Where did the Borzoi breed actually come from?

The Borzoi descends from centuries of selective breeding by Russian nobility, who used the dogs in organized wolf hunts (called volkhota) alongside foxhounds that flushed game toward waiting sighthounds. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1891 under the name Russian Wolfhound, a name it carried until the club officially adopted the name Borzoi in 1936 (American Kennel Club, n.d.). Historic kennel records tied to the Russian aristocracy nearly disappeared after the 1917 revolution, when many hunting estates were dismantled, and the breed survived largely through dogs that had already been exported to England and the United States (American Kennel Club, n.d.).

Sighthounds in general were built for a single job: spotting movement at a distance and closing the gap in a sprint rather than trailing scent over miles. The Borzoi's narrow, deep chest and long legs give it a stride built for short, explosive chases rather than sustained endurance work, which is a physical trait shared across the sighthound group including Greyhounds and Salukis (American Kennel Club, n.d.). That hunting heritage still shows up today in a dog that can look serene at rest and startlingly fast the moment prey drive kicks in.

How big does a Borzoi get, and what does the coat require?

Borzoi are a genuinely large breed. Adult males typically stand around 28 inches at the shoulder and weigh 75 to 105 pounds, while females run smaller at about 26 inches and 60 to 85 pounds, according to the Borzoi Club of America (Borzoi Club of America, n.d.). The long, silky coat can be flat, wavy, or curly and comes in nearly any color or combination, and it sheds seasonally enough that a weekly brushing session is usually enough to prevent matting outside of heavier shedding periods (American Kennel Club, n.d.).

Despite the glamorous coat, Borzoi are not a high-grooming breed compared to other long-haired dogs — there's no dense undercoat that mats the way a collie's or a sheltie's does. What does require more attention is nail care and dental hygiene, both standard for large breeds; the AVMA recommends daily-to-weekly tooth brushing as part of routine home care for dogs of any breed to reduce plaque buildup and periodontal disease risk (American Veterinary Medical Association, n.d.).

Do Borzoi actually need a lot of exercise?

Borzoi need moderate, not extreme, activity — a couple of decent walks or a chance to sprint in a securely fenced yard tends to satisfy them, and many settle into being fairly low-key house dogs between outings, a pattern the Borzoi Club of America describes as typical for the breed (Borzoi Club of America, n.d.). What matters more than volume of exercise is where it happens: because Borzoi are sighthounds with a strong chase instinct, off-leash time in unfenced areas carries real risk, since a fast-moving squirrel, cat, or even a plastic bag blowing across a field can trigger an instant, hard-to-recall sprint.

A securely fenced yard — ideally 5 to 6 feet tall, since Borzoi can clear low fences given their size and jumping ability — is the standard recommendation from breed clubs and rescue groups for containing sighthounds safely (Borzoi Club of America, n.d.). Games like tug-of-war or a flirt-pole session in a fenced space give the breed an outlet for prey drive without the risk of a dog bolting after wildlife on an unsecured street.

What health problems are Borzoi prone to?

Like many large, deep-chested breeds, Borzoi carry an elevated risk of gastric dilatation-volvulus (bloat), a life-threatening emergency in which the stomach fills with gas and can twist on itself; the AKC Canine Health Foundation lists deep-chested breeds including Borzoi among those it funds research on for GDV risk reduction (AKC Canine Health Foundation, n.d.). Because of this risk, many owners and vets discuss prophylactic gastropexy — a surgery that tacks the stomach to the abdominal wall to prevent twisting — particularly if a Borzoi is already being spayed or neutered.

The breed is also predisposed to cardiac issues such as dilated cardiomyopathy and to progressive retinal atrophy, an inherited eye disease that leads to gradual vision loss, both of which OFA (the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) tracks through its CHIC health screening database for the breed (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, n.d.). Borzoi also have a well-documented sensitivity to certain anesthetics and sedatives because of their low body fat percentage, so owners should make sure any vet treating their Borzoi is aware of sighthound-specific anesthesia protocols before surgery.

How should a Borzoi be fed, given their body type?

Borzoi are naturally lean, deep-chested dogs, and that body shape factors directly into two feeding practices vets commonly recommend for the breed: splitting daily food into two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, and avoiding vigorous exercise for at least an hour before and after eating. Both practices are standard advice for reducing bloat risk in large, deep-chested breeds, per guidance summarized in the Merck Veterinary Manual's overview of gastric dilatation-volvulus (Merck Veterinary Manual, 2022).

Elevated feeding bowls were once widely recommended for deep-chested breeds, but a study published through the AKC Canine Health Foundation actually found raised food bowls associated with a higher risk of bloat in large and giant breeds, reversing older conventional wisdom (AKC Canine Health Foundation, n.d.). Because of that shift, most vets today recommend floor-level bowls and slow-feeder designs for Borzoi rather than raised stands.

Are Borzoi good with kids and other pets?

Borzoi are typically gentle and affectionate with people, including children, but they aren't a rough-and-tumble play breed the way a Labrador might be, and the Borzoi Club of America notes the breed tends to prefer calmer interaction over wrestling or fetch marathons (Borzoi Club of America, n.d.). Supervision with very young children is still wise with any large breed simply because of size and the risk of accidental knock-overs, not because of temperament concerns.

The bigger consideration is small animals. Borzoi were bred specifically to chase and catch hare and fox, and that instinct doesn't disappear around a resident cat or small dog — some individuals do fine with a cat they were raised alongside, but a small pet running past outdoors can still trigger a chase response. Prospective owners with cats, rabbits, or small dogs should talk to breeders or rescue groups about a specific dog's individual prey drive before assuming compatibility.

How do you find a healthy, well-bred Borzoi puppy or rescue?

Reputable Borzoi breeders screen breeding stock through OFA's CHIC program, which for this breed typically includes cardiac evaluation, an eye exam through a veterinary ophthalmologist, and thyroid testing, with results posted publicly in the OFA database (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, n.d.). Buyers can ask any breeder directly for CHIC numbers on both parents rather than taking health claims at face value.

For people open to an adult dog, breed-specific rescues affiliated with the Borzoi Club of America regularly place adult Borzoi whose temperaments and health histories are already known, which can be an easier match for first-time large-breed owners than a puppy (Borzoi Club of America, n.d.). Adult Borzoi in rescue also tend to already be past the higher-energy puppy phase, arriving closer to the calm, couch-loving adult temperament the breed is known for.