Russian Breeds
Reading edition
Borzoi (Russian Wolfhound)
Russian Yellow Retriever
Russian Hound
Owtchar
Samoyed
BORZOI
Color: Immaterial, except that self-colored specimens or those with heavy, black markings are objectionable.
Height: 33 in.
Weight: 100 lbs.
The Borzoi is one of the most ancient of Russian breeds and should possess great size, great speed and great strength. The head is of extraordinary length, and should appear rather Roman nosed in profile. The eyes are dark, expressive and almond-shaped; ears small, thin and placed well back on the head; the chest is deep and narrow; the back bony, and well arched; loins broad and very powerful, with well sprung ribs; the tail is long and well feathered and carried low; the coat should be long and silky, not woolly, and on the neck it should be profuse and rather curly.
This breed, though originating from Russia, has been bred and exhibited in England since 1872. The Duchess of Newcastle and, a little later, Queen Alexandra, then the Princess of Wales, are mainly responsible for the popular favor in which they are now regarded. The finest collection in the world, however, is owned by the Grand Duke Nicholas, at Perchina, near Moscow. These are said to excel even those possessed by the Czar, from whom dogs cannot be purchased.
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RUSSIAN YELLOW RETRIEVER
Color: Yellow or rich red sable.
Height: 28 in.
Weight: 90 lbs.
This dog is similar in all essentials to the English Retriever, except that he is a size bigger and heavier in coat, and of course different in color, as his name implies. He is used principally for tracking wounded deer.
RUSSIAN HOUND
Color: Grizzle or black, with tan markings, often with a white collar, feet and tip of tail.
Height: 20 in.
Weight: 58 lbs.
The head much resembles that of a wolf, being considerably broader between the ears than at the forehead. Eyes of medium size, bright, brown or yellow, sometimes nearly black. Ears small and hanging with a tendency to prick when the dog is angry. Stern is short, strong at the root, and carried straight. The coat is hard and smooth, with a woolly under coat, and the wolf or fox brush.
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OWTCHAR (Russian Sheepdog)
Color: Slate color, dirty white, and nearly black.
Height: 32 in.
Weight: 105 lbs.
This is a large and strongly built dog of very great antiquity. His head is massive, round, and covered with softer hair than on the body. The eyes are rather large, dark brown in color, and very intelligent. The ears are of fair size, hanging, well coated, and are sometimes cut and carried semi-erect. He has a short, muscular neck, strong, well developed body, and is the largest of all the varieties of the sheep dogs, and is intended to defend his flocks against wolves. The tail is often docked, otherwise it should be well coated, and his coat is very dense and somewhat woolly.
SAMOYED
Color: White or white with black, brown or wolf patches.
Height: 22 in.
Weight: 65 lbs.
A dog of medium size, well built and cobby, covered with a thick fur. The head is slightly domed and fairly broad. He is rather small in eyes, which should be dark in color and set obliquely in the head, and convey a very intelligent and lively expression. The ears are erect, broad at the root, and taper to a point. The neck is strong and muscular, the chest broad and deep, and back short, straight and strong. Tail is short and heavily coated, and carried curled over the back. His stand-off coat is semi-long, dense and thick, and abundant around the neck, with a short and dense undercoat.
90Breeds of the Northern Latitudes of Europe and Asia
Finnish Pom
Finnish Elkhound
Norwegian Elkhound
Swedian Hound
Norwegian Hound
Iceland Dog
Dog of Noorland
Lapland Sheepdog
Esquimau
Dogs Sledging in the Icefields of the Northern Latitudes.
FINNISH POM
Color: Foxy-red or yellow-red, often with a white patch on chest, feet and tip of tail.
Height: 18 in.
Weight: 56 lbs.
A cobbily-built dog with an intrepid and audacious appearance. The head of medium size, lean, not too round, and stop well defined. Eyes are obliquely set in the head, giving him a mild, lively and intelligent expression, and are dark or light brown in color. The ears are set on high, carried erect, very mobile, and of moderate size. Has muscular neck, chest deep but not too broad, and body straight, broad and short. The tail is thick at the root, profusely covered with long hair, and carried curled over the back. His coat is smooth on head and forelegs, but long, dense and perfectly straight on the body with a dense and fluffy undercoat. It should be very abundant around the neck, forming a frill.
