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Post a Pup Sundays! The Elegant Art Deco Dog: Borzoi

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The Borzoi, also known as the Russian Hunting Sighthound, is a hunting dog that originated in sixteenth-century Russia. The breed was developed by crossing Saluki and European sighthounds with thick-coated Russian breeds. The Borzoi breed was popular with the Tsars before the 1917 revolution, and for centuries, Borzois could only be gifts given by the Tsars, and no one could buy them. Tall and elegant, the breed with its graceful curved tail was popularized by Queen Alexandra, who was presented with her dog Alex by Tsar Nicholas of Russia. Queen Alexandra's borzoi dog, Vassilka, stood at 82.5cm at the shoulder and was modeled in silver at the Fabergé workshop for her husband, Edward VII. The Fabergé model measures just 13.5 cm high. The Borzoi is a sizeable Russian sighthound that resembles some central Asian breeds, such as the Afghan hound, Saluki, and the Kyrgyz Taigan. The Borzoi coat is silky and flat, often wavy or slightly curly. The long top coat is relatively flat, with va