The Russian Wolfhound, or the Borzoi, has a genetic inheritance that goes back centuries ago. Back in the 9th and 10th centuries, Saluki type greyhounds were brought to Russia from Byzantium. Another wave of hunting breeds came again later with the Mongols. These breeds migrated to all the parts of the Russian territory and each of them adapted to that region. This process was very slow process, in which crossing between different breeds was involved.
Later, in the Tsars? era, is when the breed was chiseled. The concept of hunting trials was introduced, and only the most intelligent and effective hounds were allowed to produce offspring.
In the late 1940s, a Soviet soldier made detailed records of the various types of borzoi he found in the Cossack villages.
He was concerned that the distinct types of breeds were in danger of degrading without a controlled system of breeding. He convinced the government that these dogs were a valuable asset to the hunters who supported the fur industry and, because of that, their breeding was officially regulated. To this day, the short-haired Russian Wolfhound is a highly valued hunting dog, while the long-haired one is going through a hard period of restoration of its working qualities after decades of ignorance.
The Borzoi is very similar to his cousin, the greyhound. The head is narrow, with almost no stop at all. It has a long, arched muzzle with two jaws that meet I a scissors bite. The nose is large and black. Its dark eyes are placed in an oblique position.
The chest is deep, but narrow and the back line is slightly arched. The low set tail is curved towards the back.
The dog?s coat is long, flaw or silky. The neck, tail and hindquarters hair is longer compared to the rest of the body. There are a lot of color combinations, most common colors include white, tan, black and mixtures between tan or gray. Gold colored coating in solid or mixed shades may also be seen.
These dogs are intelligent and very loyal to their family. They can become obedient dogs with the proper training as they are prone to learning. They are good with other dogs, but need supervision around other non-canine pets, because of their hunter instincts.
The Russian Wolfhounds must be fed with small meals two or three times per day, because they can develop bloating.
They will adapt well in a closed living space, but will need a lot of exercise considering that this is a very active and energetic breed. They need long, daily walks and must be given the opportunity to run off the leash regularly.
The dog is easy to groom and brushing it with a firm bristle brush will do the trick.
The best thing about the Russian Wolfhound is that it will easily adapt to its owner and living conditions and will soon become a loving and devoted companion to both you and your family.
