Silken Windhound, anyone experience with this "breed". General Chat

Ran into a gentleman at the dogpark today with 3 of these dogs. Silken windhounds. Apparently a new breed - around about 30 years.

They look like miniature Borzoi. I was drawn to them for this reason. I love Borzoi, but they are much larger than I could handle. (I like a dog I could pick up if I had to) These guys are about perfect size in my opinion, and gorgeous!

Seemed a bit nervy though, and standoffish. Anyone else had any experience with this "breed". Do they all breed true to type? Are they generally a nervous, standoffish dog.

I think they are lovely but would prefer a friendly outgoing dog over a pretty one.

Borzoi ,whippet,rough collie or sheltie cross by the pics i just seen ??

The dude told me Borzoi/Whippet cross. Not sure how many other breeds were used. These were very typical of sighthounds and very much looked like small borzoi

Theyre nice looking dogs. I wonder if a smooth coat ever turns up in a litter

http://starboroughsilkenwindhounds.co.uk/index.html

Theyre nice looking dogs. I wonder if a smooth coat ever turns up in a litter

http://starboroughsilkenwindhounds.co.uk/index.html



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very beautiful looking dogs

Hi Muttzrule, yes Silken windhounds are an actual breed and breed true to type.

I see you are in America, Silkens are now recognised by the UKC and compete in ASFA lure coursing and NOFCA hunts.

Silkens are the only breed with a fully dna verified registry, every silken must be dna tested before breeding to ensure parentage and guarantee health test results.

They are typical sighthounds, loyal friendly and full of fun but (unlike a lot of sighthounds) they are easily trained. They may appear aloof or perhaps even timid to strangers as like most sighthounds they will ignore people they don't know.

As a borzoi owner and lover I've been interested in Silkens for a very long time and finally managed to acquire one 2 1/2 years ago. I'm absolutely delighted and besotted with my Milly. She is everything I want in a dog, beautiful, elegant, cuddly but not demanding, independent at times but always obedient.



Here she is with the whole family to demonstrate the size difference between the borzoi and silken (and some collies for comparison..lol)



Milly, her brother and a whippet friend



Typical silken heads, dog and bitch.


Progeny groups of silkens at the German Silken speciality last year

I'll quote a reply from Susann Stjernborg who is one of the founder members of the ISWS and a font of knowledge on all things silken

This pic made me think the above...

These are beautiful hounds and are now on my wish list ! ;-)

Murf the pic you've posted is Kristull Blessed, born in 1999. She is undoubtedly a silken but she is a great granddaughter of the founding windsprite longhaired whippets.

For anyone interested in meeting a silken there is a silken rally in Kent in May, with dogs coming over from the continent too, there will probably be about 20 silkens there and then the week after is the Scottish get-together, we will have between 7 and 9 silkens here.

Thank you for that , do you have a date in May , I would love to see them , I am a hound lover and didnt know these beatiful hounds existed until now !

The Kent rally is 5th and 6th May, I think a show on the 5th and racing on the 6th but the details haven't been finalised yet. The Northern one the week after, the 12th and 13th. We'll be going to the whippet racing in Kincardine on the Sunday as well as doing various walks around Edinburgh/West Lothian.

Thanks thats helpful , I used to live in West Lothian !

Thanks Chaumsong! I'm quite smitten with these dogs. These three at the park did seem quite bonded to their owner, and were excellent with the other dogs and recalled right away.
*puts Silken Windhound on want list

They are beautiful, never heard of them before - stunning

Gorgeous dogs

*adds to wishlist*

Are there any in Ireland - quite like them myself

Not at the moment Velvetboxers, but there is a Starborough litter planned in England and it's only a short ferry hop away

Silkens are still fairly new in the UK, there are around 30 of them here now. It's a very close knit international community though and there are a lot more on the continent.