RussiaOrigin
The Borzoi is an old breed with its origins in Russia. Over hundreds of years, the breed evolved into a hunting dog favoured primarily by the Russian aristocracy. The large estates of Tsarist Russia had kennels of dozens, even hundreds of dogs, which were breeding Borzoi for hunting wolves, foxes and hares.
Purpose
The Borzoi is a hunting greyhound and a track and cross-country racing dog. Today, the Borzoi is a human companion, also used as a hobby dog.
Borzoi can be a versatile hobby dog. It is well suited for cross-country and track racing, but dog shows are also a very popular hobby. Borzois have also been seen in obedience trial and agility competitions, reaching up to agility championship level in Canada. Borzois have also been used for flyball, so the only limits are the imagination and preferences each the owner.
Appearance
The Borzoi is characterised by an impressive overall appearance (males about 70-82 cm, females about 5 cm less), a rich frilly coat with beautiful colours and beautiful movement.
Temperament & Behaviour
The Borzoi’s character is one of noble peace and restraint, confidence and fearlessness.
The Borzoi is affectionate and obedient to his owner, but sometimes aloof to strangers. He is happy on his own, but even more so with another dog, especially another Borzoi. It can be boisterously happy and sociable, but sometimes it wants to be left alone in peace and quiet.
The Borzoi is calm and balanced at home, but becomes very agitated at the sight of a game animal. An adult Borzoi can be reserved, but must not be timid or aggressive towards people or other dogs.
Antisocial behaviour towards other dogs and mistrust of strangers can become a problem if the dog is not properly trained and socialized as a puppy and youngster.
Timidity exists in some individuals, and responsible breeders take this into account in their breeding.
Prey Drive
Under normal circumstances, the Borzoi is calm and steady, but becomes agitated at the sight of game. Borzoi have excellent eyesight and can see far. It is a fast runner with a quick reaction and a strong prey drive. The Borzoi is big and strong so the owner must always keep these characteristics in mind to avoid accidents.
Health
There are no widespread serious diseases found in Borzois, but some surveys have found the following diseases: dilated cardiomyopathy, gastric dilatation and GDV, osteosarcoma (bone cancer), and autoimmune diseases such as hypothyroidism.
Increasing attention is also being paid to the bite, particularly the narrowing/thinness of the lower jaw.
Accidents and traffic accidents are fairly common.
Grooming
The adult Borzoi, especially the male, has a rich and thick coat. Regular brushing is important: coat tufts easily occur, especially behind the ears, on the front chest and on the back legs. The coat can become very flaky if not groomed regularly.
Brushing should be more frequent than usual during the shedding period, to avoid coat tangles and flakes. It is also recommended to rinse the male’s stomach regularly.
What Kind Of Person Is Borzoi Suitable For?
The Borzoi is suitable for the outdoor and exercise-loving aesthete who is prepared to put in a little effort to keep the coat in good condition.
The Borzoi is independent and self-worthy, and training can be a little challenging, but it learns the basics fairly easily. Owners need to be consistent and firm, but Borzoi can be very sensitive, so avoid being too harsh.
Dog Breeds Similar To Borzoi
Now that we know a bit about Borzoi, let’s have a look at our list of similar breeds.
1. Afghan Hound
- Height (bitches): 60–69 cm
- Height (males): 68–74 cm
- Weight (bitches): 23–34 kg
- Weight (males): 26–37 kg
The Afghan Hound is a breed of dog that is believed to have originated from Afghanistan. They are known for their long, silky coats which need active grooming.
The Afghan Hound is an independent breed that is self-worthy. They can be reserved towards strangers, but once they get to know you they are very warm and welcoming. They are an indoor breed and should not be kept outdoors. The Afghan Hound is also well suited to a family with children, but it’s not exactly a dog for kids to boisterously play with or take on walks.
The Afghan Hound needs plenty of exercise, and ideally should be allowed to run freely every day in addition to regular long walks.
Afghan Hound VS Borzoi
The Borzoi and Afghan Hound are both beautiful dog breeds that are known for their long coats.
They are somewhat similar in size, but male Borzois can grow a lot taller and heavier than male Afghan Hounds. There’s also a bigger size difference between sexes in Borzois than Afghan Hounds.
Both breeds need regular grooming, and should be given plenty of exercise. They can both make excellent pets for the active individual.
2. Saluki
- Height: 58-71 cm
- Weight: 18-27 kg
- Bitches are considerably smaller than male dogs
Saluki is one of the oldest dog breeds in the world. If Borzoi is the “aristocrat” of the dog world then the Saluki could be the “mysterious elf deep in the forest who gives you a side quest in a role-playing game” of the dog world.
It has a soft temperament but lacks the strong desire to please its owner. Salukis bond strongly with their own families but are wary of strangers. However, they should not be aggressive or fearful.
