Things to consider
If you are thinking of a borzoi as your dog of choice, there are a number of things to consider before you make the final decision.
First off the Borzoi is a large breed dog that requires space to live inside the home but they also require adequate space to run and play outdoors.
Second they are a sighthound, which means that they are bred and raised to hunt prey with their sight rather than sent, and to accomplish this they have an athletic build and incredible stamina that must be nurtured. This means that the typical Borzoi will have the instinct to run after anything that moves, to catch it and possibly kill it. That is why for the Borzoi to live with other family pets such as a small dog or cat, they must be taught that they are not prey, but regardless, once out of the house any small family pet can become fair game if they start running.
Third item is the Borzoi coat is a fur to which many individuals develop or have allergies. If any family member suffers from allergies then perhaps, another breed should be considered.
Fourth, Borzois shed and you can expect them to blow their coat at least twice a year, meaning that you will likely find hair bunnies floating around the house and dog hair on your furniture and clothes. One way to minimize the effect is to brush the dog’s coat more frequently. The bright side to this is that borzois are easy to groom, and require minimal maintenance since they do not need to be clipped and trimmed like other breeds. Their coat is silky and does not mat readily and the dirt falls out of their coats quite easily once it is dried out.
Fifth, The Borzoi requires a goodly amount of exercise. The young puppy up to approximately the age of 18 months will need a lot of playing and free running in a fenced in area. It is preferable if you can provide the puppy with a playmate because they will exercise each other. It is important to let the growth plates and the joints have the chance the mature before you start any form of forced exercise. Once the dog has matured you can then consider having them join you on your daily running, jogging or biking routine as your companion, but always on lead. Once the Borzoi reaches the age of about 2 ½ to 3 years old, you will notice that they may require less exercise, but it is still a good idea to encourage them to remain active.
Sixth, If you expect your dog to always obey your every command like a well trained German-Shepherd you will likely be disappointed because Borzois like most other sighthouds are very intelligent and they happen to be independent thinkers, therefore they must be respected as such.
All that being said the Borzoi can be a terrific companion if you are prepared to respect their nature and work with them as opposed to having them work for you. If I might add another suggestion, take the time to go to a dog show near you and meet with breeders and their dogs to get a better understanding and appreciation for the breed before you invest time, money and energy into the purchase of a puppy. Enjoy!!!!
