Living with Silken Windhounds
"Because of health related reasons, I was looking for a training partner for daily exercise. Having previously owned big Borzois, the Silken Windhound seemed to be the ideal companion. And now, three years later, I am the proud owner of 3 Silken Windhounds, who keep me in good health, make me laugh and make my life colourful with their kindness and gentle energy.
All three of them have integrated themselves into my working life, sleeping under my desk, accompanying me to seminars and holiday trips and opening up to me several new friendships with other Silken owners all over the world.
All three have become an important part of my life."
Gabriele Greussing
"It all started with a small, black, cheerful Silken Windhound puppy who rocked our world. Then, after an eventful year, we came to the conclusion that a playmate should be found for him.
What a great pleasure it was! Very quickly the little brother was taken under his wing and from now on they always appeared as a twin pack. We have never seen our Antek happier than when he is with his little brother Bayaan, the two of them scrambling together, playing, running and discovering the world as seems only possible with a second Silken Windhound.
But their world is even more perfect when curled up on the sofa together with mom and dad, having their coats ruffled and nibbling treats.
We have fallen under the spell of their happy, curious, affectionate and loving nature, with their natural pack instinct yet at the same time their independent spirit. With the Silken Windhound we have found the canine loves of our life."
Carsten & Kristina Bank
"My first personal encounter with the Silken Windhound was in 2008. From that moment I was hooked on this breed. Two years later my first little Silken Windhound boy moved into my home. It was a joy to see how he fell in with my two mixed-breed bitches and became their lively alumnus. My fascination with the lovely, friendly and expressive nature of my first Silken Windhound has resulted in an additional bitch and another dog becoming part of my pack and, indeed, my life. Together we enjoy long walks in the countryside where they take much pleasure in discovering new things and running together. Watching them, it is pure love of life on four paws."
Natalie Karcher
"After many years in Borzoi I decided that they were getting a little too big and hairy for me to cope with.
I had already imported a bitch into England with Gill Grist and we co-bred a litter, from which I kept our beloved FireStar Indie, all my four litters so far have gone back to her. My fifth litter due any minute will be from one of my USA imports to Jane Grays dog Co-owned by Catja Soenveld.
Both George and I adore the Silkens and could not be without them. They are so easy to own, good natured and low maintenance. I was surprised to find how many of my friends in Borzoi in America had them, wish I had known before. I hope I can have plenty more years in Silken and wish all other Silken owners good luck."
Lorraine Marchant, Starborough
"In 1992 I started in Borzoi, in 1998 I met Francie Stull and some of her Silken Windhounds, but is wasn’t until 2004 that I could add a Silken puppy to my pack of then 3 Borzoi. While the Silken puppy matured, the 2 old Borzoi passed away so there was time & space to breed the Silken girl. Unfortunately a dead puppy poisoned her mother & brother so in the end I was left empty handed.
By now I was completely enchanted by this small sighthound, so very alike my beloved Borzoi but more easy to handle and keep. I wanted more people to be able to enjoy these delightful hounds so I decided to continue breeding. I was very lucky to be able to import a proven bitch and she gave me my first litter of 7 puppies (2007). Another bitch followed and in 2013 the 2nd generation was born. (the 3rd is planned)
All-in all my sister and I share house with 5 spoilt rotten Silken Windhounds, with whom we have travelled Europe from England to Hungary and from N.Germany to Croatia. Apart from showing, I have obedience diplomas on all of them & I did agility with 2. We live close by the sea so the Silkens get to romp on the beach on a regular basis, it is the safest place in our neighbourhood.
Thanks to the Silkens we have friends in various countries, it is wonderful to meet from time to time, and exchange dog stories & photos on FaceBook…."
Conja & Cate Soenveld, Bon Zoi´z
"My husband Jo and I had never even heard of the silken windhound, let alone ever seen one, but that was all to change when we came across Jane Gray in 2013 shortly after moving to Scotland. We had recently lost our beloved lurcher and were looking for a new hound to fill the hole in our lives. When we met Jane and her two silkens, we were immediately smitten! This was definitely the breed for us.
