Borzoi
Overview
The Borzoi is a giant dog from the Hound group — a fairly laid-back breed with modest exercise needs. In temperament it's very affectionate and people-oriented, responsive to training with steady guidance and it strongly dislikes being left alone. With a typical lifespan of 10 to 12 years, the Borzoi is a medium-length commitment.
Is the Borzoi right for you?
A good match if — you live in an apartment or smaller home; you want a closely bonded companion; you want a sociable dog that greets everyone.
Think twice if — the dog would regularly be left alone for long stretches.
What a Borzoi needs from you
Day to day, the Borzoi needs a little daily time from you and light exercise. It does best with a lot of space, ideally a yard and some real dog experience. It's a social breed that doesn't like being isolated for long.
Living with a Borzoi
At home, the Borzoi adapts well to apartment living. It's generally fine with considerate children, friendly with most new people, fairly quiet, and a tidy, low-drool breed.
Key facts
- Size
- Giant
- Height
- 2 feet, 2 inches to 2 feet, 8 inches tall at the shoulder
- Weight
- 55 to 105 pounds
- Life span
- 10 to 12 years
- Group
- Hound Dogs
What it needs from you (at a glance)
| Space needed | |
| Experience needed | |
| Maintenance | no data yet |
| Time per day | |
| Need for company | |
| Handling / closeness | |
| Cost level |
Health & what to watch for
The start matters most: get a Borzoi from someone who health-tests their lines — ask to see the results — or from a reputable rescue, and register with a vet early. Large, heavy breeds load the joints and heart more and tend to live shorter lives, so ask specifically about hip, elbow and heart screening, and keep growth slow and weight lean. Across every breed the single biggest lever you control is weight — a lean dog lives longer and has fewer problems. Food intolerances usually show as itchy skin, recurring ear trouble or an upset stomach; if that turns up, a vet-guided elimination diet beats guesswork. This is general guidance, not veterinary advice — your vet knows your individual dog.
Best toys
Good toys for a Borzoi: tough, durable chews built for strong jaws — avoid flimsy toys it can shred and swallow. Rotate a few at a time rather than leaving everything out — novelty is half the value — and always supervise a new chew.
Growing up
Grow it slowly: keep a Borzoi pup lean and hold off on forced running, repetitive jumping and lots of stairs while the joints are still forming (roughly the first 12–18 months) — overloading a heavy youngster now causes real problems later. The first months are the socialization window: calm, positive exposure to new people, sounds, surfaces and other animals now shapes the adult dog more than almost anything else.
What it costs
Scaled to this breed’s roughly 36 kg and a ~11-year life, keeping a Borzoi works out at about:
Rough cross-breed averages in USD — a planning guide, not a quote. Break it down by life phase in the Cost Calculator →
Temperament (at a glance)
| Affection | |
| Energy | |
| Vocalness | |
| Trainability | |
| Tolerates alone |
Its presence, grown
Raised with patience and consistency, the adult Borzoi settles into a calm, easy-going presence. It attaches closely to its people and is happiest when they are near. It warms to most new people readily. Grown to full size, it is an imposing companion that commands a room simply by standing in it.
As your partner
Picture it as a grown partner at your side: a relaxed daily rhythm of gentle walks and easy downtime together. It will want to be wherever you are, and it feels your absence keenly.
What makes it unique
What sets the Borzoi apart is a nose or an eye that locks onto a trail and a single-minded drive to follow it.