The Silken Windhound is a modern, sleek, small-to-medium sized American hare, bred to combine the silky beauty of the Russian Greyhound with the gentle, balanced temperament of a companion dog. Fast and graceful on the grass but calm and affectionate at home, it has become one of the most prized greyhound breeds by families looking for a sighthound without the size or reserve of its larger relatives.
Is the Silken Windhound for you?
The Silken Windhound is a sweet and sociable companion, but it is still a hare with a keen hunting instinct and a real need to run. These boxes sum up its lights and shadows.
In favour .
- Loving character, playful and very family oriented.
- Good with kids and adaptable to life on the floor.
- Handled size for a greyhound, neither big nor heavy.
- Smart and easy to educate with positive reinforcement.
- Silky coat of easy maintenance.
- A long-lived and generally healthy breed.
To be taken into account
- Strong chase instinct: he needs enclosed spaces to run.
- He’s no good as a guard dog or a defense dog.
- It is possible to escape from flat collars; a semi-strangler collar is recommended.
- Some specimens are sensitive to ivermectin (MDR1 gene).
- It’s a rare breed: finding serious breeders can be expensive.
- He needs company; prolonged solitude is not good for him.
Character and temperament
If we had to describe the Silken Windhound in one word, it would be kindly. It is a loving and playful dog that enjoys human company and forms close bonds with its family. Unlike some more independent or reserved hares, the Silken tends to be open and confident, both with its owners and with strangers.
That sociability has a face and a cross. The face: it’s an easy, non-confrontational and pleasant companion to have at home. The cross: just because it’s friendly, it doesn’t serve as a guard dog. It will welcome visitors by wagging its tail instead of being alert.
It is also an intelligent and sensitive dog, which responds much better to kind treatment than to imposition. Well cared for, it is balanced, calm inside the house and able to turn on the power switch as soon as it steps on the field.
Coexistence: children, other pets, flat and loneliness
The Silken Windhound is a dog designed to live in a family. It is considered a good companion for homes with children, thanks to its friendly and playful temperament. As always, it is advisable to monitor the interaction with the little ones and teach them to respect the dog’s resting moments, but its character does not pose basic problems.
other pets is a sighthound with a chase instinct, so coexistence with small animals requires early socialization and careful introductions.
As for the floor, it adapts well as long as it receives its daily dose of exercise. Indoors it is quiet and clean, not a nervous dog that needs to be on the move continuously. What it takes the worst is the prolonged loneliness: it is a dog very attached to its people, and long days in complete solitude do not fit with its sociable nature.
Education and training
Educating a Silken Windhound is, in general, a grateful task. It is a smart and easy to train. breed through rewards and affection, in short, positive sessions. It works eagerly and establishes strong relationships with its owners when it is treated well; harsh treatment, however, is counterproductive with such a sensitive dog.
The key lies in gentle constancy: short sessions, plenty of reinforcements and a good dose of patience. He quickly learns the basic routines of the home and easily gets used to the rules of the home.
A practical detail very typical of hares: because of the shape of its head and neck, the Silken Windhound can get rid of the flat buckle collars.. That is why most owners prefer semi-strangulation collars (martingale type), which hold securely without choking.
Exercise and activity
The Silken Windhound is an athlete. As a good sighthound, it is built for running, and needs regular opportunities to gallop deeply in a safe, fenced environment.
In addition to freestyle running, he greatly enjoys dog sports. He excels in agility, flyball, and obedience. and in the hare’s own activities, such as lure coursing(bait chase) and races in a straight or oval. It is also successfully used as a therapy dog due to its gentle nature. These activities not only keep you physically fit but also stimulate your mind and strengthen your bond with your family.
Outside of those times of intense exercise, it is a surprisingly calm dog, not needing to be constantly on the move: it covers its daily quota of running and walking, content to rest peacefully beside you.
Care: fur and hygiene
The coat of the Silken Windhound is one of its hallmarks: silk and medium length, with a fine and shiny fall. Despite its showy appearance, its maintenance is reasonable. A thorough brushing twice a week is enough to keep it free of knots and looking good, increasing the frequency during seasonal mowing.
It does not require professional hairdressing or elaborate cuts. It is enough with the usual hygiene routine of any dog: punctual baths when it gets dirty, checking and cleaning of ears, cutting nails when necessary and attention to dental hygiene.
Foodstuffs
As a hare with a light build and well-muscled body, the Silken Windhound benefits from a quality diet, balanced and adjusted to its activity level.
It is advisable to monitor the quantity and adapt it to your actual expenditure, which may be high in very sporty specimens. As with all deep-breasted dogs, it is wise to avoid strenuous exercise just before and after meals to reduce digestive risks, and to always keep fresh water available. When in doubt about rations or dietary changes, it is best to rely on the veterinarian’s judgment.
Health and life expectancy
The Silken Windhound is, as a whole, a healthy and long-lasting breed. Many specimens live well into late adolescence, often exceeding fifteen years of age.
