Episode 3 - Grooming, Health, Temperament, Collars - Owning a Borzoi

[@philkavanagh3617]

I admit I am watching these again after the gorgeous little lady has passed, just to see her and how much she was loved. I lost my greyhound last year so I know how much it hurts to not have them in your life.

[@f1u1c1k-y1o1u]

She passed? That's so sad!!!

[@KatErina-ii6ru]

I lost my Italian greyhound last year too. It’s been very hard ❤ I know what you’re going through!!! God bless!

[@zeldasvensson4959]

I love how cuddly and calm she is 😍❤

[@esperborzoi]

She lovesssssssss cuddles

[@carolkarnes2013]

Esper, dear sweet Esper, will forever be in our prayers and joyful memories. Thank you for sharing her with us.

[@mikeb5926]

Another great installment! You aren't kidding when you say borzois have a "prey" instinct. When mine sees a squirrel, it's game over. It's crazy to watch. My friend says they "lock on," and good Lord is that true! Your love for Esper warms my heart more than words alone can convey. Thank you!

[@oHmega14]

As far as shedding, I've heard that females shed more than males- who blow their coats annually. Now, I've never owned a Borzoi before. I'm trying to do as much research as possible, as I would like to get one in the future. Your videos have been incredibly helpful! Thanks so much!

[@esperborzoi]

oHmega14 awesome! If you have specific questions let me know- I’ll be happy to share my experience

[@jameswoodard4304]

As the owner of a retired greyhound, as soon as you made the fastest breed comment, my brain automatically went to "Excuse me, sir, but..." So it's a good thing you put up the correction, or the Greyhound Mafia would have been filling *all* your inboxes. It's interesting to see all the ways that borzoi are so similar and yet also very different compared to greys. Greys are also high-prey, emotionally sensitive coach potatoes that are super healthy and clean. They do not have amazing borzoi hair, aren't generally cuddly (but that might have mostly to do with how they are often razed. They very much expect and appreciate having their own space...though they do show their affection via leaning) and are hugely food-motivated to the point of being especially at risk of the deadly Bloat because of their extreme anatomy and Hoover-esque table manners. I'm honestly jealous of both the cuddliness and hair. Greys actually have a tendency to develop what I affectionately refer to as bald-butt. I doubt Borzoi have this feature because of their luscious locks, but greys actually don't produce much oil to their coats. On the plus side, this along with their cleanliness means 0 doggy smell, which is a bit of a super power. On the down side, they come with completely hairless undersides and this baldness has a tendency to migrate upward over time. Thus bald-butt. Do Borzoi get doggy smell? They must produce more oil than greys to take care of their gorgeous hair. Also, is there rooing? They definitely aren't too closely related to greys if they do not gather daily to sing the song of their people.

[@MadameM.]

Beautiful, majestic, sweet baby. Love your videos, very informative.

[@Robugin]

Lovely Longo doggo

[@MidnightDragon420]

Great video! Thanks for the collar thing! I forgot to mention in the comment in your last video that I really appreciate the fact that despite being vegan, you still feed Esper the diet she needs to thrive. Some dogs can live on a veggie and vegan diet, sure. But very few, if any, thrive on them. So really huge kudos to you for knowing that your dog needs meat and fulfilling that despite your personal beliefs. What type of brush do you use? A pin brush, a slicker brush, etc etc? Also with Esper and diseases that Borzoi are prone to, did you have her stomach tacked to prevent bloat and torsion? That’s something I’m debating with mine. Thanks in advance! Esper is looking stunning as always, of course!

[@esperborzoi]

Audrey A we did not have her tacked, we have just been very careful about portion size and exercise level after feedings. I’ll check what type of brush we have when I get home but I’m pretty sure it’s pin.

[@ShaynaPulley]

Your videos are helping me to make an educated breed decision!

[@vivokea8334]

Beautiful...🎉💞🎶 your poochie loved you... you adored her too...thats the perfect world ,for we dog lovers..😊😊😊😊❤

[@CalebTheFew06]

Hey! Esper looks wonderful, as always. When will episode 4 come out? I find these videos heavily entertaining.

[@esperborzoi]

Officer Max going to get one up today! (I’m traveling, so as long as weather permits 👍)

[@CalebTheFew06]

Jacob Chattman Okay, Tanks for replying!

[@bruh-ItsTokyo]

Talking about the amount of hair shedding, meanwhile the German shepherds, huskies, Belgian sheepdog, Newfoundland laughing in the back

[@nancymarkiewick3557]

They like to snooze?

[@esperborzoi]

Nancy Markiewick they are MASTER snoozers.

[@joyceb.8194]

I watched my borzoi outrun a retired racing greyhound at the dog park... made the greyhound really angry!

[@priyashekinah]

Honestly I cannot believe these creatures evolved from wolves. Look at how loving and cuddly they are!

