Description of the Russian dog greyhound, exterior features

2024 Author: Arianna Cook | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-12 17:55

The origin and purpose of the Russian canine sighthounds, the standard of the exterior, the character, the description of health, advice on care. The price of a puppy of a Russian canine greyhound. The Russian hunting sighthound is probably the most famous hunting dog in the world from Russia. Greyhound with a solid history of the formation of the breed, which has undergone both periods of extraordinary popularity and complete decline, since ancient times has become one of the main symbols of Russian dog breeding. A dog with an excellent reputation, repeatedly described in the literature by Russian writers and embodied in paintings by outstanding artists, many of whom were themselves great "greyhounds" and simply adored these elegant and graceful animals.

The history of the origin of the breed Russian hunting greyhound

In Russia since ancient times, there were many breeds of hunting dogs, with which they hunted the most diverse game since time immemorial. But not all types of hunting dogs managed to survive to this day, and even more so to receive such recognition and popularity as the Russian hound.

The first descriptions of dogs, similar in exterior to modern canine sighthounds, are found in written sources of the 17th century, relating to the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov. It was to this autocrat that the Cossacks-Zaporozhians presented as a gift, among other things, several "Circassian dogs" obtained in one of the campaigns in the North Caucasus. Whether it really was so or whether in Russia at that time there were also own dogs of a similar species, history is silent, but the fact that some greyhounds from that moment begin to be actively mentioned in descriptions of hunts in preserved documents is a historical fact.

However, there is another hypothesis about the origin of the future Russian breed from greyhounds supplied to the Russian kingdom from the Kazakh Khanate and Persia much earlier - during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. It is known that the stern sovereign loved hound hunting and observed splendor and mass in its organization. There is also a stubborn opinion that canine greyhounds have been in the Russian lands from time immemorial and are a primordially Russian breed, which, of course, raises great doubts (facts indicate otherwise).

Be that as it may, the further development of greyhounds in Russia for a long time occurred spontaneously and was not subject to any control. Every Russian boyar, and later a wealthy landowner, considered it a rule to keep as many as hundreds of hounds, cops and greyhounds in the estate. Having a large pack of dogs was not only effective during a round-up hunt, but also prestigious. And each pan carried out the selection of these animals to his taste, no one was a decree to him. For this purpose, many dogs were brought from Europe, eastern countries and the Caucasus Mountains. So gradually, to the previously existing greyhounds at the beginning of the 18th century, thanks to the efforts of local landowners, the blood of mountain, Crimean, horty, brude and English greyhounds was poured. It got to the point that almost every province has its own type of dog, little similar in appearance to other greyhounds, but proudly named after its rich owner-breeder (Boldarev, Durasov, Sokolov, Chelishchev, Bibikova, Ermolov, Vasilchikova and many others). True, over time, all these differences somewhat smoothed out, and by the second half of the 19th century in Russia, a more or less close exterior was gradually formed for all greyhound canines. However, the well-known expert on hunting and hunting dogs writer L. P. Sabaneev, in one of his essays on the Russian canine breed, noted that "… by the 60s, all Russian canines had lost their purebred, that it is hardly possible to find a greyhound between them without the slightest, at least distant, admixture of folds blood." By "folds" the writer meant greyhounds of the Eastern and Caucasian types: Crimean and mountain ones. Sabaneev sadly stated that the old famous type of greyhound greyhounds had essentially been completely lost.

By the way, the name "canine" comes from the traditional Russian hunting terminology, which calls the coat of a dog "canine". It was not customary to call animals that did not have rich wavy fur. For the first time, hounds were exhibited in Moscow at the Polytechnic Exhibition in 1872, and then at the first Moscow exhibition of the Imperial Society of Correct Hunting in 1874. It must be said that all the greyhound participants of these exhibitions were very far from the old classical ideal of the Russian greyhound. And even the dogs, which were already popular in Russia, as well-known family breeds, were so mixed among themselves by that time that the judges did not have to talk about some fundamental breed standard when assessing. Nevertheless, the red and piebald dog named Reward (owner - Mr. Chebyshev) did receive the gold medal of the Moscow show as the best representative of all canines that participated in the championship.

Since 1874 in Russia, they have already begun to regularly hold shows of greyhounds and hounds, trying to demonstrate all the variety of breeds existing in the country. True, as experts noted, for all fourteen years of exhibitions (up to 1888), fans of greyhounds never saw truly purebred Russian dogs.

