|
The Borzoi: Wolf Hound of Russia
By Michael Russell
The Borzoi is a native of Russia. The appearance is elegant,
tall and rather like that of a Greyhound with a silky longer
coat. The original ancestor is most likely the dog known
centuries ago as the Steppe Greyhound and the Borzoi retains
many of the characteristics of this "sight hound". Russian
nobility cherished this breed for its qualities of perseverance
and endurance on the hunt. The Borzoi is a breed that would give
chase, surround and worry the wolf until it could be brought
down by the hunter.
Borzoi Puppy And Dog Information
By Mitch Endick
The Borzoi can survive in an apartment as long as she gets
frequent exercise. A properly fenced yard could be better for
her but keep in mind that she can easily jump a six foot fence.
Once she gets on the run, she may catch a scent and be gone. She
can not be trusted around small animals including the neighbors
cat. She can kill an animal before you can stop her. She is ok
with children but this is iffy. She dislikes roughhousing,
arguing and likes her rest. She seems to be a one person dog
that can be difficult to train. She is royal looking and
beautiful.
Borzoi Facts
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
sight hound family.
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.
"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.
The Borzoi is a large variety of sight hound, 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. The Borzoi might be said to be the Porsche of sight
hounds, if the Irish Wolfhound is the Range Rover.
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, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Health
Life expectancy is 10 to 12 years, females usually living longer
than males. Exceptional individuals have lived to be more than
16 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 most parts of
the world, bloat and road accidents seem to be the most frequent
causes of premature death.
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.
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.
Less common are cardiac problems including cardiomyopathy and
cardiac arrhythmia 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.
Correct nutrition during puppy hood 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.
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.
Borzoi History
It was long thought that Saluki type sight hounds 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 sight dog
type evolved between the lower Kazakhstan part of Altai and the
Afghan plains, and that the earliest actual sight dog 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 sight dog 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 sight dogs
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.
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
sight dog breeds of the relevant type, either singly or in pairs
or triplets, in their native country.
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 borzoi
variants in the Russian countryside.
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 borzoi 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.
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.
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.
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.
* 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.
In Popular Culture
* 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.
* 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).
Links
Borzoi Club of
America, inc.
|
