Borzoi
A female Borzoi
Other names	Barzoï Russian Wolfhound Russkaya Psovaya Borzaya Psovoi
Country of origin	Russia
Traits
Classification & standards FCI Group 10 Section 1 #193 standard AKC Hound standard ANKC Group 4 (Hounds) standard CKC Group 2 - Hounds standard KC (UK) Hound standard NZKC Hound standard UKC Sighthound and Pariah standard

The Borzoi is a breed of domestic dog (canis lupus familiaris) also called the Russian Wolfhound. They have medium-length, slightly curly hair and are similar in shape to Greyhounds. They are a member of the sighthound family. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) (English, World Canine Organization), is an international Kennel Club based in Thuin, Belgium. ... © The American Kennel Club (or AKC) is the largest registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. ... The Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) is the peak body in Australia responsible for promoting excellence in breeding, showing, trialling, obedience, and other canine-related activities and the ownership of temperamentally and physically sound purebred dogs by responsible individuals across Australia. ... The Canadian Kennel Club (or C.K.C.) is the primary registry body for purebred dog pedigrees in Canada. ... The Kennel Club in the United Kingdom is a club aiming to improve the relationships between dogs and their owners. ... The New Zealand Kennel Club is an organisation responsible for dog pedigree registration services in New Zealand. ... The United Kennel Club (or UKC) is the second oldest all-breed registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States and the second largest in the world. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other members of the dog family, see Canidae. ... This article is about the breed of dog. ... The Whippet shows the characteristic long legs, deep chest, and narrow waist of a sighthound. ...

The plural Borzois may be found in dictionaries. However, the Borzoi Club of America asserts Borzoi is the preferred form for both singular and plural. At least one manual of grammatical style rules that the breed name should not be capitalized except at the beginning of a sentence; again, breed fanciers usually differ, and capitalize it wherever found.^[1]

"Borzaya" ("quick dog") is a Russian term for various types of native sighthound. The Russkaya Psovaya Borzaya (Psovoi - the longhaired borzoi) is the dog we know as Borzoi. The system by which Russians over the ages named their sightdogs was a series of describing terms, not actual names, which makes the use of Borzoi for the Psovaya a mistake made by the first Western exporters of the breed. "Psovaya" means "longhaired", just as "Hortaya" (as in Hortaya Borzaya) means shorthaired. Other Russian sightdog breeds are e.g. "Stepnaya Borzaya" (from the steppe), called "Stepnoi" or "Krimskaya Borzaya" (from the Crimea), called "Krimskoi".

Description

Appearance

Borzoi can come in any color or color combination. As a general approximation, "long haired greyhound" is a useful description. The long top-coat is silky and quite flat, with varying degrees of waviness or curling. The soft undercoat thickens in winter or cold climates but is shed in hot weather to prevent overheating. In its texture and distribution over the body, the Borzoi coat is unique. This article is about the breed of dog. ...

The Borzoi coat is silky and flat, often wavy or slightly curly

The Borzoi is a large variety of sighthound, with males frequently reaching in excess of 100 pounds (45 kg). Males should stand at least 28 inches (about 70 centimeters) at the shoulder, while females shouldn't be less than 26 inches (about 66 centimeters). Despite their size the overall impression is of streamlining and grace, with a curvy shapeliness and compact strength. Image File history File linksMetadata Borzoi_coat. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Borzoi_coat. ... The Whippet shows the characteristic long legs, deep chest, and narrow waist of a sighthound. ...

Temperament

The Borzoi is a quiet, intelligent, moderately active, independent dog. They adapt very well to suburban living, provided they have a spacious yard and regular opportunities for free exercise.

Most adult Borzoi are almost silent, barking only very rarely. They are gentle, sensitive dogs with gracious house-manners and a natural respect for humans. Borzoi should never display dominance over people. However they are sometimes nervous around children and need to be introduced to them at an early age if they are to be the pet in a young family.

Many Borzoi do well in competitive obedience and agility trials with the right kind of training, ^[2] but it is not an activity that comes naturally to them. They are fast learners who quickly become bored with repetitive, apparently pointless, activity, and they can be very stubborn when they are not properly motivated. Like other sighthounds they cannot understand or tolerate harsh treatment or training based on punishment, and will be extremely unhappy if raised voices and threats are a part of their daily life. An obdience trial is a dog sport in which a dog must perfectly execute a predefined set of tasks when directed to do so by his handler. ... Agility field left side: A competition agility field showing (clockwise from lower left) a tunnel, the dogwalk, the judge standing in front of a winged jump, two additional winged jumps, dog executing the teeter-totter with his handler guiding, and the tire jump. ... Obedience Training usually refers to the training of a dog and the term is most commonly used in that context. ...

