Are Borzois good in hot weather?
Borzois tolerate warm weather reasonably well. Sensible summer habits are still worth having in place before the first heatwave.
How Borzois handle the heat
The cooling problem
Borzois cool themselves through normal panting without the added handicap of a flat face or a heavy northern coat. A healthy dog of this type manages typical UK summers without much drama.
Practical summer management
Shift walks to early morning and late evening, and skip them entirely on the hottest days. Carry water on every outing, provide deep shade in the garden, and give access to cool floors indoors. The pavement test is simple: press the back of your hand to the ground for seven seconds, and if it is too hot for your hand it is too hot for paws.
Never leave any dog in a parked car, conservatory, or caravan, even briefly and even with a window open. Interior temperatures climb to lethal levels within minutes.
Exercise in warm weather
Borzois have moderate exercise needs, which makes summer easier to manage. It is straightforward to shift their activity into the cooler hours without leaving them under-exercised.
What temperature is too hot?
There is no single cutoff, because humidity, age, weight, and coat all matter. As a guide, take extra care above 20C and treat anything above 25C as high risk for any dog during exercise. When in doubt, keep them home and cool.
Personality and summer walks
The Russian aristocrat of the dog world. Elegantly aloof, blindingly fast, and deeply unsuited to off-lead parks.
A gentle temperament tends to slow down sensibly in hot weather, resting rather than pushing through discomfort the way a more driven dog often will. Independent dogs will often remove themselves to a cool spot without being told, which works in their favour on a hot day when supervision is not constant. An athletic dog can sustain real effort in the heat for longer than it should, which makes it easy for an owner to miss the point where a session needs to stop.
Heat, training and behaviour
Teaching a dog to settle in the shade
Borzois take more consistent work to teach a settle command, so on hot days it often falls to the owner to physically manage where the dog rests rather than relying on a cue alone.
Barking and restlessness in a heatwave
Borzois rarely bark much, so discomfort in hot weather is more likely to show as excessive panting or reluctance to move than as noise.
Family and other pets in a heatwave
Borzois need closer supervision around children at the best of times, and a hot day adds the extra risk of a dog overexerting itself during boisterous play rather than resting when it should. A cat in the same household should have its own cool retreat well away from this breed, heat or no heat.
Cost and ageing in hot weather
Borzois typically live 9 to 14 years, and older dogs of any breed regulate heat less efficiently than a fit adult, so senior borzois need shorter, cooler outings and closer watching during a heatwave. Insurance for a Borzoi in the UK typically costs about £35 to £75 a month, and heatstroke is exactly the kind of sudden, serious vet visit that cover exists for. A Borzoi puppy, usually priced around £800 to £2000, overheats more easily than an adult dog as well, since puppies have less developed temperature regulation and tire without always showing it.
Full guide to Borzois
Read the complete Borzoi guide →