Silken Windhound
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| Other names | Silken | ||||||||
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| Origin | United States | ||||||||
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| Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | |||||||||
| Traits | |||
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| Height | 18.5 to 23.5 inches (47–60 cm) | ||
| Classification / standards | |||
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| UKC | Sighthound & Pariah | standard | |
The Silken Windhound is an American breed of dog, a member of the sighthound family. Like most sighthounds, Silkens are noted coursers.
The Silken Windhound is a graceful, small to medium sized sighthound with a silky coat of middling length. It owes its appearance and build to its Borzoi and Whippet forebears. The Silken has many coat colors that can range from spotted to solid.
Silken Windhounds are affectionate and playful and are good dogs for families with children. Due to their friendliness, they are not good guard dogs but are easily house broken and can be trained to live with smaller household pets. Silkens particularly like agility, therapy, flyball, and obedience.
The Silken Windhound is intelligent and easily trained using reward and affection in short, positive sessions. Silkens work eagerly and form strong relationships with their owners if so treated. Like many sighthounds, Silken Windhounds can slip out of standard buckle dog collars and so martingale or semi-slip collars are favoured.
Silken Windhounds typically live into their middle to late teens. Bone and joint ailments (for example hip dysplasia) and the digestive system disease gastric dilatation volvulus (bloat) are rare. Some such dogs are sensitive to ivermectin and related drugs; a simple test is now available to find whether a dog carries a defective MDR1 (multi-drug resistance) gene. Responsible breeders are working to remove this gene from studs. There have been some cases of cryptorchidism, umbilical hernia, lotus syndrome, and deafness and cataracts in old dogs.
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Wikipedia