[@Eckoolt]

Some wolves are too

[@bensanxious1066]

whoever sees this, please read! :) i am 13 years old and have severe anxiety. i’ve been depressed for years because of anxiety and i genuinely think a dog is what i need to get me up and outside. i have over 12 pages full of notes about borzois and i’m constantly reaching out to find more information. i have a medium to large house, medium to large fenced in backyard, a smallish dog (i will be taking precautions if i get a borzoi to keep her safe), and i have experience with dogs, having had multiple dogs and helped out in training multiple dogs. i genuinely relate so much to these special dogs on a personal, emotional, and physical level. should i get a borzoi?? i need to know if they’re loving because i’ve read so much i’ve gotten mixed messages. i would take good care of them, brushing daily and playing outside for atleast an hour daily. i have researched both pros and cons, and i think it’s a good idea. anything to note before i make the final decision??

[@esperborzoi]

Hey Annabella, sounds like you've done your research! Borzois are an amazing breed, and ultimately the decision to get one should be a decision you make with your family. One recommendation I can make is try to meet one in person to see if you click. That could be done by reaching out to whichever breeders or rescue organization you've targeted on your search. It is very hard to answer whether or not they are "loving." Not only do affection levels vary dramatically with each individual dog, types of affection (such as cuddling, need to be with you, etc...) can also be different from dog to dog. It will also be dependent on how the dog is raised (or was raised if you are rescuing a dog). Borzois, like all sighthounds, are bred to be independent thinkers. They are not the type of dog to be overly doting or constantly at your heels, that does not mean they are not affectionate, it is different and almost catlike in some regards especially when it comes to their personal space. Anecdotally, both my girls show affection differently. Esper is fairly snuggly, but it's only on her time when she wants it - she will sit in my lap or sit next to me for a little bit, then go find a comfortable spot elsewhere. Ora is a little more dog like, and playful, she wants attention, scratches, to play fetch and rough house a little - that said, she too enjoys sleeping off on her own. If you have any other specific questions, please feel free to ask and I'll do my best to answer.

[@nimuemae623]

Hello Jacob! First of all, she is the most adorable ball of fur I have ever seen, such a sweet and cute dog! Mainly I wanted to ask tho if it is possible to reduce the urge to hunt if you would raise a puppy in a household with small animals like freeroaming chickens in the garden, a cat and small birds etc? Ofc you would´nt be able to "unlearn" it completely, but at least to be okay for the dog to be around those animals and not trying to hunt them. Thanky ou very much!

[@esperborzoi]

I’ve made sure to introduce my pups to all kinds of small animals when they were young, and it does seem to have helped (in my small subset) but I would be hard pressed to leave them unattended with anything that is small and can scurry away - even though I trust them completely. I do think you can reduce the urge, but how much is nebulous, also depends on the dog’s innate drive

[@nimuemae623]

@@esperborzoiAlright, I see! Thank you so much for the answer!

[@formulakuski1765]

Thank you for the good information you share. One thing that came up in my mind is that how do you travel with your borzoi? Do you have a van or where does she travel in a car? Keep up with the good work! Hello from two salukis from Finland!

[@esperborzoi]

Selena Kvist Esper does great in the car! We turn the back of our SUVs into a nest for her. She loves it. We have a RAV4 and. Subaru Outback - both have ample room. She sometimes hops into the front/ rear seat if we are just going on a short ride

[@formulakuski1765]

@@esperborzoi Thank you for your reply and very Merry Christmas!

[@notafan1275]

From what I see in this video - and have felt when picking up some brushed out hair in a dog show - you could collect the hair, spin it into yarn and knit a hat from it... Though I believe you may not need hats where you live?

[@esperborzoi]

You could easily do that! In LA you might need a hat for a week at most 👍🤣

[@franz3810]

she looks like a cute r o l l

[@selmasantos9751]

Great Danes have been my dream dog; however my husband does bot want one due to how short their life span is also on how much they slobber. He said he would rather deal with hair than slobber. Temperament wise, and life span wise how can you compare both breeds? Thank you for your videos.

[@esperborzoi]

Great Danes live a shorter life (sometimes only 8 years, we've had a zoi live to be 16), I would also describe them as fairly lumbering - I had a friend who's Dane kept breaking coffee tables just by walking into them. Temperament they are both pretty mellow (especially when older) and the Dane will require less exercise. That said, borzois do not drool, are extremely clean, and are the OPPOSITE of lumbering, they are soooo bodily aware it's insane.

[@magic.marmot]

Would it be possible to collect the shed hair and use it to make yarn?

[@aloneandannoyed]

I use martingales on my cats and I used one on my dog - they are the best collars I've found.

[@jennaalord]

I am used to the high prey drive with Greyhounds but we just adopted a Borzoi and he is on another level! I am told that he even wants to hunt small dogs. It's no problem, we don't plan on being around small dogs, cats, etc. and avoid them on walks - and always, always, have the sighthounds on leashes BUT I'm worried about what would happen if we were on a walk and a small dog on the loose approached us? It would be an unusual occurrence but could happen. Any advice appreciated. Thanks for the helpful info!

[@esperborzoi]

Depending on the age of your pup, Borzois are really keen to learning what is prey and what isn't. It's a matter of socialization and a lot of patience, but they can be taught. That said, if the drive is really strong you'll always have to be wary. Esper's brother is the sweetest most amazing creature ever, but his prey drive is sky high, however, we were able to teach him that cats are his best friends (he lives with a cat now without any issue).

