Borzoi dogs in 1916

hi,

i'm doing research on the people who raised borzoi in russia before the revolution. i'm looking for journals or first account type of information. i understand most of the borzoi dogs were raised on country estates owned by counts or other russian nobilty and that the dogs were used for hunting. i would be happy to learn of any kind of source and if there are some from a kid's perspective that would work, too.

thanks in advance.

cheers,

annemarie

here is a start
History
 
A borzoi pack assisting in a Russian wolf hunt, as shown on Охота на волка 1873It was long thought that Saluki type sighthounds were originally brought to Russia from Byzantium in the South about the 9th and 10th centuries and again later by the Mongol invaders from the East. However, now that the archeological archives and research results of the former USSR are open to scientists, it has become quite clear that the primal sighthound type evolved between the Kyrgyzstan, the lower Kazakhstan part of Altai and the Afghan plains, and that the earliest actual sighthound breeds were the plains Afghan hounds and the Kyrgyz Taigan.[citation needed]

These ancient breeds then migrated South (founding the Tazi/Saluki branch) and West (founding the Stepnaya, Krimskaya and Hortaya branches) to develop into breeds adapted to those regions. This was a slow process which happened naturally through normal spreading of trade, with the silk and spice trade via the Silk Road being the prime vector.[citation needed]

The more modern Psovaya Borzaya was founded on Stepnaya, Hortaya and the Ukrainian-Polish version of the old Hort. There were also imports of Western sighthound breeds to add to the height and weight. It was crossed as well with the Russian Laika specifically and singularly to add resistance against Northern cold and a longer and thicker coat than the Southern sighthounds were equipped with.[citation needed]

All of these foundation types - Tazi, Hortaya, Stepnaya, Krimskaya and Hort - already possessed the instincts and agility necessary for hunting and bringing down wolves.

The Psovoi was popular with the Tsars before the 1917 revolution. For centuries, Psovoi could not be purchased but only given as gifts from the Tsar. The most famous breeder was Grand Duke Nicholas Nicolaievich of Russia, who bred countless Psovoi at Perchino, his private estate.[3]

The Russian concept of hunting trials was instituted during the era of the Tsars. As well as providing exciting sport, the tests were used for selecting borzoi breeding stock; only the quickest and most intelligent hunting dogs went on to produce progeny. For the aristocracy these trials were a well-organized ceremony, sometimes going on for days, with the borzoi accompanied by mounted hunters and Foxhounds on the Russian steppe. Hares and other small game were by far the most numerous kills, but the hunters especially loved to test their dogs on wolf. If a wolf was sighted, the hunter would release a team of two or three borzoi. The dogs would pursue the wolf, attack its neck from both sides, and hold it until the hunter arrived. The classic kill was by the human hunter with a knife. Wolf trials are still a regular part of the hunting diploma for all Russian sightdog breeds of the relevant type, either singly or in pairs or trios, in their native country.

 
Borzoi circa 1915In the 1917 Revolution, large numbers of native Psovoi were destroyed by the revolutionaries.[citation needed] The Tsars had turned them into a symbol of affluence and tyranny, and they were not welcomed into the new world of the Soviet Union. Some noblemen took it upon themselves to shoot their own dogs rather than allow them to fall into the hands of militants.[citation needed] However, the Psovoi survived along with the other borzaya variants in the Russian countryside.

In the late 1940s a Soviet soldier named Constantin Esmont made detailed records of the various types of borzoi dogs he found in the Cossack villages. Esmont's amazing pictures were recently published and can be viewed by clicking on the link below.

Esmont was concerned that the distinct types of borzaya were in danger of degenerating without a controlled system of breeding. He convinced the Soviet government that borzoi were a valuable asset to the hunters who supported the fur industry and henceforth, their breeding was officially regulated. To this day short-haired Hortaya Borzaya are highly valued hunting dogs on the steppes, while the long-haired Psovaya Borzaya, still carrying some of the stigma of its association with the old White Russia, has become more common as a decorative companion.

Exports of Borzoi to other countries were extremely rare during the Soviet era. However enough had been taken to England, Scandinavia, Western Europe and America in the late 19th century for the breed to establish itself outside its native country.


