Until 1936, the Borzoi was known by another name — the Russian Wolfhound. This dog was bred to be a hunter.
As far back as the thirteenth century, “long” hounds went hunting in large packs with Mongol rulers — including Genghis Khan. Records from around 1260 describe lure coursing with long hounds that were probably early ancestors of the Borzoi. Ancestors of the breed include Arabian greyhounds, tall Russian sheepdogs called Owtchers, and a long-haired Russian breed called the bearhound.
The Russian aristocracy wrote the first breed standard for the Borzoi in 1650. Different kennels bred for specific coat colors in order to identify their own dogs during a large hunt. Within the next two hundred years, hunting with these long hounds became an extremely popular sport for nobility. Hunting parties of more than a hundred Borzoi would flush and chase down wolves.
The first Borzoi arrived in America in 1889. By 1903, kennels and breeders imported more dogs from the famous Perchino and Woronzova kennels in Russia. Those early imports helped to establish the Borzoi breed in America.
The Borzoi is a sighthound — it hunts more by sight than by smell. In order to chase, catch, and hold prey, this dog has been bred to have a strong neck and jaws, powerful legs, courage, and agility. Look for a flowing, effortless gait when the Borzoi is running.
These long hounds are also graceful and flowing from head to long, curved tail. Males stand at least twenty-eight inches high at the shoulder; females stand twenty-six inches or more. Weight ranges from sixty pounds to more than a hundred. The long, silky coat adds to the dog’s flowing lines.
Despite their history as hunters, the Borzoi today is a beautiful and intelligent dog. Gentle with people, the Borzoi is a great family companion. Some farmers use Borzoi to help control coyote populations, hearkening back to the old days of massive game hunts.