Newbie wanting any info about borzois or first time owner tips

[Borzoi_B]

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Hello everyone!

I've come on here to gain insight as hopefully next year I can start searching to get a Borzoi.

I've grown up with family dogs- labradors- we even had a litter of pups however I dream of getting a Borzoi bitch but there seems to be a lot less information out there compared to other breeds.

Just at the beginning of my research journey but any basic info about approximate costs, training tips, cleaning tips, ANYTHING you wish you had known as a first time sight hound/ dog owner please let me know

 

[Ross J]

I have Borzoi male pup coming up to 5 months old,,my wife wanted a Borzoi for a while,so she done some reading up on them ,,also videos on YouTube have been helpful,we also have a 16 month old whippet and the both get along great,The Borzoi has grown really quick much taller than the whipped now lol..they are know to get health problems like bloat if not fed good food I always have fed mine on grain free food since I have had a weimaraner,,a Doberman and a German shepherd.and get other health problems like many a dog.there is a channel on YouTube by a Owner of Borzois called Jacob Chattman .
Good website about dog food The Dog Food Directory - now listing 2322
the first week or so he started to give us his paw after a few training commands,,he walks be us on the lead no pulling,,been trying to find a trainer in the South Wales area but not found one yet.We are going to book a secure field so they both can run around on their own.We had a few accidents in the house but not many,,and after a couple of weeks he now tells us when he want to go out to the toilet.He will eat anything I put down for him,,the whippet is fussy.They are tall dogs,sorry I couldn’t be more helpful,but you won’t be disappointed if you get one.they are very placid well mine is.

 

[Borzoi_B]

Hey Ross J, thanks for the reply!!!

Yeah I follow a few borzoi accounts on instagram and came across Jacob Chattman and am slowly making my way through his videos. Thank you for the info about food/ link.

Do you use a collar or a harness for your Borzoi? i've heard some people say harnesses, even ones designed for sighthounds aren't good for them but worried about a collar and slipping free, even using martingale's.

As I'm still at least a good year off, I haven't started enquiring with breeders yet but are you UK based? If so could I ask approx how much on average Puppy's are as all my googling on UK sites says around £800 but that figure seems very out of date. Most US sites say between 2000-5000$ which seems more likely but i think there is also fewer breeders in the UK.

Also did most breeders have a long wait list for pups?

I live in the southwest and would also want a trainer with it being first sighthound owned and want as much experience as possible to train decent recall.

Do you let your whippet or borzoi off lead at all or only in secure booked fields?

Many people seem to have mixed accounts of borzoi's, i guess like any dog but I was initially very excited but now have heard/ read some horror stories and feel very cautious.

Any more info you are happy sharing i would be very grateful for

 

[JudyN]

Have a read of the posts by Robins Mum and Jan Woodall (they're the same people). To be fair, Robin does sound rather more 'exuberant' than the average Borzio pup, but forewarmed is forearmed

I don't have any experience of borzois so don't know how different they are to other sighthounds, but do you have a good feel for the sighthound personality? They are very different to labradors, and need sensitive handling... they don't necessarily roll with the punches. Sighthounds are also independent thinkers - if you ask them to do something, they will consider your request, but may decided that nah, actually, they'd rather not. Training is mostly a case of deviously manipulating them to come to think that they actually want to do what you want to do. You might realise one day that it's them who are manipulating you...

Also, when you choose a trainer, it's vital you get one with good sighthound experience, not one who expects them to respond in the same way as a lab or collie.​

 

[Tinytom]

My friend has Borzois. ...they are not for the faint hearted especially if you are not used to sighthounds. ....they can be allof and very stubborn ...maybe having one from a pup will make a difference ...as for price jack russell pups are £1,500 at the moment so i think £800 for a borzoi pup is quite outdated. ..
My friend says the female Borzois tend to be easier than the males ....good luck with your search ...and its brilliant you are doing all of the research

 

[Borzoi_B]

Have a read of the posts by Robins Mum and Jan Woodall (they're the same people). To be fair, Robin does sound rather more 'exuberant' than the average Borzio pup, but forewarmed is forearmed

I don't have any experience of borzois so don't know how different they are to other sighthounds, but do you have a good feel for the sighthound personality? They are very different to labradors, and need sensitive handling... they don't necessarily roll with the punches. Sighthounds are also independent thinkers - if you ask them to do something, they will consider your request, but may decided that nah, actually, they'd rather not. Training is mostly a case of deviously manipulating them to come to think that they actually want to do what you want to do. You might realise one day that it's them who are manipulating you...

Also, when you choose a trainer, it's vital you get one with good sighthound experience, not one who expects them to respond in the same way as a lab or collie.​

Hi JudyN, yeah I have read posts by Jan about Robin and I have to admit her stories have made me more wary. I don't really have much experience with sighthounds other than friends having whippets I knew years ago but not sure how to get more hands on experience with the breed as they aren't common dogs in the UK. Do you have any advice about getting be around/ have more experience with sighthounds? No one i currently know own any and I can't think of anything other than borrowmydoggy to get some hands on experience.

I've already been having a look for puppy classes but can't seem to find any local sighthound specific trainers but have come across a few online animal behavioural experts like Becca Sommerville who does online classes specialising with sighthound expertise but it's definitely an extra cost I hadn't initially factored in and again, wouldn't consider getting a puppy unless I knew I could put the time and money into proper training.

Having watched lots of videos on social media/ youtube I have definitely fallen in love with their aloof ways/ sensitive way of showing affection, I just feel slightly disheartened that I may not have the knowledge to confidently raise a content/ well trained Borzoi . But then again, i think i may worry with whatever breed I get as it will be a steep learning curve raising my own first puppy.

