Breed History
(View AKC Breed Standard)

The Borzoi has a rich history, clouded by the misty past of Czarist Russia who bred the dogs for hundreds of years. Accounts by Mongol rulers from the time of the conqueror, Genghis Khan during the 13th Century tell of long hounds mentioned as principal coursing dogs. In Russia, the precursors of the Borzoi were thought to be of several different types including the long-coated, smooth-faced bearhound of early Russia, the Southern coursing hounds of the Tatars, the Owtchar (a tall Russian sheepdog, as well as other ancient sight-hound types. Whatever the Borzoi origin, by 1260 the coursing of hare for sport is mentioned in connection with the Court of the Grand Duke of Novgorod at the time of the First Czar, and in 1650 the first Borzoi standard was written (reportedly not very different from today’s standard).

Hunting with Borzois reached the level of a national sport of the aristocracy in the mid 1800’s. The dogs were bred and trained in large numbers on estates thousands of acres in extent. A hunt might consist of over 100 Borzois, as many foxhounds and as many people to assist. Often all the horses of a hunt were matched, as well as the leashes of the Borzois and the foxhound packs. Once the team arrived at the sport where wolves were known to be, plans were drawn, preparations made and the hunting commenced. The beaters accompanying a pack of foxhounds would dislodge the game, most notably the wolf, from the forest into the open field where awaiting them at a respectable distance were the mounted huntsmen, each with a trio of Borzois consisting of a bitch and two dogs. When game was sighted, the huntsman slipped the dogs. With the Borzois in pursuit of the wolf, and the mounted huntsmen in pursuit of the Borzois, a hair-raising ride ensued and, if the wolf did not escape, the Borzois were required to capture, pin and hold the creature until the arrival of the huntsmen. Arriving full tilt on the scene, the approved style was for the huntsmen to leap headlong into the fray, gag and bind the wolf, after which the wolf was often set free—surely wiser and much more wary for the next time.

In 1873, the Imperial Association was formed to protect and promote the ancient breed type, and today, many Borzois in America can be traced to this group. The Grand Duke Nicholas, uncle to the Czar and Field Marshal of the Russian armies are notable figures who sought to protect the ancient breed type. Second in importance was Artem Bolodareff, a wealthy landowner. With these two men in the foreground, members of the Association found, bred and protected the old type Borzoi. It is to their hunts at Perchino and Waronzova that many of today’s Borzois owe their heritage.

As far as is known, the first Borzoi that came to America was brought over from England in 1889 by William Wade of Hulton, Pennsylvania, the hound being purchased from Freeman Lloyd. This was a bitch named Elsie, described in The English Stockkeeper as, “nothing much to look at, being small, light and weedy, with no bond, straight back, very curly tail and too much bent in the stifles.”

The first American to visit Russia and import Borzois directly from that country was C. Steadman Hanks, who established the Seacroft Kennels in Massachusetts in the 1890’s. Beginning in 1903, Joseph B. Thomas made three trips to Russia, the importations from which were to play a very important part in the establishment of American Borzoi bloodlines. Included in these importations were Borzois from the Perchino Kennels owned by Grand Duke Nicholas, and from the Woronzova Kennels owned by Artem Boldareff.

The Borzoi today remains largely unchanged from his Russian ancestors, both in terms of his appearance, his quiet, gentle nature and his abilities. The dogs are often coursed and throughout the country, lure coursing is gaining in popularity. His intelligence and easy training have resulted in many Borzois winning Obedience certificates. While the hunt has been the primary purpose of the Borzoi, his beauty and temperament were also always of prime importance.