Plate 015 · Continental Europe
Borzoi
苏俄猎狼犬
“The aristocrats' wolf-hunting hound of Imperial Russia.”
- Origin
- Russia
- Country of origin
- The point is a reference position in the country of origin.
- Era
- Bred by the Russian aristocracy for several centuries
- Today
- Companion · Lure coursing
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
Then → Now
Then · 1900Ch. Alex, a Borzoi owned by Alexandra, Princess of Wales, drawn for a 1900 dog book.
R. H. Moore, in Charles Henry Lane's All About Dogs (1900) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
NowHistory
01 · Origin
Russia
A long-coated Russian sighthound kept by the aristocracy on large country estates.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
Hunted wolves, foxes and hares in grand organised hunts with large packs, chasing, catching and holding the quarry.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
Great kennels of Russian nobles shaped the breed. After the 1917 revolution many of these kennels disappeared, and dogs already exported to Western Europe and America helped preserve it.
04 · Today
Companion · Lure coursing
An elegant, quiet companion and lure-coursing dog.
Personality
- Calm
- Dignified
- Independent
- Gentle
- Quiet
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: this atlas’s editorial summary on a 1–5 scale, for rough comparison between breeds here — not a measurement or a standardised assessment.
- Size
- Giant
- Lifespan
- 9–14 years
- Coat
- Long, silky, flat or wavy coat
Field note
In America the breed was called the Russian Wolfhound until 1936, when its name was officially changed to Borzoi.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Hound Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI
- Popular in
- No reliable data
Registered by the AKC as the Russian Wolfhound until the name was changed to Borzoi in 1936.
AKC registrations: ranked 99 among breeds in 2025.
Sources2 references
- Borzoi — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/borzoi/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-07 · Registry status and AKC group; AKC recognition 1891 per AKC "Breeds by Year Recognized". Used as a registry reference only.
- Borzoi (encyclopedia overview) — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borzoi
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-07 · Secondary overview; cross-check claims against primary breed-club sources.
Image credits
R. H. Moore, in Charles Henry Lane's All About Dogs (1900) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions.
