The commonest quarry was the large Russian steppe
hare and the fox. They were also used, usually in trios, to course down wolves.
- Breed History:
- Earliest record: 1100 AD
- Country of Origin: Russia
- First Year of Registry with AKC 1896
- Breed Registration Statistics:
The popularity of a breed has effects on the availability of healthy vigorous puppies as well as the likely hood of the prospective owner encountering a suitable rescue.Generally, rare breeds are bred by individuals who are quite knowledgable about the breed and rescues are not common. Popular breeds have a much broader breeder base and often have well developed programs for dealing with rescues. In addition popular breeds are more likely to be turned into animal shelters.
In 1994 the number of individual registrations of Borzoi with the AKC (1070) was less than 1/2 of 1% of the dogs registered with the AKC and Borzoi were ranked #78 in popularity. Borzoi should be reguarded as a moderately rare breed.
Dogs = Number of Borzoi individuals registered with the AKC.
Litters Number of Borzoi Litters registered with the AKC.Year 1994 1987 1983 1969 Dogs 1070 1227 1383 980 Litters 228 286 334 na - A
Borzoi Historical Time Line
- Earliest record: 1100 AD
- Size:
- Height (inches):28 min (dogs);26(min) (bitches)
The standard states that Borzoi below these sizes are to be severly penalized but that oversized animals are "not to be penalized as long as extra size is not acquired at the expense of symmetry, speed and staying quality." - Weight (pounds):75-105 (dogs); 55-90 (bitches)
- Height (inches):28 min (dogs);26(min) (bitches)
- Eye color:dark preferred
- Lips: a tight lipped breed
- Ear type: the rose folded ear
- Cosmetic Surgeries (to establish 'breed look')? Hind dew
claws if present should be removed, removal of the thumbs (fore dew claws)
optional. The thumbs function in gripping at the turn in field trial Borzoi.
- Color:All of the genetic colors found in dogs except for
Merle, pinked eyed albino and Coranz albino are found in this breed. There is
a great deal of intrabreed controversy over color. The standard states that
the eyes should be 'dark' which means that the color dilutions which are
associated with light eyes - blue dilute and brown dilute, are not desirable
since they tend to produce light eyes. I have an online article at
www.borzois.com on color and color inheritance in dogs, with an emphasis on
Borzoi.
- Coat Type:Silky, long hair. Body coat is 2 to 4 inches long.
Long hair on backs of legs, tail and in neck ruff can be 6 to 10 inches long.
These dogs do have an undercoat so they normally have two sheds a year. The
first with the first warm weather where the undercoat must be brushed out to
prevent matting; the second at the end of the summer when the old guard hairs
are shed to allow the Borzoi to grow an entirely new coat for the winter.
- Temperment:Along with other sighthounds these dogs have
little sense of territory and require a fenced yard and leashed walking. The
temperment varies widely from individual to individual and is dependent upon
both early socialization experiences and heritage.
Temperment extremes can range from quite shy to rather aggressive. The average temperment is a fairly calm, gentle hound with a potential for unexpected predatory activity towards small animals if not previously trained about small animals. Well socialized, properly reared Borzoi are a delight to own as they are well mannered in public. It is important that young dogs be exposed to other dogs as well as other animals and children so that they will tolerate them as grown adults.
Generally a first time Borzoi owner should consider a female or neutered male. The great grace and delicate appearance of these dogs seems to attract people who cannot control a full grown, intact male. It is important to remember that they are large hunting dogs and not glass unicorns. Properly reared there is, in my opinion, no finer large hound. Poorly reared: they end up in rescue at 18 months of age.
These are hunting dogs, generally with well developed chasing instincts, if they are not properly trained as young dogs they can become quite an effective threat to cats and other small domestic animals. Allowed to run unsupervised in farm areas they may learn to harrass sheep and deer.
- Special Requirements:Fenced yard. Owner who is willing to
own a dog that generally cannot be turned free in an unfenced area to run and
play. The coats require at least weekly brushing.
- Special Competitive Activities for this Breed:Lure Coursing,
Obedience, NOTRA Amateur Racing, Straight Racing, Glass Unicorn Contests
- Breed Pluses:Adults are calm in the house - they will lie in
the room with you while you read or engage in some other task for hours.
However they may be destructive in that same room if left alone, especially a
young dog that is strongly bonded to the owner. They really are
gorgeous and they tend to get along well in large groups. The smooth long
coats do not readily hold mud, a quick brushing once mud is dried will clean
the dog. Little or no hip dysplasia, quiet in the house as adults. The
have relatively little doggy odor, even when wet.
- Breed Minuses: They are not trustworthy off lead
without a great deal of work. In most cases they will get hit by a car before
you have trained them to trustworthyness off lead.
They like to chase things. Properly motivated most of them can clear a 6 foot fence. The growing puppies do not do well if left alone in a small area all day. They are quite capable of and willing to remove anything edible from a kitchen table or countertop without even standing on their hindlegs.
The commonest serious medical problem is Acute Gastric Dilatation and Torsion (Bloat and Torsion). The incidence is no higher than in other breeds of similar size and body build. It is however a potentially lethal problem and a novice owner should be made aware of the symptoms and need for quick action.
Some kennels practice programs of extreme inbreeding (co-efficients of inbreeding ranging from 25% to 45%). In my opinion a person who purchases an animal this inbred should understand the genetic consequences of such high inbreeding co-efficients. Net.Pet has an article on this matter.
- Trainability:In general their approach to formal competitive obedience generally is summed
up by the following scenario:
- Owner "Sit"
- Borzoi looks around for a REALLY comfortable place to sit.
Occasional individuals actually like to do obedience and are fun to train, but most obedience titled Borzois are the result of skilled work on the part of the owner/trainer. On the other hand most adult Borzoi are naturally low key and fairly well behaved so that intense obedience is not necessary for a mannered pet. Puppies and adolescents must be taught to respect humans.
- Who should own this breed?
Patient people who like a split personality dog that lies around inside but wants to run like the wind (and maybe not come back) when outside. People who like lovely but predatory things. People who want a dog that is quiet when they are in its presence.
- Who should not own this breed?
People who think they don't need a fence because they have acreage in the country. People without fences who live next to flocks of sheep and other valuable livestock. People who expect a high degree of instant obedience out of a dog. People who don't like brushing a dog. People who want a really interactive dog often feel the Borzoi is snubbing them or that it dislikes them. Because these are hunting dogs with very quick reflexes they are not suited to a person who wants to wrestle and rough house one-on-one with their dog. Borzoi that think it is ok to grab and snap at people in play can become very dangerous, especially to small children.
- Borzoi Bibliography, References and Linked Articles
- Directory of Breeders
- Directory of Breed Information on the Web
- Link to Frequently Given Answers about Borzoi and other breed information at WWW.Borzois.com.
- Renee's Borzoi discussion group at eWorld
References and Links
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