Borzoi
Height66–79 cm (26–31 in)
Weight27–48 kg (60–106 lbs)
TypeHound
Life Expectancy9–14 yrs
OriginRussia
A graceful Russian sighthound once used by aristocrats to hunt wolves. Borzois are quiet, gentle, and cat-like indoors, but capable of explosive speed when running in open fields.
Breed Ratings
Personality
Intelligence
3/5
Trainability
2/5
Playfulness
3/5
Energy Level
3/5
Social
Good with Kids
3/5
Good with Dogs
4/5
Good with Strangers
3/5
Lifestyle
Apartment Friendly
3/5
Exercise Needs
4/5
Watchdog Ability
2/5
Barking Level
1/5
Care
Shedding
3/5
Grooming Needs
3/5
Health Robustness
3/5
Where Are Borzois From?
Russian aristocracy bred Borzoi for hundreds of years to hunt wolves in packs across the vast Russian steppes. Tsars kept them by the hundreds, and elaborate wolf hunts were major social events. The Russian Revolution nearly wiped them out when they were slaughtered as symbols of the aristocracy.
What Is It Like Living With a Borzoi?
Borzoi are quiet, calm, and almost cat-like indoors. They’ll lounge on your furniture with an air of aristocratic boredom for hours. But outside, they’re explosive sprinters capable of reaching 40 mph. Their prey drive is extreme — a Borzoi will chase a squirrel into traffic without hesitation.
How Much Exercise Does a Borzoi Need?
They need 30–60 minutes of daily exercise with opportunities to sprint in a safely enclosed area. A fenced yard is essential. Borzoi are gentle and affectionate but not demonstrative — they’ll lean against you rather than lick your face. They’re sensitive dogs that wilt under harsh corrections.
How Often Do You Need to Groom a Borzoi?
The silky coat needs brushing two to three times weekly and sheds moderately. Health concerns include bloat (life-threatening — learn the symptoms), heart problems, and osteosarcoma. Borzoi are sensitive to anesthesia and many common medications. Lifespan is 9–14 years.
Are Borzois Healthy?
Borzoi suit calm households that appreciate an elegant, low-key companion with occasional bursts of athleticism. They’re not for homes with small pets (prey drive), owners wanting an eager-to-please breed, or anyone needing a guard dog. Surprising fact: Borzoi rarely bark, making them one of the quietest large breeds.
Our Honest Take on the Borzoi
Borzois are quiet, dignified, and almost cat-like in the home — and breathtakingly fast and prey-driven outside it. The reputation for being 'aristocratic apartment dogs' is half-right; the other half involves a 100-pound sighthound that will be over the horizon in 12 seconds if you slip up.
Common Mistakes New Owners Make
- 1Trusting recall. Borzois hit 35–40 mph and chase by sight; off-leash freedom belongs only in 100% fenced spaces, and many adult Borzois never have reliable recall regardless of training investment.
- 2Skipping sighthound-specific anesthesia. Like other sighthounds, Borzois have low body fat and unique drug metabolism; standard sedation doses can kill them — confirm your vet uses sighthound protocols.
- 3Underfeeding or overfeeding. Borzois are deep-chested and bloat-prone; multiple small meals, slow feeders, and no exercise within 60 minutes of meals are baseline practice.
- 4Buying from show-only lines without working temperament. Some lines have become increasingly nervy; meeting both parents and assessing stability matters.
Who Should Think Twice
Avoid Borzois if you have small pets you cannot fully separate, lack secure 6-foot fencing, or want a dog with reliable off-leash recall. They aren't ideal for active hiking partners either — Borzois sprint, they don't jog. Households with rough children should pass; the breed is gentle but bony, sensitive, and easily startled. Anyone expecting an obedient large breed should look at Standard Poodles instead.
Real Costs in 2026
Borzoi puppies from health-tested breeders (OFA hearts, eyes, hips, thyroid, degenerative myelopathy DNA): $2,000–$3,200 in 2026. Annual costs total $2,200–$3,200 including food ($65–$85/month for a 90–100 pound adult), modest grooming, and vet care. Insurance at $50–$70/month is recommended — gastric torsion (bloat) surgery costs $5,000–$8,000 and the breed has elevated risk; prophylactic gastropexy at spay/neuter runs $400–$800 and is worth discussing.
