About Borzoi Dogs
Tall, slender, haughty-looking - the Borzoi is a study in elegance and nobility. For three centuries before the 1917 revolution, this magnificent member of the greyhound family was used in Russia for wolf-hunting, understandable in a country overrun with these predators. Prominent families set up kennels to raise their own packs. The tsars' imperial kennels were started in 1613. The best at that time belonged to the Grand Duke Nicholas; it had no fewer than 150 dogs.
Eventually, the rest of Europe was attracted to the Borzoi and it was found gracing salons and drawing rooms throughout the continent, where its exquisite lines and quiet conduct won it a host of enthusiastic admirers. It became the faithful companion of royalty and was entered in prestigious dog shows. By the 1840s, Queen Victoria had Borzois and soon, following her example, so did most of the British aristocracy. Tsar Alexander II presented Edward VIIs future queen with a superb pair of Russian Wolfhounds. The male, entered in numerous dog shows, remained an undefeated champion.
Origins
Some canine authorities claim that the Borzoi is descended from the greyhounds of ancient Egypt that eventually found their way into Russia. There, various greyhound types were supposedly developed, including the existing Borzoi, the product of a cross with a long-haired Russian sheep-dog. Others maintain that after Ivan the Terrible captured Kazan in 1552, he exiled all noblemen to the upper Volga, where these princely Tartars then crossed their Asian greyhounds with indigenous dogs to develop the first strain of Borzoi. In any case it is generally accepted that the Borzoi breed was fixed in Russia around the sixteenth century.
Practical Information
To ensure the Borzoi does not develop stomach cramps, divide its daily rations into two or three separate meals. Vary the dog's diet, ensuring that it eats plenty of meat. Although well suited to domestic life, the Borzoi must run and take long walks. Its coat must be brushed and combed regularly. Pups must be closely watched; their growth can be so rapid that they need calcium supplements. This breed has a tendency to suffer leg fractures. (Pages 80-81).