The great success of the exhibitions and the need to comply with certain criteria for an objective assessment of the contestants, served as the beginning of active work on the standardization of Russian dog breeds. In 1888, the first standard "Russian Dog Borzoi" was developed and approved, from which the real planned work on the actual revival of the former Russian breed began. But here, too, there was friction. All fans of the Russian greyhound were divided into three opposing camps: some wanted to get a completely new dog breed, others - a primordially old one, well, while others adhered to the "golden mean". This "golden mean", as time has shown, won out in the end.

Thanks to these efforts, by 1917 in Russia there were more than three thousand canine greyhounds, almost two thousand of which were pedigree and met the accepted standard.

Subsequent events (the revolution of 1917, the Civil, and then the Great Patriotic War) put the very possibility of the existence of greyhounds on the brink of extinction. And only through the efforts of many post-war enthusiasts, the breed was able to revive, collecting the remaining pedigree dogs literally all over the country.

In 1956, the breed "Russian Hound Borzoi" was recognized by the FCI and entered into the International Pedigree Book.

The purpose of Russian canine sighthounds and their use

The main purpose of the famous Russian breed has remained unchanged for hundreds of years. With these fast-footed dogs, they still hunt wolves, foxes and European hares, less often roe deer and wild goats. And although hunts are no longer so massive (in the old days, even a hound hunt with 10 dogs was considered "small-grass") and pompous, they bring no less pleasure to their participants than in ancient times. And I must say that hunting with hounds and raising a greyhound is a whole science, which can only be overcome by people who are patient, persistent and truly passionate about this difficult task.

Much less often, Russian canines can be found as show dogs, or very rarely - as pets. And this is due not only to the peculiarity of their content, but also to walking. It is difficult for an ordinary person (especially in urban conditions) to fully walk such a high-speed animal capable of moving in sweeping jumps, overcoming a distance of almost 9 meters in a jump.

Description of the external standard of the Russian canine greyhound

According to fanatical Russian "greyhounds", none of the breeds of greyhounds existing in the world today can compare with the Russian canine greyhound, such a uniquely aristocratic and frisky dog, combining extraordinary grace and nobility of lines with desperate courage and fast-moving power. Greyhounds are second only to the Irish wolfhound in size. The growth of a male dog reaches 85 centimeters with a body weight of up to 47 kg, and that of a female - 78 centimeters (weight up to 40 kg).

Head Russian canine, or rather its form, has always been the subject of controversy among specialists. In the existing international standard - the head is long and dry, with aristocratic refined lines, with a refined skull (in the old way - "wedge-shaped"). The presence of a "falcon" - a pronounced occipital protuberance is welcomed. The dryness of the head is such that the vessels and veins of the head protruding through the skin are visible. The stop is elongated, smooth, barely pronounced. The nipple (muzzle) is pronounced, long, filled. "Short-handedness" is not desirable. The nasal bridge is straight (some slight hunchback is possible at the transition to the lobe itself, which in the old days was called "saigachina" or "mutton" because of the similarity of the dog's profile with these animals). Black in color (required) nose (in the old way "waxes") is large and mobile, hanging over the lower jaw. The length of the forceps is slightly more than or equal to the length of the elongated skull. The dog's lips are black, thin, dry and tight-fitting. The jaws are strong, well developed with a standard set of large white teeth. The bite resembles a scissor.
Eyes (or in the old way "gap") greyhounds are set obliquely, bulging, almond-shaped, black, brown or dark cherry in color. Expressive, attentive ("woodcock eyes"). In the old days (and sometimes even now) among hunters-greyhounds it was considered desirable that the whites of the dog's eyes were reddish ("on the blood"), which spoke of the special viciousness of the animal. The eyelids that frame the eyes have the obligatory black pigmentation.
Ears set above the level of the eyes (with the correct "cut"), thin, mobile, hanging-tied back (ears in a "cut"). Sometimes both ears or one of them is raised by a "horse". Lop-earedness and slight "tightness" are not allowed.
Neck strong, muscular, "tapering" (that is, proudly set, with a slight bend in the occiput region), rather long, as if slightly compressed from the sides, dry, without dewlap of the skin.
Torso ("Block") stretched type, lightweight proportions. It is strong, but exquisitely elegant graceful, "breamy" (an old term for the flattening of the animal's body from the sides). The chest is long and deep, well developed. The back ("steppe") is narrow, but very strong and surprisingly flexible. The line of the back is beautifully curved or, as they used to say in the old days, “stressed”. The elegant "springiness" should not develop into "hunchback" (disadvantage). If the back was straight (lack), then the dog was called "straight step". The croup is well-muscled, well-defined, slightly sloping (sloping croup is a conformation defect). A sharply tucked up belly of a greyhound in the old days was called "undermining", referring any sagging to the disadvantages.
Tail ("Rule") resembles a sickle or saber in shape, set relatively low, thin, long, pubescent with a dense "dog".
Limbs hunters-greyhounds at all times inspected with the utmost care, in their terminology there were a lot of definitions describing all kinds of defects. The legs of a greyhound should be perfectly straight and parallel, dry but muscular and incredibly springy and strong. Paws elongated-oval (hare type), dry with curved toes. Paw pads ("crumbs") are dense and elastic. The claws ("hooks") are long and strong.
Wool ("psovina"). The most important part of the exterior, which still causes a lot of controversy, is what it should be for a real greyhound. The standard requires the following quality of the cover: soft, silky, pliable, curly or wavy. Smooth coat ("willowy dog") or "clumpy" (hard hair sticking out) are considered faults. On the dog's head, it is short and somewhat stiffer (satin). The fur on the neck forms an abundant "muff". Also on the sides of the head there may be "foxes" - something like sideburns. There are beautiful feathering on the legs.

