CHAPTER XII 

 THE BORZOI, OR RUSSIAN WOLFHOUND 



IF for nothing else, we have at least one thing to be grateful for 

 to Russia she has given us the Borzoi, one of the most beautiful 

 of the canine race, combining at once strength, symmetry, and 

 grace. The manner in which in recent years the Borzoi has 

 steadily advanced in the public favour, while other foreign breeds, 

 and unfortunately some of our own (e.g. the Mastiff) have gone to 

 the wall, is in itself sufficient evidence that this breed, at all events, 

 has come to stay. 



Some fifteen or twenty years ago an occasional specimen was 

 shown in variety classes, but it was then generally catalogued as a 

 Siberian Wolfhound. Nowadays every show worthy of the name 

 provides classes for the breed. In March, 1892, the Borzoi Club 

 was founded -of which more anon with the Duchess of Newcastle 

 as President. Indeed, in a great measure the Borzoi owes its present 

 position in the English dog world to her Grace, who takes a keen 

 and active interest in the welfare of the breed, and who is acknow- 

 ledged to be the best judge of the variety we have. Her Grace, 

 between the years 1889 and 1892, laid the foundation of her now 

 famous kennels, importing, among others, Champion Ooslad, 

 Kaissack, Champion Milka, Oudar, Champion Golub, and others, all 

 pillars of the stud book. It was not, however, until the year 1894 

 that Borzois received a separate classification in the Kennel Club 

 Stud Book (Vol. XXL). 



In England, of course, the Borzoi is kept chiefly for companion- 

 ship and exhibition purposes, although there is no reason why the 

 dog should not be more generally used for coursing. A friend of 

 the writer's owns a bitch which, when ten years old, successfully 

 competed against trained Greyhounds. In their native country they 

 are used for wolf-hunting, and regular meetings (or trials) are also 

 held, much after the style of our own coursing events. 



The trials take place in an enclosed place i.e. with high fence 

 all the way round and the wolves are brought on to the scene in 

 similar carts to our deer-carts. The hounds are always slipped in 



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