Borzoi are long-coated sighthounds with a striking appearance.
These dogs originally hail from Russia but the breed has become much-loved family pets throughout the world.
Borzoi have their advantages and disadvantages just like any other breed or mix.
The American Kennel Club list a number of breeds that are hypoallergenic, which means they’re less likely to trigger a person’s allergies than other types of dogs.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at whether Borzoi are hypoallergenic, whether Borzoi shed and whether Borzoi have a lot of grooming requirements.
We’ve interviewed a number of Borzoi owners in this feature and they’ll share their experience with this beautiful dog breed to educate our readers about these sighthounds.
We’ll hear from Esper and Ora (@esperborzoi), Dino and Gyurika (@diamondd.and.gyurika), Yeti (@yetiandthebear) and Luna (@lunatheborzoi) who will share their experience with shedding and grooming.
Editor's note: The content on this website is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as veterinary, medical or professional advice. There's no such thing as a 100% hypoallergenic dog in spite of claims that breeders might make. It’s always best to speak with your vet or your doctor before deciding to get a dog if you suspect you may have allergies to pets.
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Are Borzoi Hypoallergenic?
Esper and Ora the Borzoi (Photo: esperborzoi / Instagram)
Borzoi aren’t a hypoallergenic dog breed. The AKC list up to 19 dog breeds that have hypoallergenic qualities but Borzoi aren’t one. If you’re a dog lover who struggles with allergies to our four-legged friends, Borzoi isn’t the breed for you. Borzoi will usually shed a lot and leave a trail of hair around your home or all over your clothes.
JC, who is a TikToker with over 1 million fans and posts educational content about his Borzoi and dogs in general, explained just how much hair is left behind.
If I knew the proper incantations, I could animate a new Borzoi every week just from the collection of hair. They also “blow” their coats (which is to say, like a dandelion, exploding into a cloud of hair when you whisper on them) twice a year when the seasons change. That said, it’s easy to pick up since it’s longer hair and not spiky little fur daggers.
Do Borzoi Shed?
Luna The Borzoi (Photo: lunatheborzoi / Instagram)
As we mentioned above, Borzoi shed a lot so be prepared to find dog hair all over your home. Whether it’s on your furniture, hairballs on the floor, fluff on your clothes or your car interior covered with a blanket of fur, you can expect lots of dog hair if you own a Borzoi. They’ve got a long coat that will blow out at least twice a year at the changing of the seasons. It usually starts in the Spring and Autumn as their summer coat and winter coat comes in. During these particular spells, Borzoi will shed heavily.
The Borzoi Club Of America provide the following information on the topic of Borzoi shedding on their website.
All long coated dogs will shed and Borzoi are no exception. Females will shed after a season and males will shed annually. If spayed, females will shed the same as males. Regular grooming every day or so will remove any loose hair and dirt from the coat.
Gracie shed light on Borzoi shedding based upon her experience with her sighthound Luna.
Borzoi do shed a lot. Mainly in the early summer and in the fall but it is continuous all year around. It’s very fine hair and it gets on everything. So any Borzoi owner probably knows that lint rollers become your best friend. They don’t require much professional grooming but do benefit from having their leg feathers, under the chest and tail brushed through frequently (as that’s where most of their long hair is.)
As far as the clean up process is concerned, Urska doesn’t find removing her Borzoi’s hair too much hassle.
They shed moderately, but it’s the kind of hair that is not sticking to your clothes in an annoying way and you can brush it off clothes easily and it can easily be vacuumed. As far as I am concerned, the care for Borzoi fur is no big deal.
Borzoi Grooming
Yeti the Borzoi (Photo: yetiandthebear / Instagram)
Borzoi need regular grooming in order to keep a handle on their shedding. Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to brush your Borzoi at least a couple of times a week. During shedding season, you may want to brush your Borzoi every day in order to remove dead hair or debris caught in their coat.
Ellen reveals that she brushes Yeti every couple of days.
We brush Yeti every 1-2 days with a pin brush and bathe her occasionally. People always ask us how we keep her so white but the Borzoi coat is a little bit magic! It’s super silky so once any mud dries it falls off or can be brushed off easily. Borzoi also groom themselves almost like cats and Yeti likes to keep herself very clean.
If you find attempting to groom your Borzoi challenging, you may want to consider a professional groomer. Gracie takes her Borzoi to the groomers twice a year.
I take Luna to see a professional groomer two times a year (Christmas and her birthday August 21st) so that she gets a cute bow tie.
How Often Do Borzoi Need A Bath?
Diamond and Gyuri the Borzoi (Photo: diamondd.and.gyurika / Instagram)
The AKC recommend regular baths to keep these sighthounds clean. Some dogs will enjoy bath time but others will find the experience uncomfortable. You may prefer to enlist the services of a professional dog groomer.
Urska explained that washing her Borzoi Dino and Gyuri can be time consuming.
It does take more time to wash them because their hair is fairly long and it will take more time to dry it out. But there is one amazing thing about their hair – whenever my boys get dirty in a puddle for example, I can just wait for them to dry and the dirt will fall off on it’s own. I don’t need to wash them with soap every time.
The Borzoi Club Of America write online that Borzoi don’t need to bathed as frequently as some other dog breeds.
Like any dog, it’s important to keep a Borzoi’s nails trimmed and brush their teeth regularly. Alternatively, these are two tasks that you can ask your vet to carry out.
Anything Else To Consider
If you suffer with allergies to dogs, it’s a good idea to speak to a medical professional before you get a dog. Even if you opt for one of the breeds listed as a hypoallergenic dog in the AKC’s article, there’s no guarantee that they won’t trigger your allergies.
Some of the triggers include dog hair, dander and saliva. Dander are microscopic pieces of dead skin that dogs secrete which may trigger a person’s allergies.
In Conclusion
Borzoi (Photo: Adobe Stock)
We’ve reached the end of our feature on Borzoi and shedding.
As we touched upon above, Borzoi aren’t hypoallergenic so they’re not suitable for dog lovers who struggle with allergies around our furry pooches.
Borzoi are an example of a dog breed that are moderate to high shedders – so you should be prepared for a lot of dog hair if you welcome one of these Russian dogs into your home.
You can counter the dead hair around your home by regularly grooming your Borzoi to remove hair and debris. It’s a good idea to brush your Borzoi at least three times a week.
They require regular baths as well as keeping their nails trimmed.
