Borzoi also called the Russian wolfhound.
Use
Here in Sweden, the borzoi is mainly kept as a very nice companion dog. The breed was previously used by the Russian nobility to hunt wolves, foxes, hares and sometimes even deer. It is still hunted with borzoi in Russia and other countries. In Sweden, this is not allowed and the breed has to be content with hunting a dummy lure coursing (hunting for artificial prey) under regulated conditions.
Health
According to the breed club’s health surveys and statistics from the insurance companies, the breed is currently healthy and without any breed-related diseases. Some diseases/diagnoses show a higher frequency in this breed than in others, but not to such an extent that there is reason to act with health programs or breeding restrictions.
Traits/Mentality
Today, the breed is a very friendly and devoted family dog, and it has retained its fine pack behavior. Borzoi is perceived as intelligent, wise and independent. Their arrogance over situations that are ridiculous in their eyes is still there and is appreciated as a typical trait of the breed. The breed’s desire to hunt remains, but is not perceived as troublesome by most owners. It is usually calm and quiet indoors and can be perceived as a bit lazy. On a rainy day, it may refuse to go out. Outdoors, it’s all the more explosive.
Size and appearance
The breed should radiate power, elegance and an aristocratic nobility. It’s easy to be impressed by its size, silky fur and beautiful colours. Height at the withers for males is 75–85 cm and females 68–78 cm. The weight can vary between 25-30 kg for small females to over 60 kg for large males. All colors and color combinations are allowed according to the breed standard, provided that the pigment on the nose and around the eyes is black. All permitted colours are available as solid colours or as spots on a white background.
Grooming
The long, silky coat is easy to care for, brushed a couple of times a week, bathed if necessary with mild dog shampoo. During shedding periods, about twice a year, it is a good idea to be extra diligent with the gimbal and to bathe a couple of times extra so that the old, dead fur is quickly removed and makes room for new healthy fur. Since it is a large dog with a lot of long fur, there can be considerable amounts of fur flying around the house during the weeks of shedding.
Other
Borzoi has a very clear dog language and is good at reading other dogs and it is easy to have several dogs together. It rarely barks. As much as an individual loves his family and the two- and four-legged members of it, he can totally ignore strangers. As with other large breeds, you should remember not to exercise your dog immediately before or a couple of hours after feeding, as there is a certain risk of stomach torsion.
Souce: SKK
Source:
Wikipedia