These are dogs used to pursue, or "course," game and they have a strong instinct to chase things that run from them. Borzoi are built for speed and can cover incredible distances in a very short time. They need a fully-fenced yard if automobile traffic is present within several miles of their home. For off-lead exercise they need a very large field or park, either fully fenced or well away from any traffic, to ensure their safety. Car redirects here. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

Borzoi do not have strong territorial drives compared to breeds such as Mastiffs and German Shepherd Dogs, and they are definitely not to be thought of as a "fighting" or "guard dog". They cannot be relied on to raise the alarm upon sighting a human intruder. Mastiff may refer to: Molosser, a group of several breeds of dog also known as Mastiffs. ... The German Shepherd Dog, sometimes known as the Alsatian (in Queens, the US and Ireland, out of Anti-German sentiment during WWI) or more commonly in France Berger Allemand, Schäferhund (in other parts of Europe) and by the acronym GSD or simply German Shepherd, is a breed of dog... A guard dog, watch dog, or sentry dog is a dog employed to guard against, or watch for, unwanted or unexpected animals or people. ...

Generally, Borzoi should not be territorially aggressive to other domestic dogs. Against wolves and other wild canids, they are born with specialized skills, but these are quite different from the dog-fighting instincts seen in some breeds. It is quite common for Borzoi at play to course (run down) another dog, seizing it by the neck and holding it immobile. Young pups do this with their littermates, trading off as to who is the prey. It is a specific hunting behavior, not a fighting or territorial domination behavior. Wolf Wolf Man Mount Wolf Wolf Prizes Wolf Spider Wolf 424 Wolf 359 Wolf Point Wolf-herring Frank Wolf Friedrich Wolf Friedrich August Wolf Hugo Wolf Johannes Wolf Julius Wolf Max Franz Joseph Cornelius Wolf Maximilian Wolf Rudolf Wolf Thomas Wolf As Name Wolf Breidenbach Wolf Hirshorn Other The call... Genera Alopex Atelocynus Canis Cerdocyon Chrysocyon Cuon Dusicyon Fennecus Lycalopex Lycaon Nyctereutes Otocyon Pseudalopex Speothos Urocyon Vulpes Canidae is the family of carnivorous and omnivorous mammals commonly known as canines. ...

Borzoi can be raised very successfully to live with cats and other small animals provided they are introduced to them at a young age. Some, however, will possess the hunting instinct to such a degree that they find it impossible not to chase a cat that is moving quickly. The instinct is triggered by movement and much depends on how the cat behaves. Binomial name Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758 Synonyms Felis lybica invalid junior synonym The cat (or domestic cat, house cat) is a small carnivorous mammal. ...

Health

Borzois vary widely in colour

Life expectancy is 7 to 9 years. Exceptional individuals have lived to be more than 14 years of age. Dogs that are physically fit and vigorous in their youth through middle age are more vigorous and healthy as elderly dogs, all other factors being equal. In the UK various cancers seem to be the most frequent causes of premature death. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2445x1956, 3002 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Borzoi Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2445x1956, 3002 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Borzoi Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create...

Like its native relative the Hortaya Borzaya, the Borzoi is basically a very sound breed. OCD, hip and elbow dysplasia have remained almost unknown, as were congenital eye and heart diseases before the 1970s. However, in some countries modern breeding practices have unfortunately introduced a few problems. The Hortaya Borzaya or simply Hortaya (Хортая Борзая, translation: shorthaired sight hound) is an old Asian sight hound breed originating in the former USSR. It is a dog of large size, of lean but at the same time robust built, of considerably elongated proportions. ... Osteochondritis dissecans (sometimes spelt dessecans, and abbreviated OCD) is a painful condition within a joint of the body in humans or animals, in which fragments of cartilage or bone have become loose within a joint, leading to pain and inflammation. ... This article is about hip dysplasia, a condition affecting the hip joint, which occurs in humans but is more commonly associated with animals, especially dogs (Canine hip dysplasia). ... Elbow dysplasia is a condition involving multiple developmental abnormalities of the elbow-joint. ...

As with other very deep-chested breeds, gastric torsion is the most common serious health problem in the Borzoi. Also known as bloat, this life-threatening condition is believed to be anatomical rather than strictly genetic in origin. Many Borzoi owners recommend feeding the dog from a raised platform instead of placing the food-dish on the ground, and making sure that the dog rests quietly for several hours after eating, as the most reliable way to prevent bloat. Bloat, also known as torsion, gastric torsion, and gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) is a medical condition in which the stomach becomes overstretched by excessive gas content. ... This article is about the veterinary condition. ...

