|
Additional information (Wiki):
Borzoi are large Russian sight hounds,
they look similar to a number of
Middle-Asian breeds such as the Afghan
hound and the Kyrgyz Taigan. Their fur
is silky and flat, and wavy or slightly
curly.
The Borzoi is a quiet and intelligent
but athletic and independent dog. Most
Borzoi are almost silent, barking only
very rarely. They do not have strong
territorial drives and cannot be relied
on to raise the alarm upon sighting a
human intruder. They are gentle and
highly sensitive dogs with a natural
respect for humans, and as adults they
are decorative couch potatoes with
remarkably gracious house-manners.
Borzois should never display dominance
or aggression towards people. Typically
however, they are rather reserved and
sensitive to invasion of their personal
space; this can make them nervous around
children unless they are brought up with
them from an early age. Despite their
size they adapt very well to suburban
living, provided they have a spacious
yard and regular opportunities for free
exercise.
These are dogs used to pursue, or "course",
game and they have a powerful instinct
to chase things that run from them.
Borzoi are built for speed and endurance,
and they can cover long distances in a
very short time. A fully-fenced yard is
an absolute necessity for keeping any
sighthound. They are highly independent
and will range far and wide without
containment, and they have no regard at
all for road traffic. For off-lead
exercise a Borzoi needs a very large
field or park, either fully fenced or
well away from any roads, to ensure
their safety.
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 hunting instinct is triggered by
movement and much depends on how the cat
behaves. |
 |