[edit] Art
In 2004, the UK Kennel Club held its 4th temporary exhibition entitled 'The Borzoi in Art'. The exhibition offered a unique insight into the Borzoi and how the breed has been depicted in art throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries. The exhibition included paintings, bronzes and porcelain which had previously never before been available for the public viewing. The exhibition ran from September 27 to December 3. The Borzoi may frequenlty be found in art deco period works.


[edit] Famous Borzoi
The Borzoi is the symbol of Alfred A. Knopf publishing house.
Tasha, a female Borzoi belonging to the noted vet Buster Lloyd-Jones (founder of Denes natural pet foods), was born in the UK during the Second World War and is the pedigree ancestor of most British Borzoi bloodlines.[4]
Ben was the white male borzoi, beloved of E.J. Smith, Captain of the Titanic. There exists a photo of the Captain and his dog outside his cabin on the ship. The Dog was not however on the maiden voyage.
Kolchak Has been the mascot of the 27th Infantry Regiment since the Regiment participated in the Siberia Campaign. The 27th Infantry has been nicknamed 'The Wolfhounds' in recognition of their endurance during battles in Siberia.

[edit] In popular culture
 
Borzoi Colophon of the publisher Alfred A. Knopf."Mademoiselle Nobs" from Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii who "sings" a song with the band.
The book War and Peace contains a wolf hunting scene with borzois in book 7, chapters 3 to 6[5].
The 1968 film version War and Peace contains a hunting scene with Borzoi from the kennel of Ekhaga, Sweden.
The 1999 film, Onegin has a couple of scenes with Borzoi in a Russian landowner's country mansion a) being led through snowy inner courtyard by one of the servants b) lounging next to enormous hearth/ fireplace next to their master.
Uncle Zeke starred as "Digger" in the 2000 Disney film, 102 Dalmatians
Rocket, Missile, and Jet in Ginga Densetsu Weed
Boris in Walt Disney's film Lady and the Tramp
D'or's Prince Igor owned by Barbara Todd (Zcerlov) and bred by Andre Legere appears in the film, Hello Dolly!
Lyndell Ackerman's "Nessie" CH Windyglens Finesse in the TV show Wings.
Borzoi can also been seen in cameo roles in the films Love at First Bite, Legends of the Fall ("Notchee Boy")[2], Excalibur, Bride of Frankenstein, Easter Parade, Wolfen, Ziegfeld Follies, Gangs of New York (2002), Chaplin, The Avengers (TV series), JAG, Maverick (1994), Sleepy Hollow, Last Action Hero, and A Knights Tale (on the DVD deleted scenes).
In the book Dark Symphony by Christine Feehan, Byron gives his lifemate, Antonietta, a black Borzoi named "Celt".
In an SCTV parody commercial for fictional Poochare dog food, a borzoi dog is seen being taken for a walk by Eugene Levy.

[edit] Notes
^ The Times (of London, UK) Online Style Guide, see dog
^ Scott pp.113
^ Scott pp.10
^ Scott pp.14
^ Tolstoy, Leo (2001). War and Peace. Wordsworth Classics. ISBN 1-85326-062-2. 

[edit] References
The Borzoi Handbook Winifred E. Chadwick. London: Nicholson & Watson 1952. Including a translation of The Perchino Hunt By His Excellency Dmitri Walzoff (1912).
McRae, Gail C. (1989). Borzoi. TFH Publications; New Ed edition. pp. 191 pages. ISBN 978-0-86622-676-9. 
Scott, Dr. Desiree (2002). Borzoi (Pet Love). Interpet Publishing, UK.. pp. 160 pages. ISBN 1-903098-93-9. 
Zotova, Galena V. (2003). Russkaya Psovaya Borzaya. Moscow. ISBN 5-94838-095-5. 
Martin, Nellie L. (2005). Borzoi - The Russian Wolfhound. Its History, Breeding, Exhibiting and Care. Read Books. pp. 128 pages. ISBN 978-1-84664-042-1. 

[edit] External links
Borzoi Canada
Borzoi Club of America, inc.
A collection of historical articles on the Borzoi breed, some dating as far back as 1891
some breed history: standards/description, hunting, coursing etc
Constantin Esmont and his historic photographs
Article: The Borzoi Coat
Article: The Modern Borzoi
Historical artistic and cultural album dedicated to the Borzoi. English, German and French language
Information including Breeders, Shows, Studdogs