Less common are cardiac problems including cardiomyopathy and cardiac arhythmia disorders. A controversy exists as to the presence of progressive retinal atrophy in the breed. A condition identified as Borzoi Retinopathy is seen in some individuals, usually active dogs, which differs from progressive retinal atrophy in several ways. First, it is unilateral, and rarely seen in animals less than 3 years of age; second, a clear cut pattern of inheritance has not been demonstrated; and finally, most affected individuals do not go blind. Cardiac arrhythmia is a group of conditions in which the muscle contraction of the heart is irregular or is faster or slower than normal. ... Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is a genetic disease of the retina that occurs bilaterally and is seen in certain breeds of dogs. ... Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is a genetic disease of the retina that occurs bilaterally and is seen in certain breeds of dogs. ...

Borzoi puppies rapidly grow into strong and graceful sprinters.

Correct nutrition during puppyhood is also debatable for Borzoi. These dogs naturally experience enormous growth surges in the first year or two of their lives. It is now widely accepted that forcing even faster growth by feeding a highly concentrated, high-energy diet is dangerous for skeletal development, causing unsoundness and increased tendency to joint problems and injury. Being built primarily for speed, Borzoi do not carry large amounts of body fat or muscle, and therefore have a rather different physiology to other dogs of similar size (such as the Newfoundland (dog), St Bernard (dog) or Alaskan Malamute). Laboratory-formulated diets designed for a generic "large" or "giant" breed are unlikely to take the needs of the big sighthounds into account. Image File history File linksMetadata Baby_Borzoi. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Baby_Borzoi. ... A Landseer painting of a Landseer Newfoundland. ... Country of origin Switzerland Classification Breed standards (external links) FCI, AKC, ANKC, KC(UK), NZKC St. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

The issues involved in raw feeding may be particularly relevant to tall, streamlined breeds such as the Borzoi. It is interesting to note that the Hortaya Borzaya, undoubtedly a very close relative, is traditionally raised on a meagre diet of oats and table scraps. The Hortaya is also said to be intolerant of highly concentrated kibble feeds. Basically, a lean body weight in itself is nothing to be concerned about, and force-feeding of healthy young Borzoi is definitely not recommended. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Hortaya Borzaya or simply Hortaya (Хортая Борзая, translation: shorthaired sight hound) is an old Asian sight hound breed originating in the former USSR. It is a dog of large size, of lean but at the same time robust built, of considerably elongated proportions. ...

History

A borzoi pack assisting in a Russian wolf hunt, as shown on Охота на волка 1873

It was long thought that Saluki type sighthounds were originally brought to Russia from Byzantium in the south about the 9th and 10th centuries and again later by the Mongol invaders from the East. However, now that the archeological archives and research results of the former USSR are open to scientists, it has become quite clear that the primal sightdog type evolved between the lower Kazakhstan part of Altai and the Afghan plains, and that the earliest actual sightdog breeds were the plains Afghans and the Taigan.

These ancient breeds then migrated south (founding the Tazi/Saluki branch) and west (founding the Stepnaya, Krimskaya and Hortaya branches) to develop into breeds adapted to those regions. This was a slow process which happened naturally through normal spreading of trade, with the silk and spice trade via the Silk Road being the prime vector.

The more modern Psovaya Borzaya was founded on Stepnaya, Hortaya and the Ukrainian-Polish version of old Hort. There were also imports of western sightdog breeds to add to the height and weight. It was crossed as well with the Russian Laika specifically and singularly to add resistance against northern cold and a longer and thicker coat than the southern sightdogs were equipped with.

All of these foundation types - Tazi, Hortaya, Stepnaya, Krimskaya and Hort - already possessed the instincts and agility necessary for hunting and bringing down wolves.

The Psovoi was popular with the Tsars before the 1917 revolution. For centuries, Psovoi could not be purchased but only given as gifts from the Tsar. The most famous breeder was Grand Duke Nicholas Nicolaievich of Russia, who bred countless Psovoi at Perchino, his private estate.^[3] Tsar (Bulgarian, Serbian and Macedonian цар, Russian  , in scientific transliteration respectively car and car ), occasionally spelled Czar or Tzar and sometimes Csar or Zar in English, is a Slavonic term designating certain monarchs. ... The Russian Revolution of 1917 was a series of political and social upheavals in Russia, involving first the overthrow of the tsarist autocracy, and then the overthrow of the liberal and moderate-socialist Provisional Government, resulting in the establishment of Soviet power under the control of the Bolshevik party. ... Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich. ...

