Breeds / Size not published
Silken Windhound puppies
Outgoing and affectionate for a sighthound, the Silken Windhound is a recent American coursing breed that is calm indoors and fast and driven the moment they are given room to run.
The facts
- Size class Not published
- Country of origin United States
- Adult weight Not published
- Adult weight in pounds Not published
- Adult height Not published
- Energy level Moderate
- Grooming Moderate
- Coat type Not published
- Shedding Moderate
- Typical lifespan Not published
- Good with children Reliably good
- Good with other dogs Reliably good
About the Silken Windhound
The Silken Windhound is a recent American sighthound, developed from Borzoi and longhaired Whippet lines to produce a smaller coated coursing hound with an easier temperament than either. They are elegant and lightly built, with a silky coat, long furnishings behind the ears and legs, and the long clean lines of the sighthound family. Unlike some of their relatives they are openly sociable, rated five out of five both with children and with other pets, and they settle well indoors once they have been given room to run.
They need regular exercise with real chances to run flat out in a safe enclosed area, and they take happily to lure sports, jogging and hiking. Grooming is a weekly brush and a monthly bath, with attention to matting behind the ears and in the longer furnishings, plus nail trims every few weeks. Supervision and socialisation still belong in any home with young children. The thing owners forget is drug sensitivity, so tell any vet giving anaesthetic or worming treatment which breed is on the table.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Silken Windhound puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- MDR1 multi drug sensitivity, detectable by DNA test, which affects safe dosing of several common drugs
- Cardiac disease, screened by a cardiac exam
- Inherited eye disease, screened by an ophthalmologist evaluation
- Thyroid level irregularities, screened by a thyroid blood test
- Lotus syndrome, a lethal congenital defect in newborn puppies, detectable by DNA test in carriers
Your Silken Windhound puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the Not published adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Buying guides for this
More on the Silken Windhound
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.
Sources
- akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type, country of origin and health notes
- Health notes from Silken Windhound breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/silken-windhound/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
No published figure for adult weight, adult height, life expectancy and coat type, so nothing is shown rather than a guess.
Photo: Talismanhound, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.