They also enjoy the company of other similar dogs but may be suspicious of other types of breeds. A Saluki puppy should therefore be properly socialized to avoid problems at a later age when visiting dog parks for example.
There are two types of coats: smooth and feathered.
Saluki VS Borzoi
Both Saluki and Borzoi are sighthounds that were bred to hunt animals by sight.
Borzois, however, are significantly larger than Salukis and have a long coat whereas the feathered Saluki only has fringes of hair in its ears, tail and on the back of its legs.
Both breeds need regular exercise, but the Borzoi requires more grooming than the Saluki.
3. Silken Windhound
- Height: 47-60 cm
- Weight (bitches): 10–20 kg
- Weight (males): 15–25 kg
Silken Windhound is a new (and somewhat rare) greyhound breed that was originally bred by cross-breeding Borzoi and Whippet.
It has a moderately long silky coat that makes it look very much like the Borzoi. It is a small to medium sized breed with heights ranging between 47 and 60 centimeters, making it smaller than Borzoi.
They are a very well-rounded breed with a balanced temperament and are excellent family pets. They have a strong hunting instinct but are also gentle, loyal and affectionate.
4. Tazy (Sredneaziatskaya Borzoya)
- Height (bitches): 55–60 cm
- Height (males): 60-72 cm
- Weight (bitches): 20–30 kg
- Weight (males): 32–35 kg
The Tazy is a Kazakh dog breed that is very similar to the Sloughi. It’s a very rare, almost extinct breed: there are less than 300 individuals in it’s native country Kazakhstan.
5. Taigan (Kyrgyz Taighany)
- Height (bitches): At least 60 cm
- Height (males): At least 65 cm
- Weight: 15-25kg
The Taigan is a Kyrgyz dog breed that resembles the Saluki and Afghan Hound. It is an agile, muscular dog that was bred for hunting in the mountains.
The Taigan is a bit smaller than the Borzoi, but is still a large dog.
It has a long coat like the Borzoi, but it is not as thick or as lengthy. The coat comes in a variety of colors.
Taigan is also a very rare breed (less than 1000 dogs) and it cannot be exported from Kyrgyzstan without a special permit.
Bubbling Under: Short Haired Greyhounds
These dog breeds don’t look like Borzoi as much as the breeds above, but otherwise they share lots of similarities with it.
Greyhound
- Height (bitches): 68–71 cm
- Height (males): 71–76 cm
- Weight (bitches): 26–34 kg
- Weight (males): 27–40 kg
Greyhound is the fastest dog breed in the world and can reach speeds up to 45 mph.
They are a tall, slim breed with a short coat. They come in many different colors, but are most commonly black, white or fawn.
Spanish Greyhound
- Height (bitches): 60-70 cm
- Height (males): 62-75 cm
- Weight (bitches): 23-25 kg
- Weight (males): 27-29 kg
Spanish Greyhound is a dog breed that was originally intended for hunting rabbits and foxes in the rugged mountainous regions of Spain.
It is a fast running sighthound, and come in two types of coats: smooth-haired and rough-haired.
They are very noble, elegant and streamlined, and love attention, cuddles, and petting. They can be wary of strangers.
They need plenty of activity and free running over varied terrain. When they get enough exercise they are calm indoors and will happily rest “greyhound style” – on the softest spot in the house.
Polish Greyhound
- Height (bitches): 68–75 cm
- Height (males): 70–80 cm
- Weight: 27–31 kg
The Polish Greyhound, also known as the Chart Polski, is a dog breed that was originally bred in Poland for hunting.
It is a sighthound that is very similar to the Greyhound, but it is smaller and has a shorter coat. It comes in many different colors including black, white, red and fawn.
Hungarian Greyhound
- Height (bitches): 62–67 cm
- Height (males): 65–70 cm
- Weight: 22–31 kg
Hungarian Greyhound, also known as the Magyar Agár, is the national dog of Hungary.
It is a slender, tall sighthound that is very similar to the Borzoi, but it is smaller and has a shorter coat.
Sloughi
- Height (bitches): 61–68 cm
- Height (males): 66–72 cm
- Weight (bitches): 18–23 kg
- Weight (males): 22–28 kg
The Sloughi (also known as the Arabian Greyhound) is an ancient North African sighthound. It is a tall, slim dog with a short coat. It comes in many different colors, but is most commonly sand-colored.
Like all sighthounds, the Sloughi is bred for hunting and has a strong hunting instinct. It is gentle, loyal and affectionate, but can be independent.
It needs plenty of exercise and does best when running free in a large open area.
Azawakh
- Height (bitches): 60–70 cm
- Height (males): 64–74 cm
- Weight: 15-25 kg
The Azawakh is a sighthound from the Sahara desert of West Africa. It is a very slim, tall dog with a short fawn-colored coat.
Compared to Borzoi it is much smaller and lighter in weight.
It is an excellent runner and needs plenty of exercise. It does best when running free in a large open area.
