The Borzoi boasts a high maintenance coat which need to be brushed every day to prevent tangles and matts forming in it. Ideally, their coats need to be professionally groomed at regular intervals which makes keeping on top of things that much easier in between visits to a grooming parlour. Like most dogs, the Borzoi sheds more during the Spring and then again in the Autumn, when they literally shed copious amounts and leave hair all over the place which is why dogs need more frequent grooming at these times of the year. Interestingly, males only shed more once a year unlike their female counterparts.
The hair between their paw pads also needs to be regularly trimmed to prevent it from balling up during wetter and colder weather which can make walking uncomfortable. It's also important to regularly check their ears and to clean them when necessary making sure they are well dried afterwards. If too much moisture builds up in a dog's ear canal, it can lead to a painful and nasty yeast infection and once the condition flares up, it is often very hard to treat.
Although the Borzoi is not a high energy dog, they do need to be given a lot of exercise for them to remain fit and healthy. A minimum of 2 hours a day is the ideal and if possible a dog should be allowed to romp around in a secure large garden as often as possible so they can really let off steam. However, it would be unwise to let a Borzoi off their leads in a park or other safe open space because if they spot anything in the distance that takes their fancy, these dogs will run off after their prey, ignoring any recall commands altogether.
If you get a Borzoi puppy from a breeder, they would give you a feeding schedule and it's important to stick to the same routine, feeding the same puppy food to avoid any tummy upsets. You can change a puppy's diet, but this needs to be done very gradually always making sure they don't develop any digestive upsets and if they do, it's best to put them back on their original diet and to discuss things with the vet before attempting to change it again.
Older dogs are not known to be fussy or finicky eaters, but this does not mean you can feed them a lower quality diet. It's best to feed a mature dog twice a day, once in the morning and then again in the evening, making sure it's good quality food that meets all their nutritional requirements. It's also important that dogs be given the right amount of exercise so they burn off any excess calories or they might gain too much weight which can lead to all sorts of health issues. Obesity can shorten a dog's life by several years so it's important to keep an eye on their waistline from the word go.
Because Borzois are prone to suffering from bloat, it's really important not to feed them just before they go out for walk or when they just get back from one. Feeding a dog before any strenuous exercise or when they have just come back from a walk, puts them at great risk of suffering from bloat which could prove fatal. It’s also a good idea to invest in a stand for their feed bowls so they don’t have to lower their heads when they eat which makes it easier for them to reach their food. Borzois can be a bit naughty when it comes to stealing food if they can which means making sure anything that's left out has to be well out of their reach.
