Appearance of the Silken Windhound
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| The Silken Windhound is a medium-sized sighthound. It has a long, silky coat and is an elegant dog. He has an athletic build and appears graceful and well-balanced. He is exceptional at running, like most sight hounds. His coat is silky and soft to the touch, and should never be profuse or woolly. It can't be so dense as to hide the graceful outline of his body. The coat can be straight, curly or wavy, although excessive curl is undesirable. Its long coat should be only moderately long so as not to impair its luring ability. The Silken Windhound is available in all colors and patterns. He naturally has short hair on his face, head, feet, front legs and hock. He has longer hair and feathers on the backs of his front legs and ears. Its coat should never be cut excessively. |
Temperament of the Silken Windhound
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| The Silken Windhound is a very friendly and affectionate companion. He loves meeting new people and should never show shyness or aggression. He's happiest when he's with his family and participating in activities with people. He's a gentle dog who's not too barky. He needs daily exercise, especially running. The Silken Windhound is a very fast dog. The Silken Windhound is independent and intelligent. It has a strong prey drive and is a sight-hunter, chasing cats and other small animals. If bred with small pets such as cats, ferrets, hamsters and guinea pigs, it will generally do well, although the Silken Windhound should not be left alone with smaller animals, even if it knows them well. Although the Silken Windhound is not naturally a shy dog, it's always important to socialize him with people and other dogs. Start early to make sure he's a well-adjusted adult. |
Needs and activities of the Silken Windhound
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| A yard is certainly an asset, as they love to run, but they'll live in a nice apartment with extra walks and outings to the local dog park. The Silken Windhound doesn't seem to have any problems in any weather. They glory and frolic in the snow, splash in puddles, run in the wind and bask in the sun. They will adapt their exercise and exposure according to the temperature outside. Don't let a Silken Windhound roam without proper fencing, as this is a Greyhound with a hunting instinct. You may run after something. This breed must be able to run, but needs a fenced-in area for safety. Silken Windhounds like to run, like all sighthounds, and should go for a walk or jog every day. If properly exercised, they will happily nap at their owner's feet or on the sofa. They need to go outside to walk and run in dog parks or large open areas, but they are not as energetic as the Border Collie or other herding breeds. This breed is a good jogging companion if the dog is well conditioned, but wait until a puppy is a year old or more before starting long, hard exercise. |
Maintenance of the Silken Windhound
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| The Silken Windhound has an elegance that requires grooming several times a week. The soft, silky texture of its coat can easily tangle, creating knots and mats if not taken care of promptly. It can be groomed with a smooth brush or a steel brush and comb. It should also be washed every eight to twelve weeks with a mild shampoo or baby shampoo. If there's excessive tangling in the hair behind his ears, sprinkle baking soda behind his ears. It prevents excessive tangles from forming. His ears should be cleaned weekly to prevent infection. Silken Windhounds generally dislike having their nails trimmed. It's important to keep to a precise schedule for nail trimming so that he gets used to it. If trimming is too demanding, nail clippers can be used. Routine dental care is also important to keep gums and teeth healthy. |
English (United Kingdom)