Color is also an important point, causing a lot of debate among "greyhounds" to this day. The standard provides for the following coat colors:

"White";
"Sex" or "fawn" - the color of chaff or wheat bread;
"Salty" - beautiful faint yellow or pale yellow;
"Red" - the most different shades of red and reddish-red;
“Burmat” - “sexual” with a dark bloom;
"Dark burmat" - the wool seems to be covered with dust on the main red or fawn color;
"Gray-fawn" or "silver-blue";
“Murugy” - reddish-brown or “red”, with a black “belt” along the back, a black “mask” on the head and with black paws, with a black guard hair at the ends;
"Underdog" - the coat can have any color, but with a lighter color of the "mask" on the forceps, hair on the chest, limbs and abdomen;
"Chubary" - the presence of stripes or spots-apples in the main color;
"Black and tan";
“Red with mazurine” (that is, with a black “mask” on the face).

Character features of the Russian dog greyhound

Russian dogs are unique not only for their exterior, but also for their specific temperament and disposition. These dogs are very independent and not as easy to control as it might seem. Hunting instincts and the desire to pursue are simply off scale, which completely excludes the maintenance of such dogs in a city and apartment.

Although the breed itself is quite easy to handle. The very genetics of dogs provides for a certain straightforwardness, without any unnecessary conversations and "calf" tenderness there: hunting - feeding - rest in the estate until the next hunt. Therefore, greyhounds (with rare exceptions) animals are also quite straightforward to grasp the nuances of intonations and do not need human society too much. But closeness to the owner and encouragement are appreciated.

It is believed that they are spiteful towards the beast and benevolent towards people. This is so if you have managed to find an approach. If not, then it's not without problems (it can bite). Not having received proper walking, a greyhound can easily run away, breaking off the leash (however, it can simply run away from a careless owner and not return even during a walk or hunting). Greyhounds are absolutely not afraid of punishment, pain and intimidation. Therefore, it is very important to find the right approach and tactically correct attitude to the obstinate animal. The greyhound is completely unsuitable as a "first" dog for an inexperienced owner.

Russian greyhound health

In general, being a relatively strong dog in health, the Russian canine also has a number of breed predispositions to diseases. First of all, it is susceptible to: growth rickets in puppies, dental problems (usually begin in puppyhood and last a lifetime), rapid wear of the heart muscle due to constant high-speed running, hip dysplasia, volvulus and cataracts.

The average life expectancy of representatives of this breed reaches 7-10 years. Sometimes 12 years old.

Tips for the care and maintenance of a Russian Greyhound

Caring for the hair of the Russian canine is not more difficult than other breeds and is quite within the power of even a novice owner. But the content, organization of the correct diet and walking will not be so easy to organize, you will have to study a lot of specialized literature, checking it with practice.