Jane began searching for a suitable pup for us and eventually put us in touch with Inken of Silkendream who was expecting a litter that May. The fact that we would have to travel to Bremen from Scotland didn’t stand in our way and we were excited when Inken announced that the Miracle Litter had arrived, that there were two pups (Night and Day) and we could have one.
We decided that we would go to Bremen on our way to our holiday home in Burgundy and so it was that on August 1st 2013, Dasha was ours! Why Dasha? Because my father-in-law’s cousin was Karel Capek, a well known Czech writer, whose work included a delightful story about his puppy Dashenka!
Dasha has given us so much joy from day one – she is loving, amusing, faithful, and above all extremely gentle with our grandchildren. She enjoys playing with other dogs (once she has got to know them) and she especially loves running with Jane’s silkens in the Scottish hills.
Unfortunately, last May, just before her first birthday, Dasha broke her leg when running in the park near our home. It was a difficult time for her and us, especially once she felt stronger but was still not allowed to run or jump for several weeks. We are pleased to say she made an excellent recovery and is now able to run as fast as before and jump onto her favourite sofa again. After all, that is what silken windhounds love most of all."
Joyce Capek
Since the early eighties, I’ve had Irish Wolfhounds. When I was in my mid-fifties, I thought I’d better go look for a smaller breed for the years when I would not have the muscles anymore to walk one or two 60-70 kilo dogs. First requirement was that it must be a sighthound. Problem was that I do not like short haired dogs… Then the character must be open and trusting, so many of the Eastern sighthounds didn’t qualify for me, either.
And then one day, a few weeks before I’d move back to the Netherlands, from the States, I visited an Irish Wolfhound Specialty and there I met a silken windhound!
I knew rightaway that THIS would be the perfect breed for me… So when I got to the Dutch coursing club with my two wolfhounds a few years later, I talked about the breed with the people there and they referred me to Conja… well, to make a long story short, I first got my Cleithe – Jagnes Black Cleithe - from Sweden, in 2007 and 6 months or so later, Finnegan - BonZoi’s Dutch Design -joined him.
I still have two Irish wolfhounds, too, but the Silkens definitely have stolen my heart.
At 8, Cleithe is not as fast as he used to be anymore, but he is a true courser, and a very special “little”dog. Blond Finnegan is a sweetheart, too, loves coursing but does not take it as seriously as Cleithe, and the two of them together are just wonderful!
Willeke Barens
I have got 5 Sighthounds and one of them is a Silken Windhound. His Name is Zalando and when I got a positive answer from his breeder Joachim Döring (Tanner´s Silken Windhounds) I was screaming with happiness as my dearest wish had come true.
Now he is 3 years old and what can I say … he is an outstanding dog. His temperament is soft, quiet, sensitive, attentive, undemanding, and always at my side. He loves to cuddle, to play and to communicate with me. His intelligence and incredible perception constantly amazes me and his only fault is his insatiable greed for everything edible. He knows every corner of the house where humans may have left food. He opens doors, bins, cupboards and bags and quick as lightning scoffs everything, no matter if it is good for him or not. This has caused me much anxiety but has made me laugh a lot too.
He lives with my Whippets and Silken Windsprites and is a calm member of the pack, sociable and uncomplicated. He loves to frolic around and to cuddle up with his girls, but he always prefers his owner a bit more. When he is outside he is like all other sighthounds, first of all he runs around like crazy but 5 minutes later he calms down and just enjoys his surroundings. I am delighted not only with his intelligence but also his nature, his modest way of showing his love and his loyality towards me, his laugher and his excitement when I play ball with him, his look when he is watching me, his feathery tread when he is approaching me, his scent when he puts his head against my breast… in short, he is the great love of my life.
Viktoria Gröbl