The most specific health point is hypersensitivity to ivermectin and related drugs that some individuals present for a mutation of the MDR1 gene (multiple drug resistance). There is a simple genetic test to detect if a dog is a carrier of that defective variant; knowing this allows you to adjust antiparasitics, anesthetics and other drugs safely.
Less frequently, some homeowners describe cases of cryptorchidism, umbilical hernia, the so-called lotus syndrome, deafness and, in old age, cataracts. Serious breeders work on the health of their lines and control consanguinity (COI), and since the closure of the origin books point crosses with the founding breeds have been monitored precisely to improve health and reduce the consanguinity index.
Physical appearance
The Silken Windhound is a gracious, small to medium size hare, with the elegant lines of sighthounds. Its most characteristic feature is the coat: silky, medium-length and with a fine drop that gives it a distinguished look, halfway between the short-haired greyhound and its long-coated Russian relative.
The variety of colours is huge. The coat can go from white to black, passing through solid reds and very showy brindles, with all the tones in between. The specimens may be solid in color, mottled or with tuxedo markings, which makes there hardly two identical Silkens. That color diversity, coupled with its natural elegance, is one reason for its growing popularity.
Origin and history
The Silken Windhound is a young and of American origin breed . It was created and developed in Austin (Texas) by Francie Stull, a successful breeder of Russian Greyhounds (Borzoi) and Deerhounds of exhibition and work recognized by the American Kennel Club. Starting from his favourite lines of Borzoi and the lurcher, he looked for a more manageable sized greyhound that retained the beauty of the long coat. The Silken Windhounds first layer was born in 1985.
In 1999 the breed club, the International Silken Windhound Society (ISWS), was founded, and in 2000 the pedigree books were closed, allowing only punctual and controlled crosses with the founding breeds to improve health. From there came the progressive recognition: In 2009 it was admitted as a breed of Limited Stakes in the ASFA, in 2010 in the NOFCA of courses in open field and, on 18 March 2011, by the United Kennel Club. It was later recognised by FCI-affiliated clubs in Germany and the Netherlands, although the FCI itself does not yet admit it. In 2026 he took another step by joining the American Kennel Club’s Foundation Stock Service.
Curiosities
- It is a literally designed breed: it was born from the idea of a breeder to have a Borzoi in a reduced version and with an even kinder temperament.
- It competes with great success in tests of lure coursing; in its first month of admission to the ASFA more than forty specimens participated.
- Its name – “windhound”, literally “wind hound” – evokes the image of the greyhound running at full speed.
- Despite being extremely fast in the field, at home it is one of the quietest and most homely hares.
- The ISWS has created its own programs of straight and oval races for the Silkens to add sporting titles.
If you are attracted to the Silken Windhound, you will surely be interested in other elegant hares and dogs with a friendly temperament. You can compare its character to that of the Whippet, a sighthound of similar size; to the Greyhound, the greyhound par excellence; to the imposing Gran Danés; or to the versatile Border Collie if you are looking for a sporty and intelligent companion.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Silken Windhound
Is the Silken Windhound an FCI recognized greyhound?
I’m not going to. The Silken Windhound is a hare breed developed in the United States that is not yet recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale. It is recognized by other registries, such as the American United Kennel Club (since 2011) and FCI-affiliated kennel clubs in countries such as Germany and the Netherlands. In 2026 it also entered the Foundation Stock Service of the American Kennel Club, a step prior to full recognition.
Is it a suitable dog for families with children?
Yes. The Silken Windhound has a reputation for being affectionate and playful, and usually gets along well with children. As with any dog, it is advisable to supervise the treatment of the younger ones and teach children to respect their rest times, but its gentle nature makes it a good family companion.
Does it serve as a guard dog?
It’s not his strong point, precisely because of how sociable and friendly he is, the Silken Windhound isn’t made for guarding or defense, he may bark when someone comes, but he will greet strangers with more curiosity than suspicion.
How much exercise do you need a day?
It is an athletic hare that appreciates several daily outings and the possibility of running deeply in a safe and closed space. With a couple of long walks plus moments of running or play it covers its needs well. Outside those moments of activity it is usually quiet and very homely.
Can he live in a flat?
Yes, as long as it is guaranteed daily exercise. Inside the house it is a quiet and clean dog that adapts well to life on the floor. The important thing is not the square meters, but to give it enough exits so that it can stretch its legs and gallop.
Is the coat of the Silken Windhound a lot of work?
It has a medium-length silky coat that is kept in good condition with a thorough brushing a couple of times a week, a little more during mowing.
Are you sensitive to any medications?
Some dogs have a mutation in the MDR1 gene that makes them sensitive to ivermectin and related drugs.There is a simple genetic test to find out if a dog is a carrier; it is advisable to discuss this with your veterinarian before giving specific antiparasitics or anesthetics.
How long does a Silken Windhound live?
It is a long-lived breed for its size: many specimens reach advanced adolescence without problems, often living well into their 15s or older.
