Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi! I am new to the forums. I shared 15 wonderful years with English Springer Spaniels. My first love were Borzoi though, I named my first ESS after the first Borzoi I met in person (Kyle). I have always thought it would be great to have a Borzoi-like sighthound the size of my sweet Springers. Well, Silken Windhounds seem to fit my long-time wish to a "T"!

Has anyone here met a Windhound, or have one?
International Silken Windhound Society

I have deerhounds and a Borzoi, and the idea of a small sighthound with some coat appeals to me. The things I have a problem with are as follows:

I tend not to like "new breeds" that don't have a reason to exist other than to appeal to people as companions.

The name of this breed IMO is just horrible, embarrassing, silly - I'd never be able to tell anyone I had a "Silken Windhound." <G>

However, yes, I find them immensely appealing.
-----
Christie Keith
Caber Feidh Scottish Deerhounds
Holistic Husbandry since 1986
www.caberfeidh.com/
Dogged Blog

While I also find this "breed" appealing, my problem isn't with breeding for the sole reason of companionship. I think it would be wonderful it the AKC did recognize this type of dog for the sighthound family.

My problem is that, in my opinion, a new breed, is truly not a breed until AKC recognizes it in some way. Until that time, I consider it a mixed breed. The prices people are asking for dogs that have not been proven is way out of line. Some of these websites are asking over $850 for a companion dog. That to me is outrageous! I understand they need to ask a fair price. However, I was able to purchase a dog from show lines, but was pet quality for $450. This same breeder sells his show quality for much more as his dogs do well in the show ring (if he even sells them) and if I wanted a show dog, I would expect to pay much more.

So, I do hope this breed gets somewhere. I agree with Christie on the name though.
-----
Melody/PHFasDog
Email me at PHFasDog

My furkids:
Shadow, Jadzia and Lyta.
Kira waiting at the bridge.

Dogs come into our lives, and too quickly go leaving pawprints on our hearts, and we will never be quite the same again.

I agree with deerhounds and only because you never know about what the mixing will do to the genes and the dog is so desired that you never know what bad anomolies are in the parent dogs. Its a very big risk! If you want something small, at least i think thats where you are going, try a Pharaoh Hound. But of course research! They are not for everyone! But they dont have a long coat like I think you desire. They are speedy hounds,and if you ever see one you can tell by the long legs,and deep chest. I have one and they are indeed speedy hounds! Ibizians ,to me, look ALMOST exactly the same but I believe are a bit taller but they can come with wire hair coats, im not sure about soft silky coats. Both dogs are intelligent and Pharaohs are more prone to following commands in the busy world of hounds. At least ive read! All dogs are different even within a species! Pharaohs and Ibizians are around Labrador size in that they are 23-27 inches at the shoulder. If i read your statement correctly you want something sporty,houndy, and smaller. Short haired dogs are just as good! less hair to get stuck on clothes and annoyingly towels! And in winter they do just as well! My Pharaoh goes on walks with me and has no problem zooming around the dog park,just make sure its warm enough and not -10etc. and that they dont display signs of frostbite but thats for long haired dogs too! Check around before buying into the new fads.There may be a dog that suits your tastes without being a mixed! Or try the local animal shelter!
-----
Squeakey and Sethius Apophis

>>I have deerhounds and a Borzoi, and the idea of a small sighthound with some coat appeals to me. The things I have a problem with are as follows:
>>
>>I tend not to like "new breeds" that don't have a reason to exist other than to appeal to people as companions.
>>
>>The name of this breed IMO is just horrible, embarrassing, silly - I'd never be able to tell anyone I had a "Silken Windhound." <G>
>>
>>However, yes, I find them immensely appealing.
>>-----
>>Christie Keith
>>Caber Feidh Scottish Deerhounds
>>Holistic Husbandry since 1986
>>www.caberfeidh.com/
>>Dogged Blog
>>
>>>>>>>>>>
Christie, I read something about these dogs last night. Do they ever appear naturally in a Whippet litter?

Also, what do you think of the book "Sighthounds Afield," by Denise Como? Educational? Accurate?
-----
Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

>>Also, what do you think of the book "Sighthounds Afield," by Denise Como? Educational? Accurate?

Kathy, I haven't read that book. The one book on sighthounds I consider a bible, as well as great reading, is Gazehounds: The Search for Truth by Constance O. Miller. It's outstanding!
-----
Christie Keith
Caber Feidh Scottish Deerhounds
Holistic Husbandry since 1986
www.caberfeidh.com/
Dogged Blog

Silken Windhounds are not Whippets, it is just as absurd to expect a Silken Windhound in a Whippet litter as a GSD in a litter of Golden Retrievers.

