I-borzoi isuka eRussia futhi igama layo lisho "ukushesha". Emuva ekhulwini le-14 nele-15, i-borzoi yayifuyelwe ukuzingela onogwaja, izimpungushe nezimpisi. Lolu hlobo lwaze lwaziwa nangokuthi inja kazwelonke yaseRussia kwaze kwaba cishe ngo-1914. Bacebisa ukuzingela kwezicukuthwane ngamakhulu ezilwane zohlobo lwabo futhi ngokuvamile babonakala njengezithombe ezithandwayo kwezobuciko.
Ngesikhathi seNguquko YaseRussia, cishe zonke izinja zezicukuthwane zabhujiswa, okwacishe kwashabalalisa i-borzoi eRussia. Njengoba lolu hlobo lwaluvele ludume kakhulu ngaleso sikhathi, kwakukhona abafuyi baseNgilandi nase-USA ababeqale ukungenisa nokuzalanisa lolu hlobo.
Lolu hlobo lwabizwa ngokuthi i-Wolfhound yaseRussia e-US kwaze kwaba ngu-1936 lapho lwagcina lwethiwa igama elithi Borzoi (elisuka kwelesiRashiya elithi “borzyi” elisho “shesha”). Lolu hlobo lwaziwa yi-FCI kusukela ngo-1956.