Borzoi

The Borzoi is a tall, narrow-bodied sighthound from Russia, bred to hunt by sight rather than scent. It stands well over 70 cm at the shoulder, with a long head, a deep and slender chest, and a silky coat that softens its angular frame. At a walk it moves with a light, springy gait, and once it runs it reaches full speed within a few strides.

Indoors, the Borzoi is calm and easy to live with. It settles for long stretches and rarely barks or paces without reason. Given open space outdoors, the same dog turns fast and single-minded, and a jogger, a cyclist on a park connector, or a stray cat can set off a strong urge to chase. This contrast between a placid house companion and a driven runner defines the breed.

The Borzoi is affectionate with people it knows well and reserved with strangers. It attaches closely to its household without being clingy, keeping a composed, almost aloof manner. Many owners compare it to a cat in its independence and its habit of deciding for itself when to engage.

Is a Borzoi suitable for Singapore homes?

A Borzoi needs secure outdoor space to run safely, which makes it a poor fit for most HDB flats and even many condominium estates. The breed is not among those covered by HDB's dog quota scheme for public housing, so landed property with a properly fenced garden suits it far better than a high-rise unit. Owners who want a constantly demonstrative companion, or a dog that can be trusted off leash near small pets, may find the breed a mismatch. Those who can offer a calm household, a secure fence, and access to safe running space, such as a private garden or an NParks dog run outside the hottest part of the day, tend to get on well with a Borzoi.

The Borzoi was developed in Russia as a sighthound for coursing game across open country. Its name comes from a Russian word meaning fast or swift, which sums up the dog's main working trait. For centuries it was tied to the Russian nobility, who kept large kennels and used the hounds to pursue hare, fox, and, in organised hunts, wolf.

Wolf coursing was a formal sport on the estates of wealthy landowners. Hounds usually worked in groups, slipped to chase and hold a wolf until handlers arrived. This work produced a dog that combined distance speed with enough size and strength to face large quarry while staying manageable around its handlers.

The breed reached western Europe and North America in the late nineteenth century, prized for its looks and elegant movement. Early imports came from Russian kennels, and English-speaking countries once called the dog the Russian Wolfhound, a name that has since given way to Borzoi.

Social and political upheaval in Russia in the early twentieth century broke up the large estate kennels that had kept the breed going. Populations established abroad helped carry the Borzoi through that period, and the dog has continued mainly as a companion and show animal while keeping its coursing instincts. In Singapore, where the breed remains uncommon, most Borzois are imported and registered through the Singapore Kennel Club.

The Borzoi has the classic sighthound build made for speed: long legs, a deep and fairly narrow chest, a tucked-up waist, and a back that rises in a gentle arch over the loin. The head is long and lean, with a slight rise at the muzzle and dark, almond-shaped eyes that give it a calm, far-looking expression. The ears are small and fold back along the neck, lifting when the dog is alert. The tail is long, set low, and carried in a smooth curve.

Coat and colours

The coat is silky and ranges from flat to wavy or curly, with longer feathering on the underside, the back of the legs, and the tail. A ruff of heavier hair often frames the neck. Almost any colour or pattern is accepted, so a litter can turn out solid whites, golds, and reds as well as sable, brindle, and black, often broken up with white markings. The coat needs moderate upkeep for its length but does shed, and in Singapore's climate this happens year-round in cycles rather than tied to a change of season, with heavier shedding phases once or twice a year regardless of the weather.

The Borzoi has a calm, dignified temperament. Indoors it is quiet and often inactive, content to rest for long stretches, and it rarely barks without reason. With its own family it is gentle and affectionate, though it tends to be undemonstrative and keeps a degree of reserve rather than seeking constant attention.

Toward strangers the breed is usually polite but aloof, neither friendly on contact nor aggressive. It is not a guard dog by temperament, though its size can be a deterrent on its own. With children it is generally tolerant and gentle, and it does best with older children who handle it calmly; fast, rough play can unsettle a sensitive Borzoi.

The defining trait is a strong prey drive. As a sighthound, the Borzoi is wired to chase anything that runs, and a sprinting cat, a monitor lizard darting across a park connector, or a small dog off leash can trigger pursuit even in a normally placid individual. It often lives peacefully with other large dogs, especially fellow sighthounds, but small pets need careful management. The breed is independent and somewhat self-directed, which shapes how it responds to training.

Grooming

• Brush the silky coat two or three times a week to stop tangles and mats, paying attention to the feathering behind the legs and on the tail.
• Step up brushing during heavier shedding phases, which can happen at any time of year in Singapore's climate rather than following a fixed season.
• Bath the dog occasionally as needed; the coat is fairly easy to keep clean between baths.
• Trim nails regularly and check the long ears and folds for trapped moisture or debris, which builds up faster in humid weather.

Exercise

• Give daily walks plus chances to run at speed in a securely fenced area.
• Time outdoor sessions for early morning or evening, when it is cooler, rather than the midday heat and humidity.
• Allow short bursts of sprinting rather than expecting sustained endurance work; the breed is built for fast coursing, not long jogs.
• Keep the dog on a leash in open or unfenced areas, including HDB estates and park connectors, since recall is unreliable once a chase starts.
• Lure coursing or similar sighthound activities, sometimes run through Singapore Kennel Club-affiliated clubs, suit the breed's instincts well.

