A huge but people-loving breed, the Borzoi got their start as the official hunting dogs of the Tsarist Russian nobility and royalty. These dogs were bred over the course of many years in order to make the fastest, smartest dogs possible. The necessity of the dog's incredible speed, agility, and intelligence was tied to the dog's purpose as a hunter. He was trained to take down many types of game, but specifically wolves. The dogs would go out with the hunters and, when game like a wolf was spotted, the Borzoi would be released in packs of two or three to "capture" the wolf. The dogs would hold the wolf or other game until the hunters came, and there the human hunters would kill the game.
As you can see from the description of the Borzoi's job as a hunter, they needed to be incredibly quick and nimble to capture game like wolves. But not only were the dogs bred to be fast, they were bred to be highly responsive to their chase instincts. This chasing behavior becomes problematic in today's suburban homes because the Borzoi is prone to running after "prey" and once he starts running, there is almost no way to catch him.
So what can the average homeowner do to prevent their beloved pet Borzoi from running after neighborhood cats and squirrels? The best solution to the dog's chase instinct is to have a large, fenced yard for the dog. The fencing is especially important: the dog is quite large and once he begins chasing an animal, very few things can stop him. Borzoi will run right through electronic fences, so traditional fences are the best options for homes with a Borzoi.
Because of the dog's size, the type of fencing you get is also important. Something study and tall is the best bet; if you have neighbors with small children or animals, you may want to get a privacy fence so your Borzoi doesn't get the idea to chase the neighbor's pets or kids.
A Borzoi is a dog built to run, and when he has superfluous energy, this is exactly what he wants to do. Therefore, homes with large fenced yards are superb for the Borzoi's inherent need to run. If you do not have a large yard, try to find a dog park or open field far from busy city streets where you can let your Borzoi run and exercise. Keep in mind that Borzoi will chase animals anywhere, so letting him off the leash in an open area could be a problem. This is why a large fenced yard is best for this particular breed. No pet owner wants to risk his dog's life, and that is exactly what can happen when your Borzoi gets away from you in a park.
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