Description

The Silken Windhound is a small, hardy, strikingly elegant sighthound. Its classic, sweeping lines and athletic build are the hallmark of a true coursing dog, which is evident beneath the, luxurious, silky, yet protective coat. Its size, structure, and coat enable the Silken Windhound not only to be a capable runner over a wide variety of terrain and through unpredictable weather conditions but also to be competitive in a variety of dog sports. Viewing the Silken Windhound from the side, one should have the impression of remarkable beauty integrated with exceptional running ability. Beginning with its chiseled head, a long arched neck, dramatic depth of brisket and an extreme tuck/up ending with the graceful sweep of the long, low carried tail, the Silken Windhound is the embodiment of athletic beauty. The moderately long silky coat complements the sweeping curves.

Origin

The first small longhaired sighthounds appeared during the 1960's at kennel Windsprite in USA. They were mainly based on Whippets, but exactly where the longhaired trait comes from is covered in haze. Kennel Kristull, USA, started during the beginning of the 1980's with 2 males and 3 females from kennel Windsprite; the 3 females were pregnant with yet 3 other males on arrival. Borzoi was added to enhance the coat and Whippet to enlarge the gene pool. The intention of the creation of the Silken Windhound breed is not, contrary to some beliefs, to produce a mini-Borzoi or some kind of longhaired version of a Whippet. It is to fill a niche that for so long has been empty - the niche of a small longhaired sighthound. The Silken Windhound is an established breed that is bred according to the standard accepted by the International Silken Windhound Society. The studbook of the Silken Windhound breed was officially closed in December 2000.

Temperament

This is an intelligent and responsive hound that demonstrates a strong desire to please its human companions. Though sometimes dignified in its bearing, the Silken Windhound tends to be quite expressive in its display of affection towards those it is fond of. Similarly, though the Silken Windhound exhibits a competitive spirit in the field, they are generally quite sociable with other dogs. Most Silken Windhounds are very good with children. They adapt to any family life very quickly and love adults and children alike. This also will depend on the dog and the child. Some of the dogs with a shyer temperament would not be suitable around noisy, loud, or excited children. Be more careful what sort of temperament you have and make sure that you take your children when you select a Silken so that you know you have picked one that enjoys children. As long as there is socialization with the other specie Silkens have no trouble living with cats, chinchillas, birds or other species. The introduction of an older animal may take more time but there are some guidelines that are used by many Greyhound rescue groups that will help you adapt your Silken into your home. They may alert you that a new friend in coming in the window, but they are not watch or guard dogs. This breed is usually friendly with strangers but should be socialized and have plenty of exposure to new experiences as a puppy to ensure it will be social as an adult. This is a curious breed. Silkens housebreak easily. Most of them housebreak on their own account, without any training at all, but they need free access to the outdoors to do it and will then more often than not be housebroken by 10-12 weeks. For other training they want to please their owner, but they are typical sighthounds and can be bored by long repetitions. An owner of a Silken needs to be aware that sighthounds have strong hunting instincts. They need to be able to run free, but should never be let off leash around cars.

Height

Height: Dogs 21-23½ inches (53-60cm.) Bitches 20-22 inches (51-56cm.)

Weight

Weight - Bitches 22-45 pounds (10-20 kg), males 33-55 pounds (15-25 kg)

Known Health Problems

Silken Windhounds carry no known significant genetic defects.

Conditions for Living

A yard is definitely a plus since they do love to run, but they do live in an apartment fine with additional walks and runs at the local dog park. Silkens seem to have no trouble in any weather. They glory and frolic in snow, splash through puddles, race in the wind and bask in the sun. They will adapt their exercise and exposure depending on the temperature outside. Do not let a Silken wander free without proper fencing as it is a sighthound and has strong hunting instincts. It may run off chasing something. This breed needs to be able to run but needs a fenced in yard for its safety.

Exercise Requirments

Silken love to run like any sighthound, and need to go on a daily walk or jog. If well exercised, they will be happy to snooze at their owners feet or on the couch. They do need to get outside for walks and runs in dog parks or large open areas, but they are not as high energy as a Border Collie or other herding breeds. This breed makes a good jogging companion if the dog is conditioned properly, although you should wait for a puppy to be a year or older before starting long hard distance exercise.

Life Expectancy

Grooming

Coat is usually a variety of longish to very long, with feathers. Some are straight, some are very curly. All are acceptable. Some never shed and others do shed but not in amounts like other long haired breeds such as Goldens or even Borzoi that blow coat. A female that is pregnant/nursing will blow coat at that time. Puppies will often blow their coat about about 12- 18 months of age. Stress, estrus, diet and weather can all affect how much coat they will grow. The silky coat is easy to groom. Brush regularly, at least once a week.

Group

Sighthounds