I recently bought the book from Amazon.com. I didn't know until I received it that the Silken Windhounds are included in it. I love the book, but since I'm not an expert myself do not know how accurate the information is....

A Silken Windhound won't show up in a litter of Whippets.... But since the longhaired gene is recessive, if both parents carry the gene, longhaired Whippets do occur naturally in litters of Whippets. Below is a link for Longhaired Whippets....
Longhaired Whippets

Depends on what book it was
The books that claim Silken Windhounds to be the same as Longhaired Whippets or Silken Windsprites are wrong.

Longhaired Whippets are sometimes called Silken Windsprites in parts of Europe. They are recognised in the Czchech Republic as Silken Windsprites.

Longhaired Whippets are mostly Whippet, but studies of mitocondrial DNA reveals a Sheltie or two in their ancestry.
This has always been rumoured, now we know for a fact.

Silken Windhounds were created by using 3 different breeds.
Longhaired Whippets, Whippets and Borzoi.
Silkens are not LHW, not Whippets and not mini Zois.
They are Silken Windhounds.
They have a closed studbook where all dogs are DNA-profiled (certified parentage) for generations.

Silken Windhounds are recognised by the Kennel Club in Slovenia, Slovenia is associated with FCI but the breed is not recognised by FCI.

In USA, country of origin, they are of course "recognised" by the breed club, the International Silken Windhound Society.
They are also recognised by Rarities and IABCA.

Application for recognition has so far not been made to any other kennel club, not AKC, not UKC and not ARBA (would you call ARBA a kennel club?)

For anyone who is interested in the breed, the Windhound mail list is not only the best place, is the only place
You will find the URL and where to join at
http://www.silkenwindhounds.org/links.shtml

If you live in Europe there is a European list (in English) that may suit you better, but you'd have to contact me privately to join that one.

Sussi, Sweden
Join the Windhound list

-----
Susann Stjernborg
Starcastle Hounds Silken Windhounds

I just met a "silken windhound" today! I was at the dog park with my hound and I said " oh a borzoi!" and she says no a silken windhound. It looks like a borzoi in the nose and body shape and has the spots like a borz. would have and it had longish hair but not the flowing hair that the borz have. according to the owner he was fixed young so that made the hair not grow in as much...never heard of that...but his siblings didnt get fixed till later so they have longer hair. He is about 25-29 inches tall he was up there with my dogs size
and my dog is 27 inches at the shoulder, he may be taller im not good with measurements. Beautiful dog nice temperment as well.

I was talking to the woman about how the new fads may not be good for the breed its self due to who knows whats going to happen genetics wise and she said they are carefuly mapping the genes. While this may be done or not, I have to say the dog was impressive and adorable. But I stick to what I said before,new fads arent always good for the breeds health.

The Silken Windhound is the first breed in the world to have it's entire DNA genome charted.
As we speak, practically every living member of the breed has DNA swabs being sent in to the scientiets at UC Davies.

I think it is fair to say that no other breed, in the present or in history, ever had this chance to breed for health.
We will be the first breed to work *with* the scientists all the way, they will help us to use science to guide us in breeding selection, in order to avoid the bad things hidden in the DNA as well as breed for maximum genetic diversity. True genetic diversity, not the kind that is calcululated by a math, such as COI, but really looking at each individual set of DNA and finding the best partners.

But you have to keep in mind that a scientist see things from their perspective, a dog breeder see things a little differently, taking things such as quality, temperament and type into consideration, and will not always heed the advice of the scientists because of this.

Statements from UC Davies;

* To create a digitized genealogical database for the entire breed, tracing back to the original founding dogs

* To assemble a DNA bank composed of 4 cheek swab samples from every Silken Windhound

* To construct a breed ‘phenome’ database that lists the standard traits that are uniformly fixed within the breed, and the traits that vary among individual Silken Windhounds

* To generate DNA profiles for each animal in the DNA bank that can be used to map genes of interest

* The Silken Windhound would become the first breed to have a digitized whole-breed genealogy that documents all dogs from the time of the breed’s inception. This resource can be built upon with each successive generation. It will provide a statistical foundation for every future genetic study in the breed.

* The breed would be the first to construct a complete list of the biological traits that make this breed unique. In human and mouse genetics, this catalog of traits is called the ‘phenome’. This is an enormous undertaking, but it recognizes that breeders and owners are the best canine biologists – they know and understand the biology of their dogs better than anyone else. This part of the project would probably be the most interesting and the most rewarding.

-----
Susann Stjernborg
Starcastle Hounds Silken Windhounds