The Russian concept of hunting trials was instituted during the era of the Tsars. As well as providing exciting sport, the tests were used for selecting borzoi breeding stock; only the quickest and most intelligent hunting dogs went on to produce progeny. For the aristocracy these trials were a well-organized ceremony, sometimes going on for days, with the borzoi accompanied by mounted hunters and Foxhounds on the Russian steppe. Hares and other small game were by far the most numerous kills, but the hunters especially loved to test their dogs on wolf. If a wolf was sighted, the hunter would release a team of two or three borzoi. The dogs would pursue the wolf, attack its neck from both sides, and hold it until the hunter arrived. The classical killing was by the human hunter with a knife. Wolf trials are still a regular part of the hunting diploma for all Russian sightdog breeds of the relevant type, either singly or in pairs or triplets, in their native country. The FOXHOUND emblem from the Metal Gear Solid series. ... This article is about the ecological zone type. ...

In the 1917 Revolution, large numbers of native Psovoi were destroyed by the revolutionaries. The Tsars had turned them into a symbol of affluence and tyranny, and they were not welcomed into the new world of the Soviet Union. Some noblemen took it upon themselves to shoot their own dogs rather than allow them to fall into the hands of militants and be cruelly tortured. However, the Psovoi survived along with the other borzaya variants in the Russian countryside. The October Revolution, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was the second phase of the Russian Revolution of 1917, the first having been instigated by the events around the February Revolution. ...

In the late 1940s a Soviet soldier named Constantin Esmont made detailed records of the various types of borzoi dogs he found in the Cossack villages. Esmont's amazing pictures were recently published and can be viewed by clicking on the link below.

Esmont was concerned that the distinct types of borzaya were in danger of degenerating without a controlled system of breeding. He convinced the Soviet government that borzoi were a valuable asset to the hunters who supported the fur industry and henceforth, their breeding was officially regulated. To this day short-haired Hortaya Borzaya are highly valued hunting dogs on the steppes, while the long-haired Psovaya Borzaya, still carrying some of the stigma of its association with the old White Russia, has become more common as a decorative companion. The Hortaya Borzaya or simply Hortaya (Хортая Борзая, translation: shorthaired sight hound) is an old Asian sight hound breed originating in the former USSR. It is a dog of large size, of lean but at the same time robust built, of considerably elongated proportions. ...

Exports of Borzoi to other countries were extremely rare during the Soviet era. However enough had been taken to England, Scandinavia, Western Europe and America in the late 19th century for the breed to establish itself outside its native country.

Art

The Borzoi's elegance has always made it a popular subject for artists, but never more so than in the Art Deco period. French artist Louis Icart is particularly known for his paintings of Borzoi. A famed bronze sculptor of the Art Deco period, D.H. Chiparus, also featured Borzoi in his works. The Borzoi has also been featured extensively as Porcelain or Bronze figures. [1] Asheville City Hall. ... Demetre H. Chiparus (1886-1947) was an Art Deco era sculptor who lived and worked in Paris. ...

In 2004, the UK Kennel Club held its 4th temporary exhibition entitled 'The Borzoi in Art'. The exhibition offered a unique insight into the Borzoi and how the breed has been depicted in art throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries. The exhibition included paintings, bronzes and porcelain which had previously never before been available for the public viewing. The exhibition ran from September 27th to December 3rd. The Kennel Club in the United Kingdom is a club aiming to improve the relationships between dogs and their owners. ...

Famous Borzoi

• The Borzoi is the symbol of Alfred A. Knopf publishing house.
• Tasha, a Borzoi bitch belonging to the noted vet Buster Lloyd Jones (founder of Denes natural pet foods), was born in the UK during the Second World War and is the pedigree ancestor of most British Borzoi bloodlines.^[4]
• Ben was the white borzoi, beloved of E.J. Smith, Captain of the Titanic. There exists a photo of the Captain and his dog outside his cabin on the ship. The Dog was not however on the maiden voyage.
• Kolchak Has been the mascot of the 27th Infantry Regiment since the Regiment participated in the Siberia Campaign. The 27th Infantry has been nicknamed 'The Wolfhounds' in recognition of their endurance during battles in Siberia.

Colophon of the publisher Alfred A. Knopf. ... For other persons named Edward Smith, see Edward Smith (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Titanic (disambiguation). ...