Environment

The Borzoi adapts well to home life as a quiet indoor companion, provided it gets regular exercise. It appreciates soft bedding to cushion its lean frame and bony points, and it benefits from a cool, tiled spot or some aircon during the hottest hours. A secure, tall fence matters, because the breed can clear low barriers and may take off after a passing animal. Given its size and exercise needs, a Borzoi generally suits landed property with a garden far better than an HDB flat or a small condominium unit.

The Borzoi is a large but lean dog, and its diet should keep good muscle tone over a slender frame rather than add bulk. A complete commercial diet formulated for large breeds, or a balanced diet planned with veterinary guidance, suits most individuals. Amounts vary with age, activity level, and metabolism, and a dog that gets regular coursing-style exercise needs more than a sedentary house companion.

Like other deep-chested breeds, the Borzoi carries a risk of bloat, so feeding habits matter. Splitting the daily ration into two meals and holding off on hard exercise right after eating are common precautions, and Singapore's heat makes it worth waiting until the dog has cooled down before it eats a large meal.

Treats and supplements

Keep treats to a small share of daily calories so the dog stays lean. Good options include small pieces of plain cooked meat or dog-safe vegetables. Most Borzois on a complete diet need no supplements; discuss joint or other supplements with a vet rather than adding them on your own. Keep fresh water available at all times, especially around exercise and given how quickly a dog can dehydrate in Singapore's humidity.

The Borzoi is generally a healthy breed with comparatively few inherited problems next to many large dogs. The typical lifespan runs about 9 to 14 years. The most urgent health concern is gastric dilatation-volvulus, or bloat, a sudden and life-threatening condition seen in deep-chested breeds. Sighthounds, including the Borzoi, also tend to be sensitive to certain anaesthetic agents because of their low body fat, which is worth raising with a vet before any procedure or surgery.

Preventive care

• Keep core vaccinations and parasite prevention up to date.
• Keep the dog at a lean body condition to protect its joints and heart.
• Learn the signs of bloat and have an emergency plan ready, since how fast you act matters.
• Tell any vet about sighthound anaesthesia sensitivity before procedures.
• Book regular dental care and routine wellness checks, and watch for signs of heat stress given Singapore's year-round warmth and humidity.

The Borzoi is intelligent but independent, shaped by centuries of working at a distance from its handler. It learns readily when motivated but is not eager to please the way some working breeds are, and it can switch off during repetitive drilling. Short, varied, upbeat sessions hold its attention far better than long or forceful ones. Harsh methods tend to make a sensitive Borzoi withdraw rather than comply.

Recall is the hardest command to make reliable, because the urge to chase can override training the moment a fast-moving target appears. Most owners manage this with secure fencing and leash control rather than expecting perfect off-leash obedience, particularly in shared spaces like void decks, park connectors, and public parks. Early, gentle socialisation, including calm exposure to lifts, corridors, and the everyday noise of an HDB estate, helps the breed grow into a confident, well-mannered adult.

Basics

1. Start socialisation and handling in puppyhood, exposing the dog calmly to people, places, and other animals, including lifts and common corridors if you live in a flat.
2. Teach name response and attention first, rewarding voluntary check-ins.
3. Introduce sit, down, and stay in short sessions with high-value food rewards.
4. Practise leash walking early, since an adult Borzoi is large and strong.
5. Work on recall in a fenced area, but never rely on it around running animals in open ground or along a park connector.

Borzois mature slowly, and breeders generally wait until a dog is fully grown and health-screened before considering a litter, often around two years of age. As with dogs generally, the female comes into season about twice a year, and mating is timed to her cycle. Pregnancy lasts about 63 days, a little over two months.

Litter size in the breed is often large for a sighthound, and bigger litters place real demands on the dam and the breeder. Newborn puppies are helpless and need warmth, frequent nursing, and a quiet whelping area. Early, gentle handling and socialisation in the first weeks help shape the calm, confident temperament the breed is known for. Responsible breeding puts weight on sound health, good structure, and stable temperament, with attention to heart health and the breed's known sensitivities. Because the Borzoi remains uncommon in Singapore, most local litters trace back to imported bloodlines, and anyone considering breeding should work with a vet, an experienced mentor, and, where relevant, the Singapore Kennel Club and NParks' Animal & Veterinary Service for registration and import requirements.

Registering a Borzoi in Singapore

An AVS licence satisfies the rules; it does not tell a finder in another country how to reach you. Your Borzoi's free United Pet Club profile does exactly that, pairing your mobile with his photo and chip number for life. Register your dog once and the record follows him anywhere.

The AVS listing and a searchable contact record are two different things, and the second one is yours to set up. Register the microchip on the free lifetime plan: any chip brand a local vet implants qualifies, updates after a move between flats stay free, and the record can be pulled up 24 hours a day from anywhere. Create your free account and settle it tonight.