Kyrgyzskaya Borzaya Taigan

The Taigan or Kyrgyzskaya Borzaya Taigan is a sighthound breed from Kyrgyzstan, which is not yet recognized by the FCI. They have medium-length and slightly curly hair and are similar in shape to Greyhounds. They are a member of the sighthound family.

The Kyrgyzskaya Borzaya Taigan is a sighthound, which is a bit larger than medium height. The minimal height for male specimens is 65 cm and for females 60 cm. The colours are black, black with white (most common), grey, brown and yellow (or other shades and variations of this color) and white. Areas of dark colored coat may have white marks. The coat is soft, long, and thick. In the winter, undercoat is developed. The ears are drooping, thick and covered with long, soft, wavy fur. A distinguishing mark of the Taigan is the ring on the end of the tail - the base vertebras of the ring are jointed, so that the ring cannot be unrolled.

The large volume of the lungs, the (in comparison to other sighthounds) strong bone structure and the thick coat enable the Taigan to work in rugged terrain, and at elevations up to 4000 m above sea level.

The Kyrgyzskaya Borzaya Taigan is a sighthound adapted to the extreme mountainous conditions in the Tian Shan. Typical prey are Ibex, Roe Deer, Wolf, Fox and Marmot. Some hunters also use the Taigan in conjunction with a trained bird of prey, especially with the Golden Eagle. The hunt for the Tolai Hare (Lepus tolai), is, however, an exception.

Due to the rugged surface of its native environment, the Taigan hunts with all senses, i.e. unlike other sighthounds not only by sight, but also by scent and hearing, which gives its hunting style some similarities with breeds like Ibizan Hound or Pharaoh Hound.