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FINNISH HOUND
Color: Red-brown, shade of yellow on muzzle and legs; white patches permissible.
Height: 23 in.
Weight: 65 lbs.
A proportionately built dog with long, broad muzzle, light brown eyes, deep chest, muscular loins, rather high on leg in proportion to his body, medium length tail, carried like a saber. His coat is flat, smooth though rather coarse on the back.
NORWEGIAN ELKHOUND
Color: Grizzle in all its shade; grizzle-brown, grizzle-brown and black. A white patch on the chest and feet is permissible. The undercoat should be pale brown.
Height: 20 in.
Weight: 60 lbs.
In stature this dog is rather short, but he has much strength and temerity. The head is carried high, is large and square, broad between the ears, with “stop” well defined. Eyes should be dark brown or yellow-brown and convey an active and courageous expression. The ears are pointed, carried erect and very mobile. The body is short, and the chest broad and deep. The stern is of medium length, thick and heavy and carried curled over the back. His coat is short and flat on the head but hard, coarse and rather long on the body.
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SWEDIAN HOUND
Color: Black—the head, chest and legs being tan or dark yellow. White patches on the head, chest, feet and tip of tail are permissible. Also tan or dark yellow with large white patches.
Height: 33 in.
Weight: 65 lbs.
This is a well-built dog with a noble head, which is long and lean. The eyes are bright and for preference are dark in color. Chest deep and straight and broad in the back. Stern of medium length, strong at the root, and carried with a slight curve. His coat is thick, hard, dense and glossy.
NORWEGIAN HOUND
Color: Iron gray patches and spots on blue background; so-called “trout” color with brown-brindle in patches, tan markings; blue-merle; black with tan or brown markings; tan with white patches. Iron-gray with tan markings is not desirable.
Height: 20 in.
Weight: 60 lbs.
This is a strongly built dog rather long in body, and with a grave and intelligent expression. The head is large, of medium breadth, not domed and with distinct “stop.” Eyes are brown. Blue-merle dogs have “China” ears. Ears set on rather high, of medium length and breadth, and hang close to the head. The chest is broad rather than deep. Stern of medium length, carried rather high. The coat is thick and glossy.
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ICELAND DOG
Color: Brownish or gray, sometimes dirty white or dirty yellow, and is frequently seen with black on the back.
Height: 14 in.
Weight: 45 lbs.
This is a lightly built dog with a “game” temperament. The head is large in proportion to his body, with broad domed skull, and rather short, snipy muzzle. The ears are large at the base, pointed and carried erect, though sometimes semi-erect. He is large and deep in chest, short in body, with bushy tail carried over the back. His coat is hard, of medium length, flat and shorter on the head and legs.
DOG OF NOORLAND
Color: All shades of grizzle with black or darker tips. The under coat should be as white as possible. A yellow undercoat is a fault.
Height: 22 in.
Weight: 65 lbs.
A strong and well-built dog on rather cobby lines; the head is rather small, slightly arched and without “stop.” Eyes should be dark brown, bright and intelligent. Ears small, very mobile, carried erect and set high on the head. Chest deep and broad. The tail is strong, medium length, and curled over the back. The coat is short and thick on the head, legs and feet, and more abundant on the body.
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LAPLAND SHEEPDOG
Color: Black, rusty black, grizzle with white feet. White dogs with reddish brown patches and self-colored yellow-brown ones are highly appreciated, but all white is a fault.
Height: 20 in.
Weight: 56 lbs.
This dog has a rather long body, which is well covered with thick, abundant coat. The skull is broad and domed; ears erect; eyes large, brown and intelligent; chest narrow and deep. His tail is sometimes docked, but when not is well coated and curled over the back. The coat on the head is short, but on the body should be long, thick and dense, and never wavy, and he should have a very dense undercoat and a distinct frill.
ESQUIMAU
Color: Black or rusty black with white patches, and white chest. Sometimes brown with gray patches and all white.
Height: 16 in.
Weight: 56 lbs.
This is a medium-sized, well-boned dog, with broad domed skull, rather snipy muzzle, with well defined “stop.” The ears are broad, pointed and carried erect, and the insides should be well coated. The eyes are small, dark in color, and of intelligent expression. The chest is broad rather than deep and the tail long, bushy and carried over the back. His coat is dense, flat, hard and long, especially on the back, with dense, woolly undercoat.
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