Borzoi

Temperament

At home the Borzoi is usually a calm, quiet and dignified dog that spends most of its time on a comfortable bed. It is gentle with its family but not effusive; with strangers it can be aloof or shy. It is sensitive and dislikes rough play, shouting and force, so it may feel uncomfortable in a home with noisy small children. It learns willingly when it sees the point, but it has no great need to please. It shows its true nature in open spaces: at the sight of a fleeing animal it takes off at tremendous speed and doesn't respond when called. Cats and small animals can be prey to it, although a Borzoi raised with a cat often accepts it at home. It rarely barks.

Energy

calmvery energetic

Affection

independentvelcro pet

With children

not idealgreat

With other pets

difficultgreat

Trainability

stubborneager to learn

For first-time owners

for experienced ownersyes

With strangers

waryoutgoing

Playfulness

dignifiedeternal puppy

Shedding

minimalheavy

Grooming

easydemanding

Being left alone

strugglescopes well

Apartment living

needs a house and yardgreat in a flat

Barking

quietvocal

With other dogs

difficultgreat

Protectiveness

lowhigh

Drooling

hardly anya lot

Cold tolerance

feels the coldexcellent

Heat tolerance

strugglescopes well

Scores of 1–5 compare the breed with other breeds of the same species, based on the sources at the bottom of the page. Every animal is different. How we score traits

Who is the Borzoi for?

The Borzoi suits a calm, experienced person or a family with older children who has a house with a tall fence and access to a safe running area, and is prepared to get the county permit. It will be appreciated by someone who likes elegant, independent dogs and doesn't expect textbook obedience. Skip it if you have cats or small pets, or if you want a dog for off-leash walks.

Size and looks

Care and exercise

The Borzoi doesn't need hours of training, the Royal Kennel Club suggests up to an hour of exercise a day, but it must be able to run free regularly in a securely fenced area, such as a lure coursing track or a sighthound run. Keep it on a leash on walks near roads and woods. Brush the long, silky coat several times a week, paying attention to the trousers, tail and the area around the ears. Borzois have little body fat, so they need a soft bed, and before any procedure remind your vet about their sensitivity to anesthesia. Feed two smaller meals and don't let it run right after eating. In Poland, get the county permit to keep a sighthound before you bring your puppy home.

Health and breed-related conditions

The Borzoi usually lives 9–14 years. The biggest threat is bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus), typical of deep-chested dogs: any swollen belly or unproductive attempts to vomit are a signal to see the vet immediately. Like other sighthounds, the Borzoi has little fat and recovers more slowly from anesthesia. Hip and elbow dysplasia, osteochondrosis in fast-growing puppies and progressive retinal atrophy are also described in the breed. The Royal Kennel Club places the Borzoi in Category 2 of Breed Watch and highlights the importance of maintaining genetic diversity. Ask the breeder about the parents' eye, heart and joint screening.

• gastric dilatation-volvulus (bloat, GDV)The most serious threat in the breed; it requires immediate veterinary care.
• sensitivity to anestheticsIts lean build means the Borzoi recovers more slowly from anesthesia.
• hip and elbow dysplasiaIt can lead to pain and arthritis.
• osteochondrosis (OCD)Separation of joint cartilage, more common in fast-growing large-breed puppies.
• progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)An inherited eye disease that leads to blindness.

This is general breed information, not a diagnosis. If something worries you, talk to your veterinarian.

Breed history

The FCI standard links the Borzoi's beginnings to the 15th century and the Mongol invasions. The Tatars used sighthounds of Arabian origin, while Russian hunters used strong dogs that could catch deer or elk; crosses between the two types produced the prototype of the Borzoi. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Polish Greyhound blood was added, and later Courland sighthounds, Greyhounds, and mountain and Crimean sighthounds. In the 18th and 19th centuries, great mounted hunts were held with as many as several hundred dogs; the Perchino pack of Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich was especially famous. The fame of these dogs soon spread beyond the Russian Empire, and the Borzoi became one of the most recognizable sighthounds in the world.

Fun facts

• The FCI standard says Polish Greyhound blood was added to Borzoi breeding in the 16th–17th centuries.
• Borzoi dogs are depicted in the prayer book of Grand Prince Vasili III, father of Ivan the Terrible.
• The FCI standard names two historical Borzoi types: Gustopsovy and Chistopsovy.
• Old Russian hunts with Borzois sometimes involved several hundred dogs.

Frequently asked questions

This breed also appears in

• Large dog breeds

Sources

1. 1FCI standard nr 193 – Russian Hunting Sighthound (Borzoi)fci.be
2. 2Royal Kennel Club – Borzoiroyalkennelclub.com
3. 3PetMD – Borzoipetmd.com
4. 4Prawo łowieckie, art. 10 – hodowanie lub utrzymywanie chartów rasowych lub ich mieszańcówarslege.pl

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.