Living With a Borzoi: Year by Year
Borzoi puppyhood is unusually brief and dignified for a giant breed — these are not bouncing Lab-style puppies. Even at 4 months a Borzoi will frequently retreat to a quiet corner rather than join in, and many owners worry their puppy is depressed. The aloofness is breed-typical, not pathological. Adolescence (1-3 years) brings the sighthound switch: a previously gentle puppy will sprint at full 35-40 mph speed after deer, cats, joggers, or wind-blown leaves. Prime adulthood (3-9) is what aristocratic owners imagine — a 100-pound dog that lies on the couch like a long, polite cat, walks calmly on leash, and reserves emotion for its chosen people. The surprise for new owners is the noise sensitivity: Borzois startle easily, tremble at thunder, and many cannot tolerate small children's high-pitched voices. Senior years are short; gastric torsion (bloat) and osteosarcoma are the leading causes of death, often between 9 and 11. Few Borzois reach 12.
The Training Reality
Borzois are intelligent but not biddable — Coren ranks sighthounds in the lowest training tier, and the practical experience matches. They learn quickly but choose not to comply unless motivated, and motivation is rarely food past the first repetition. Housetrained by month 5-6. Marker training works for tricks and house manners but breaks down completely around prey. The realistic ceiling is calm leash manners, sit/down/place, and a recall in low-distraction environments only — off-leash reliability around wildlife is essentially impossible regardless of training investment. The training pitfall is harsh handling: Borzois shut down for days after corrections and many never re-engage with the offending handler at the same level. The breakthrough most owners need is accepting the breed for what it is — a sprinter, not a worker. Lure coursing, fast-CAT, and oval racing satisfy the genetic need; obedience trials do not. Skip the 100-foot retractable leash; use a long-line in fenced spaces only.
A Day in the Life
Morning is a 30-45 minute calm leashed walk plus, ideally, one hard sprint per week in a fully fenced field. Borzois are sprinters, not endurance dogs — they will not jog with you for an hour, but they will hit 35 mph for 90 seconds and then nap for six hours. Daytime they sleep on the largest available soft surface (your bed, the couch) in long, elegant silhouettes. The silky coat sheds heavily twice yearly and minimally otherwise; weekly brushing is sufficient. Most sleep 16-18 hours total — among the highest of any breed. Evening is another short walk plus a calm couch session. The quirk owners only discover after living with one: Borzois steal food with elegant precision. A whole roast chicken disappears off a counter without a sound, and you'll never see it happen. They also resource-guard food fiercely with other dogs, which surprises owners expecting sighthound passivity.
How Borzois Compare to Similar Breeds
Compared to an Irish Wolfhound, Borzois are smaller, faster, longer-lived (10-11 vs 6-8 years), and more aloof; Wolfhounds are gentler with strangers but die catastrophically young. Compared to a Greyhound, Borzois are heavier-coated, more reserved, and slightly less prey-driven on average — Greyhounds are more handler-engaged but shed harder per pound. Compared to a Saluki, Borzois are bigger, calmer, and slightly more social with their own family; Salukis are leaner and even less biddable. Compared to an Afghan Hound, Borzois are dramatically lower-maintenance in coat and slightly more handler-focused; Afghans are full-time grooming projects. If you want the silhouette without the sighthound recall problem, look at a Standard Poodle in a continental clip.
Great For
- Multi-pet households
Think Twice If
- You're a first-time owner
Are Borzois Prone to Health Issues?
Borzois are predisposed to: bloat, heart disease, hypothyroidism, progressive retinal atrophy. Regular vet visits and a healthy diet help prevent common issues.
Health Robustness
3/5
How Much Does a Borzoi Cost?
Purchase Price
$1,500–$3,000
Monthly Food
$65
Annual Vet
$500
Annual Grooming
$200
Est. First Year
~$3,730
Est. Annual
~$1,480
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Borzoi cost?
A Borzoi puppy typically costs $1,500–$3,000. The estimated first-year cost including food, vet visits, and grooming is around $3,730, with ongoing annual costs of approximately $1,480.
How long do Borzois live?
Borzois have an average lifespan of 9 to 14 years. Common health concerns include bloat, heart disease, hypothyroidism, progressive retinal atrophy.
Are Borzois good with kids?
Borzois score 3/5 for being good with children. They can do well with children when properly socialized, though supervision is recommended.
Do Borzois shed a lot?
Borzois have a shedding level of 3/5. They shed moderately and benefit from regular brushing.
Are Borzois good for apartments?
Borzois score 3/5 for apartment friendliness. They can live in apartments with sufficient daily exercise and mental stimulation.