First, borzoi were never bred with color as a priority. The breed was created in Russia primarily for hunting wolves and other large game, where speed, endurance, eyesight, courage, and coordination mattered far more than appearance. When a breed’s survival and usefulness depend on performance rather than looks, breeders simply don’t eliminate dogs based on coat color. Any borzoi that could run fast enough, see well enough, and work effectively in the hunt was valuable—whether it was white, black, red, gray, brindled, spotted, or something in between. Because no colors were systematically removed from the gene pool, a very large range of color genes survived and accumulated.

Second, borzoi developed before modern “closed studbook” breeding practices existed. In imperial Russia, breeding was often done across large kennels and estates, sometimes involving related sighthounds or regional variations of long-legged hunting dogs. This meant there was significant genetic diversity early on. When a breed forms from a wide and genetically rich base population, coat color genes tend to be plentiful and varied. Later breeds that were standardized quickly or tightly controlled tend to have fewer colors; borzoi had centuries of relatively open development before strict standards were imposed.

Another key factor is that borzoi carry multiple coat pattern genes at once. They commonly have genes for white spotting, masking, sable, brindle, black pigmentation, dilution, and gray-based patterns. These genes interact in complex ways, so two parents with fairly “simple” coloring can produce puppies that look completely different from each other. Borzoi also frequently have large white areas, which visually exaggerate differences in pattern and color. A dog that might genetically be similar to another can appear entirely different because of where the white breaks fall on the body.

Importantly, many borzoi colors are not separate colors at all, but variations of how pigment is distributed. For example, what people call “silver,” “gray,” or “blue” are often different expressions of black pigment interacting with dilution or graying genes. Reds range from deep mahogany to pale gold due to modifiers that affect pigment intensity rather than the base color itself. This creates the illusion of endless color types when, genetically, they are combinations of a relatively small number of pigment mechanisms.

There’s also a practical reason color diversity was tolerated and even useful. In traditional hunts involving many dogs running at once, distinctive colors and markings helped hunters identify individual dogs at a distance. When a pack of borzoi is running across open land at high speed, being able to visually track specific dogs matters. While this wasn’t the primary reason for color diversity, it reinforced the idea that uniformity wasn’t necessary or even desirable.

Finally, modern breed standards for borzoi intentionally allow nearly all colors and patterns. Unlike many breeds where specific colors are disqualified, borzoi standards historically focused on structure, movement, and overall type. Because the standard did not restrict color, breeders had no incentive to narrow the palette. Once a wide range of colors exists in a breed, it’s extremely difficult—and usually undesirable—to eliminate them without losing genetic health and diversity.

So the reason there are so many borzoi colors isn’t just “genetics” in the abstract. It’s because borzoi were bred for function over fashion, developed from a genetically broad foundation, carry multiple interacting pigment genes, and were never artificially limited by strict aesthetic rules. Their color diversity is essentially a visible record of their history: a breed shaped by purpose, practicality, and long-term natural variation rather than human preference for uniformity