How to Care for your Borzoi

🛁 1. Grooming

✨ Coat Care

Brush 2–3x per week with a pin brush or slicker brush.
Pay special attention to:
- Behind ears
- Feathering on legs
- Hindquarters
Deshedding: Use a comb or rake during seasonal coat blows (spring and fall).

🧼 Bathing

Bathe every 4–6 weeks or as needed.
Use a mild, moisturizing shampoo for long coats.
Ensure full rinsing and drying to avoid matting.

🐾 Nails, Ears, Teeth

Trim nails every 2–3 weeks with a grinder or clipper.
Clean ears with a gentle solution monthly.
Brush teeth several times a week using dog-safe toothpaste.

🍗 2. Nutrition

🥩 High-Quality Diet

Feed a balanced, premium kibble, raw, or home-cooked diet (consult your vet).
Choose formulas for large, lean breeds.

💧 Water & Bloat Prevention

Always offer fresh water.
Avoid heavy exercise 1 hour before or after eating to prevent gastric torsion (bloat)—

🏃 3. Exercise & Mental Enrichment

🏞️ Physical Activity

Daily walks of 30–60 minutes.
Access to fenced space for safe running is ideal.

🧠 Mental Enrichment

Puzzle toys, snuffle mats, and scent games.
Short positive training sessions—use food rewards and patience.
Give them time to explore new environments at their own pace.

🧬 4. Health & Vet Care

🩺 Vet Visits

Annual exams and vaccinations as recommended.
Maintain flea, tick, and heartworm prevention.

🧪 Breeder Health Testing

Cardiac disease
DM (Degenerative Myelopathy)
CERF eye exams

🧸 5. Daily Life & Living

🛋️ Indoors

Borzoi are calm, clean house dogs.
Love to lounge and stretch—provide soft bedding and a quiet place to retreat.
Use non-slip rugs if your home has smooth floors.

🚪 Outdoors

Always supervise outside time—they will chase prey animals instinctively.
Use 6-foot fencing minimum; Borzoi can jump and climb when excited.

🤝 6. Socialization & Training

🐶 Puppy Socializing

Introduce to new people, surfaces, sounds, and environments before 16 weeks.
Use positive, gentle encouragement—never harsh correction.

🧠 Training Basics

Focus on recall, leash manners, and polite greetings.
Borzoi respond to calm, consistent routines—they don’t like chaos or yelling.
Not push-button obedient, but extremely smart and sensitive.

❤️ 7. Emotional Well-being

Borzoi are deeply bonded with their people.
They do not tolerate isolation well—not suited to homes where they’re left alone all day.
Gentle handling, affection, and daily structure = happy Borzoi.