[@jennaalord]

@@esperborzoi Thank you, that's great to hear! I will do some research on how to teach him. He is almost 5 now and I do not know anything about his past but I imagine he did not have that socialization. Thank you for your insight!

[@esperborzoi]

@@jennaalord Let me know how it goes! I am really curious =)

[@jennaalord]

@@esperborzoi Update after having Charlie for almost 2 weeks - First off, I absolutely adore him. I've been a Greyhound lover for forever, but I can see how Borzois are extra special. He is the perfect running buddy! We jog every day and he's great on the leash. He does want to lunge at squirrels but I try to catch him before he tries and say "no" and he's very responsive. Much like Greyhounds, no need to yell, just a gentle "no" and he gets the picture. I think he will always have that prey drive but as long as he's good on a leash and doesn't pull me to the ground (he could easily) then I am very happy. Still not sure how I can prepare for a small yapping unleashed dog coming up to us - I think he would know it's not prey but I am not sure. I am looking into some classes to help socialize him. :)

[@esperborzoi]

@@jennaalord ahhh! Thanks for the update! I am sure he will continue to learn, and having your greyhound as a model will really help - I've found that Ora is learning so much from Esper about what is right vs wrong, that it is making my job easy. So cool!!!! let me know how classes go.

[@fakemint934]

Is it the norm for them to love sitting in your lap?

[@esperborzoi]

I used to calm Esper down by doing this, so it's a habit I seem to have created especially with her.

[@fakemint934]

Jacob Chattman Cool.

[@dreadfullystressed7048]

Great video! You have an adorable dog, beautiful coat! I do have a question though, mainly about dieting with brozoi (seeing as I am about to get a borzoi puppy if it all works out well, hopefully we get a good match to add to our family! ), what would you recommend for a brand? Also, what kind of toys should a brozoi get? Gah! Sorry for all the questions, I'm just a curious person. Hope you and Esper have a great day! You two are such an amazing pair.

[@esperborzoi]

Morgy Moose no problem at all! The brand of food we love is Open Farm(I think that’s what you meant by brand), Esper is completely uninterested in toys, we have a box of toys we bought for her that she RARELY Ever uses - occasionally, she will take out a bunch of toys and place them around the house - no idea why

[@AbygailZone]

Hi! Amazing i just found your channel!! i got a Borzoi puppy for about a week. I did read a lot before and rlly investigate so much about the breed to be prepared but its so different now having him. I have so much problems making him to lisent, when i take him outside he just doesnt move he is quite the stubburn Do you have any avise for raising a borzoi PUPPY? how was your experence?? I just dont now how to click with him

[@esperborzoi]

AbygailZone we took some basic puppy classes at petsmart that really helped - Esper took a good month before she really started listening to us. Basic techniques such as using treats to make eye contact, really helped in the early going.

[@AbygailZone]

@@esperborzoi thanks a lot!! I live in Mexico there aren't any good puppy clases in my city but I will try the eye contact thing souds great! Happy holidays!

[@esperborzoi]

AbygailZone here’s a good article: www.embracepetinsurance.com/waterbowl/article/watch-me-command This made a big difference in Esper, not just for control but being able and willing to engage with us fully. Patience is the key!

[@joyceb.8194]

Agree! Borzois are naturally aloof and it takes a while for them to decide that you are packmates or not. Once they do, omg! What a stunning bond!

[@teresalenaandprincessthedog]

Ours is a Saluki greyhound he looks like her

[@H1Jinxx]

OMG THIS IS A REAL BREED?

[@kimdupont3731]

Crazy Lama do you play on the arcana game ? XD

[@vincente184]

*proceeds to name a bunch of detrimental problems* "but they're a very healthy breed" 😂😂😂

[@mosheontoast]

How would you think a Borzoi would react to being housed with a cat? Sorry if this is something you address in later videos, I'm watching from the beginning! Thanks :)

[@esperborzoi]

Our girls were raised around cats and have no issues! We currently reside with one, and they even play together. I would still issue caution though, some borzois can have very high prey drives.

[@mosheontoast]

Thanks so much! I am a little worried about the prey drive as my cat has had a negative experience with a dog that caused issues with her and her sister. From what I've seen it seems like borzois are the perfect breed to be with a cat in that they're intelligent and chilled out, but there's a big risk that the size difference between even a puppy and the cat will cause her to feel threatened. I will definitely continue to watch your videos to help with research! Loving them so far

[@esperborzoi]

@@mosheontoast I'm here too if you need anything else.

[@mosheontoast]

Thank you so much!!

[@ccbonks8124]

Who/where did you get her?

[@esperborzoi]

CC Bonks I am going to do a video all about Esper’s origins in the next couple days 👍

[@ccbonks8124]

Jacob Chattman Cool, thanks!

[@wolfierwolf8700]

It’s little Russian lady lol

[@lizziejames780]

hello, please give me your dog. love you x

[@Jchall98]

Lizzie James please give us moar, my gf and I love long floofs

[@lizziejames780]

We do, it’s true

[@Jchall98]

Lizzie James love you