Best dog food for a Borzoi
A Borzoi is a giant sighthound breed, naturally lean and deep-chested, and both of those traits matter for how you feed one. A large, deep-chested breed carries a genuinely higher risk of bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus) than most dogs, which affects feeding practices as much as it affects the food itself, and their naturally lean build means they should stay lean without owners mistaking a normal Borzoi's visible ribs for underfeeding.
Feeding a Borzoi
A giant breed
An adult Borzoi typically weighs 27–48 kg, so a healthy Borzoi eats a lot, and the sack size matters as much as the recipe compared with other breeds. Every feeding guide on a bag is written per kilo of body weight, not per breed — start there, then adjust to the dog in front of you.
Life stage
A giant breed is usually done growing at 18–24 months, which is roughly when a puppy food has finished its job. With a typical lifespan of 9–12 years, there is a long adult stretch in the middle; switch to a senior food when your vet thinks it is worth it rather than on a birthday.
Joint support is worth looking for
Their size and frame put more load through the joints than a smaller dog carries, so a food with joint support on the label is worth reading for — and keeping them lean does more for their joints than any supplement.
Weight matters more than usual here
A long back or a heavy frame makes every extra kilo count twice. Weigh portions rather than eyeballing a scoop, and reduce the food rather than the walks if the waist starts to disappear.
How much should a Borzoi weigh?
Adult 27–48 kgfully grown at 18–24 months
| Age | Stage | Typical weight | Of adult size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | Just home | 2.4–4.2 kg | 9% |
| 3 months | Young puppy | 3.9–6.9 kg | 14% |
| 6 months | Growing fast | 7.7–13.7 kg | 29% |
| 12 months | Adolescent | 15.4–27.4 kg | 57% |
| 18–24 months | Fully grown | 27–48 kg | 100% |
A guide, from the same rule of thumb our puppy growth predictor uses — each age is that share of the way to maturity for a giant breed. Puppies grow fastest early, so a real puppy usually sits a little above the middle rows. Weigh yours and ask your vet if the number worries you.
Complete dog foods that suit a Borzoi
Complete foods from our range, matched to a Borzoi's size band and what the breed typically needs. Stock levels and delivery dates are live on each product.
Field & Trial Skinner S Field Trial Light Senior
A lower-fat dry food for older, overweight or less active dogs, including working breeds
From£9.85
Autarky Complete Grain Free Adult Turkey
Grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, with turkey and a marine-algae joint care package
£12.79
Autarky Grain Free Tasty White Fish & Potato Complete
Grain-free dry dog food built around white fish meal rather than poultry
£12.99
Lily's Kitchen Lily S Kitchen Dog Lovely Lamb
Complete lamb-led dry dog food offered in two practical bag sizes
From£25.15
Burns Adult Large/Giant Breed Chicken and Brown Rice
Complete large-breed dry dog food with 23% chicken and brown rice
£59.99
Burgess Greyhound and Lurcher Chicken
Complete adult dry food formulated for the specific build of greyhounds and lurchers
£35.35
Naturo Senior Rice Poultry Variety 6pk
Six 400g trays across three recipes for senior dogs, with glucosamine and chondroitin
£10.29
Naturo Senior Dog Turkey with Rice and Vegetables 7pk
Turkey at 65% in a senior wet tray, with brown rice, vegetables and added joint support
£11.99
Vitalin Adult Dog Pork with Apple
Complete dry food for adult dogs of any age, led by pork, with citrus extract for dental support
From£11.99
Why the deep chest changes how you feed, not just what
Bloat is a genuine emergency in deep-chested breeds, and while diet alone cannot guarantee prevention, certain feeding practices are commonly recommended to reduce the risk: smaller, more frequent meals rather than one large one, avoiding strenuous exercise for a period either side of eating, and using a slower feeding method for a dog that eats quickly. These matter as much for a Borzoi as which specific food you choose.
As a large breed, a Borzoi puppy also benefits from a food formulated for large-breed growth, which supports steadier development rather than growing as fast as possible — relevant for joint health in a big-framed dog, in the same way it is for other large breeds.
What 'lean' means for this breed
Borzois are built to run, and a healthy adult typically shows a visible waist and some rib definition even at a correct weight, which can look thinner than owners of a stockier breed might expect. This is a normal feature of the breed rather than a sign of underfeeding, and adding extra food to try to bulk up a naturally lean sighthound is more likely to cause unnecessary weight gain than a healthier-looking dog.
That said, ribs that are sharply visible with no covering at all, or a dog losing condition without explanation, is different from normal sighthound leanness and is worth a vet check rather than assuming it is simply the breed.
Choosing a food in practice
A good-quality complete dry or wet food suited to a large breed, matched to the right life stage, covers most Borzoi's needs without requiring anything unusual — this is a breed that generally does well on a straightforward, well-formulated diet rather than needing a specialist recipe. Senior Borzois, given the breed's shorter typical lifespan compared with many dogs their size, often benefit from moving to a senior formula a little earlier than a smaller breed would.
Whatever food you choose, feeding it in a calmer, slower manner — smaller portions, a slow-feed bowl if your dog eats quickly, and a rest period around exercise — is the more important half of feeding a deep-chested breed safely, alongside picking a genuinely complete recipe.
Common questions
- Is bloat a real risk for Borzois?
- Yes, deep-chested large breeds like the Borzoi carry a genuinely higher risk of bloat than most dogs. Feeding smaller, more frequent meals and avoiding vigorous exercise close to mealtimes are commonly recommended practices to help reduce that risk.
- Why does my Borzoi look thin even though I feed them well?
- Borzois are a naturally lean, athletic sighthound breed, and a visible waist with some rib definition is normal at a healthy weight, not a sign of underfeeding. Sharply visible ribs with no covering at all, or unexplained weight loss, is different and worth a vet check.
- Should I feed my Borzoi puppy a large-breed food?
- Yes, a large-breed puppy formula is generally recommended, since it supports steadier growth that suits a big-framed, deep-chested dog's developing joints better than a standard puppy recipe.
- When should a Borzoi move to senior food?
- Often a little earlier than a smaller breed, given giant and large sighthound breeds tend to have a shorter typical lifespan. Your vet can advise on the right timing based on your individual dog's health and activity level.
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Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.