Silken Windhound

The Silken Windhound was developed by Francie Stull of the Kristull Borzoi Kennels in Austin, Texas.

This is one of the newest breeds of dog in existence. The International Silken Windhound Society held its first meeting as recently as April 1999. The motivation behind the creation of this still experimental breed was the desire to find a dog that combined the athletic elegance of the typical sighthound, the aesthetically pleasing sight of a long, flowing coat, and the reduced size that would make it suitable for smaller houses.

She began in 1988 with Silken Windsprites from the Windsprite Kennels (see separate entry for Silken Windsprite), which were reputed to be pure-bred Whippets carrying long-haired genes. Over a ten-year period she then added Borzoi, to enhance the long coat, and normal, short-haired Whippet to broaden the gene pool. The breed is still in development but promises to be an attractive addition to the canine world, once it has started to breed true and is proven to be healthy and without defects. At present there is no indication of either of these problems, but some traditional breeders remain hostile to the project.

These dogs do not acquire their full coats until they are three years old. There is no colour restriction at present, Silkens appearing in a wide range, from black to white. It is said that a few of them have already found their way to Europe.