Also known simply as the Circassian Wolfhound, this large southern Russian breed was developed to pursue game in the mountainous regions of Circassia.
This elegant breed is similar to the more familiar Borzoi, but is faster, with even longer legs. It also has a flatter, less wavy coat and a slightly shorter head than the Borzoi, but is said to be a more intelligent dog.
In the 1880s a superb example of this breed, a reddish-coloured male called Domovoy, was seen at many European dogs shows, including one at the Crystal Palace in London. He made a great impression, being described as a handsome animal of aristocratic demeanour, belonging to a breed worthy of encouragement: ‘a fine, upstanding dog, straight and strong in limbs’. Despite these admiring remarks, this breed does not seem to have caught on in the West.
In Russia it has a local relative called the Circassian Hare Hound, but it is not clear whether this is another name for the same breed or a different breed altogether.
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