Hortaya Borzaya Dog Breed - Facts and Information

Appearance
With its very long legs and slim, but muscular body, Hortaya Borzaya is made for speed. There is no breed standard that would describe the exact appearance of Hortaya Borzaya and actually, there is 5 recognized types and many sub types of Hortaya Borzaya. The reason behind this is, that the breed was developing and adapting in different geographic locations and different climates.

But we can say, that the Hortaya Borzaya is most often between 24-30 inches tall, which is 60-75 cms and their weight is typically between 18-35 kgs, which is 40-75 pounds. The Hortayas developed in the northern regions tend to be heavier.

As you can see, this dog is not that light as it might look like and indeed, they are very strong dogs with great stamina, which enables them to run all day. They have deep chest, broad back and a long saber like tail.

The Hortaya Borzaya has close lying, short, straight and dense coat. You can find them in almost any color, most often in black, white or various shades of cream. Commonly, they have black mas and sable or red markings on the coat are also pretty common.


Personality
Hortaya Borzaya is a hunter, no doubt about that, but when they are around their family, they are totally loyal, friendly and affectionate, which makes them good family companion. They can be little bit reserved towards strangers, but never agressive.

Hortaya will love to live with other dogs, they do have a pack mentality, but i would not trust them around smaller household pets like rabbits or hamsters. They have high prey drive and chasing instinct and smaller pets are not safe around them. They will do okay around bigger animals and pets, especially if they are socialized with them from the puppyhood.

So it is true, that this dog is well suited for companion life, but they are still widely used for their original purpose - hunting and because of their strong and athletic body, accompanied with intelligent and kinda independent nature, they are extremely good at it. When they are alone, they typically hunt smaller game like hares, but when they are hunting in pack, they are also used to hunt deer or even wolves.


Interesting fact
This is a very rare dog breed. It is estimated, that there is only something around 3000 Hortaya Borzayas today in the world, most of them still living in the Russia, Ukraine or Kazakhstan.


History
The history of this graceful breed is very mysterious. It is believed, that they were developed in within the Eurasian Steppe, north of the Black Sea, from where they spread all over the Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Russia. Because they spread to such a large area, with different climate, various people with different needs, we have the 5 types of Hortaya Borzaya, each adapted to the differing geographical regions from which they hail.


Health and grooming
Great fact about this breed is their lifespan. Not many dogs of this big size live long lives, but it is very common for Hortaya Borzayas to live up to 15 years.

But if you want a happy and healthy dog, proper regular exercise is a must. Because they were developed for long hunts where they ran for very long distances, regular daily long walks or jogs are must. You should also exercise their mind with training sessions and some playtime.

Another great thing about Hortayas is, that it is a low maintenance dog. Their short coat does not require regular brushing and they can keep the coat in good condition by themselves. Just like with all dogs, you should regularly check their ears, eyes and nails and clean them or clip them if needed.