In Popular Culture

• "Mademoiselle Nobs" from Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii
• The book War and Peace contains a wolf hunting scene with borzois in book 7, chapters 3 to 6.
• The 1968 film version War and Peace contains a hunting scene with Borzoi from the kennel of Ekhaga, Sweden.
• The 1999 film, Onegin has a couple of scenes with Borzoi in a Russian landowner's country mansion a) being led through snowy inner courtyard by one of the servants b) lounging next to enormous hearth/ fireplace next to their master.
• Uncle Zeke starred as "Digger" in the 2000 Disney film, 102 Dalmatians
• Rocket, Missile, and Jet in Ginga Densetsu Weed
• Boris in Walt Disney's film Lady and the Tramp
• D'or's Prince Igor owned by Barbara Todd (Zcerlov) and bred by Andre Legere appears in the film, Hello Dolly!
• Lyndell Ackerman's "Nessie" CH Windyglens Finesse in the TV show Wings.
• Borzoi can also been seen in cameo roles in the films Love at First Bite, Legends of the Fall ("Notchee Boy")[2], Excalibur, Bride of Frankenstein, Easter Parade, Wolfen, Ziegfield Follies, Gangs of New York (2002), Chaplin, The Avengers (TV series), JAG, Maverick (1994), Sleepy Hollow, Last Action Hero, and A Knights Tale (On the DVD deleted scenes).

Meddle track listing San Tropez (4) Seamus (5) Echoes (6) Seamus is the fifth song on Pink Floyds 1971 album Meddle and also the name of a dog, owned by close associate of the band Steve Marriott. ... For other uses, see War and Peace (disambiguation). ... War and Peace (Russian: Война и мир; Voyna i mir) is a Soviet-produced film adaptation of the Leo Tolstoys novel War and Peace. ... Eugene Onegin (Russian: Евгений Онегин, BGN/PCGN: Yevgeniy Onegin) is a novel in verse written by Aleksandr Pushkin. ... 102 Dalmatians is a 2000 live-action film, produced by The Walt Disney Company and starring Glenn Close as the villainous Cruella de Vil. ... Ginga Densetsu Weed (銀牙伝説ウィード Ginga Densetsu Uiido) is a Japanese manga series begun by Yoshihiro Takahashi in 1999. ... For the company founded by Disney, see The Walt Disney Company. ... Lady and the Tramp is a 1955 animated feature film produced by Walt Disney, and originally released to theaters on June 16, 1955 by Buena Vista Distribution. ... Hello, Dolly! is a 1969 American musical film, based on the Broadway production of the same name. ... Wings is an American sitcom that ran on NBC from April 19, 1990 to May 14, 1997. ... Love At First Bite is a 1979 comedy horror film directed by Stan Dragoti and written by Robert Kaufman, using characters originally created by Bram Stoker. ... Legends of the Fall is a 1994 film based on the 1979 novella of the same title by Jim Harrison. ... Excalibur is a 1981 film which retells the legend of King Arthur. ... Bride of Frankenstein is a horror/science fiction film released on April 22, 1935, a sequel to the 1931 film Frankenstein. ... Easter Parade is a 1948 musical film starring Fred Astaire and Judy Garland. ... Wolfen is the title of a 1981 horror film starring Albert Finney, Gregory Hines and Edward James Olmos. ... This article is about the film. ...

Citations

References

1. ^ The Times (of London, UK) Online Style Guide, see dog
2. ^ Scott pp.113
3. ^ Scott pp.10
4. ^ Scott pp.14

• The Borzoi Handbook Winifred E. Chadwick. London: Nicholson & Watson 1952. Including a translation of The Perchino Hunt By His Excellency Dmitri Walzoff (1912).
• McRae, Gail C. (1989). Borzoi. TFH Publications; New Ed edition, 191 pages. ISBN 978-0-86622-676-9. 
• Tolstoy, Leo (2001). War and Peace. Wordsworth Classics. ISBN 1-85326-062-2. 
• Scott, Dr. Desiree (2002). Borzoi (Pet Love). Interpet Publishing, UK., 160 pages. ISBN 1-903098-93-9. 
• Zotova, Galena V. (2003). Russkaya Psovaya Borzaya. Moscow. ISBN 5-94838-095-5. 
• Martin, Nellie L. (2005). Borzoi - The Russian Wolfhound. Its History, Breeding, Exhibiting and Care. Read Books, 128 pages. ISBN 978-1-84664-042-1. 

For other uses, see War and Peace (disambiguation). ...

See also

• Wolf hunting

Main article: Gray Wolf Wolf hunting is the practice of hunting wolves, especially the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus). ...

External links

• Borzoi Canada
• Borzoi Club of America, inc.
• Constantin Esmont and his historic photographs
• Article: The Borzoi Coat
• Article: The Modern Borzoi
• Historical artistic and cultural album dedicated to the Borzoi. English, German and French language