 

[Borzoi_B]

My friend has Borzois. ...they are not for the faint hearted especially if you are not used to sighthounds. ....they can be allof and very stubborn ...maybe having one from a pup will make a difference ...as for price jack russell pups are £1,500 at the moment so i think £800 for a borzoi pup is quite outdated. ..
My friend says the female Borzois tend to be easier than the males ....good luck with your search ...and its brilliant you are doing all of the research

I love the aloofness of sighthounds, it's the same reason I love cats personalities! It seems to be very difficult to know approximate costs as they aren't commonly found dogs on websites, so I guess I won't know prices until I am at the point where I feel prepared enough/ right situation to start contacting breeders about pups.

In my mind (definitely crazy) i think that no matter what dog I get, with it being the first I will raise (as opposed to family dogs i've grown up with), I will find it difficult regardless of whether it is a Borzoi, Dalmatian, Golden Retriever or German Shepherd .

Yeah definitely want a female, but it will be sods law the one i get will be as mad as a box of frogs hahah

 

[JudyN]

Do you have any advice about getting be around/ have more experience with sighthounds? No one i currently know own any and I can't think of anything other than borrowmydoggy to get some hands on experience.

Do you have any sighthound rescues near to you where you could offer to walk their dogs or help out in other ways? There are a lot of greyhounds in rescues. Even non-specific rescues often have greyhounds and lurchers. If you're drawn to a dog that is sensive and reserved, but possibly with a box if frogs installed, then you do sound right for a sighthound! Saluki crosses in particular tend to have boxes of frogs installed...

Again, though, I don't know what particular quirks Borzois have, compared to other pointy-noses so I'd investigate that too.

 

[Borzoi_B]

Unfortunately due to all the Covid related restrictions, lots of places aren't currently asking for help with rescue centres, but will keep an eye out for any changes

 

[Ross J]

Do you use a collar or a harness for your Borzoi? i've heard some people say harnesses, even ones designed for sighthounds aren't good for them but worried about a collar and slipping free, even using martingale's.

I use Harness On both my dogs,for the borzoi I use one from a company called Hurtta it’s a Y harness model called RAZZLE-DAZZLE.the first one he has grown out of already the next one we bought was a bit big,so in the mean time we bought a cheap Y harness from Amazon..still have collars on the dogs but not attached to the leads .We have some Martingale collars but never used them.
We had ours from a breeder in Monmouth Cwmcoed Borzois Web Site..We were lucky as we were looking for another dog my wife put in google borzoi pups for sale in South Wales and that one came up,,it was the last one left as someone backed out,so we had him.and not far from where we are.a grand he cost us.I have let them both of their leads and have come back no problem,,but we are going to book some secure fields soon.
Our Borzoi is dorcile and can be stubborn at times,I have not heard any horror stories about this breed,,As I said we have had weimaraner,,A Doberman and a GSD.not one of them have been bad dogs all loving and affectionate.hope you find all our advice helpful.

 

[Hemlock]

See if you can get a copy of The House Lurcher by Jackie Drakeford. It's the only training book I know that deals specifically with the sighthound temperament, and although Borzois aren't lurchers, they are sighthounds. The temperament and training-that-works are as JudyN says - perfectly trainable, but not in the way herding or gundog breeds are. And we sighthound owners have to accept that sometimes management is better than training in certain situations.

 

[Borzoi_B]

I use Harness On both my dogs,for the borzoi I use one from a company called Hurtta it’s a Y harness model called RAZZLE-DAZZLE.the first one he has grown out of already the next one we bought was a bit big,so in the mean time we bought a cheap Y harness from Amazon..still have collars on the dogs but not attached to the leads .We have some Martingale collars but never used them.
We had ours from a breeder in Monmouth Cwmcoed Borzois Web Site..We were lucky as we were looking for another dog my wife put in google borzoi pups for sale in South Wales and that one came up,,it was the last one left as someone backed out,so we had him.and not far from where we are.a grand he cost us.I have let them both of their leads and have come back no problem,,but we are going to book some secure fields soon.
Our Borzoi is dorcile and can be stubborn at times,I have not heard any horror stories about this breed,,As I said we have had weimaraner,,A Doberman and a GSD.not one of them have been bad dogs all loving and affectionate.hope you find all our advice helpful.

Thank you so much for your reply Ross J, the info has been really helpful and appreciated!

 

[Borzoi_B]

See if you can get a copy of The House Lurcher by Jackie Drakeford. It's the only training book I know that deals specifically with the sighthound temperament, and although Borzois aren't lurchers, they are sighthounds. The temperament and training-that-works are as JudyN says - perfectly trainable, but not in the way herding off gundog breeds are. And we sighthound owners have to accept that sometimes management is better than training in certain situations.

Thank you so much for the recommendation! Will have a look for it on Amazon

 

[Ross J]

See if you can get a copy of The House Lurcher by Jackie Drakeford. It's the only training book I know that deals specifically with the sighthound temperament, and although Borzois aren't lurchers, they are sighthounds. The temperament and training-that-works are as JudyN says - perfectly trainable, but not in the way herding off gundog breeds are. And we sighthound owners have to accept that sometimes management is better than training in certain situations.

AMAZON 2019 Paperback Edition £14.99 Free Delivery With Prime
Hardback £85.58 plus £2.80 Delivery

There is one there 2010 Hardback edition £262.99 Plus £2.80 Delivery

 

[JudyN]

You'll be going for the hardback copy then!

 

[Ross J]

You'll be going for the hardback copy then!

Thinking about it…NOT lol,,just giving examples that the book is on Amazon and the prices to choose from…

copies on eBay as well at various prices

 

[Borzoi_B]

Cheers everyone!