Swedish Vallhund vs Silken Windhound - Breed Comparison

Swedish Vallhund vs Silken Windhound - Breed ComparisonSwedish Vallhund is originated from Sweden but Silken Windhound is originated from United States. Swedish Vallhund may grow 26 cm / 10 inches shorter than Silken Windhound. Swedish Vallhund may weigh 6 kg / 13 pounds lesser than Silken Windhound. Swedish Vallhund may live 3 years less than Silken Windhound. Swedish Vallhund may have more litter size than Silken Windhound. Swedish Vallhund requires Moderate maintenance. But Silken Windhound requires Low maintenance

History

swedish vallhund - historyKnown also as the Västgötaspets or Swedish cow dog, the Valhund hails from Sweden. It’s a herding dog, and was always a farm dog in that country.

It was in 1943 that the dog was first recognized as a breed by the Swedish Kennel Club. Only later, in 1996, did the American Kennel Club start registering the breed.

silken windhound - historyThe Silken Windhound is a breed intentionally developed by Borzoi and Deerhound breeder, Francie Stull. Although the first litter of the Windhoud was not born until 1995, their development began in discussions ten years later. Bred as a cross between her beloved Deerhounds and Borzoi, the first Society for the breed formed in 1999 and they were recognized by the UKC in 2011.

Ms. Stull wanted another breed for her kennel and decided on a smaller sighthound than her Borzoi. She wanted a long coat, a good temperament, good health, and possessing the same athletic abilities, grace and poise as the sighthounds that are larger. She developed the Silken Windhound based on this vision.

With this in mind, the kennel purchased the pick of a litter from the American and English Borzoi Champion bitch, Stillwater Virginia Reel. This puppy was eventually bred to Stillwater White Lightning and produced puppy that was a blue brindle. This dog, Stillwater Kristull Peacock, had the coat, personality and structure that Ms. Stull wanted for the new breed. She was bred to Deerhound Windsprite Autumnal Xenon to form the foundation for the Silken Windhound.

Over time champion Borzoi were bred with multi-generation Whippet based dogs and small Whippet from coursing and show lines. Finally, all of this work was rewarded with an incredible little sighthound to fit in the line of sighthounds between the giant and large breeds and the smaller whippet type breeds.

The Silken Windhound lives today in 24 different countries. They take their place in hound competitions all over the world in obedience, lure coursing, and racing. They are a Limited Stake Breed in the ASFA and competed with 40 other dogs in 2010. Then they were accepted by the NOFCA or National Open Filed Coursing Association, also in 2010. Finally, in 2011 they were fully accepted by the UKC.

The Silken Windhound is recognized in addition to the UKC, by the Dog Registry of America, the Rarities Inc., the American Canine Association, the Kennel Club of Slovenia, the American Pet Registry, Inc., the International Silken Windhound Society and the International, All-Breed Canine Association of America.

Basic Information

Group:
Herding dogs
Hound dog
Origin:
Sweden
United States
Height Male:
30 - 34 cm
11 - 14 inches
47 - 60 cm
18 - 24 inches
Height Female:
30 - 34 cm
11 - 14 inches
44 - 55 cm
17 - 22 inches
Weight Male:
9 - 14 kg
19 - 31 pounds
10 - 20 kg
22 - 45 pounds
Weight Female:
9 - 14 kg
19 - 31 pounds
7 - 17 kg
15 - 38 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
15 - 18 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 10
1 - 4
Size:
Medium dog
Medium dog
Other Names:
Västgötaspets, Swedish cow dog
Silkens
Colors Available:
Cream, grey, brown
tuxedo marked or solid colored , white to black with brilliant brindles and solid red, in between. They can be spotted
Coat:
Medium length, thick
silky coats of middling length longish to very long, with feathers. Some are straight, some are very curly
Shedding:
Moderate
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Affectionate, Gentle, Intelligent, Outgoing, Playful, Stubborn
Grooming:
Moderate maintenance
Low maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

Description

swedish vallhund puppy - descriptionLooking much like a cross between a Corgi and the German Shepherd, the Swedish Valhund is a medium sized dog that stands between 30 and 34cm in height and weighs between 9 and 14kg.

His medium length weather-resistant coat is available in wolf like shades – cream, grey, brown etc. The tail can be long or bobbed and the medium sized ears are held erect.

Temperament:

Intelligent, confident, independent, alert, playful and active, your Swedish Valhund promises to make a good family pet.

You'll need to be an active, outdoor type of family though, as he isn’t a couch potato type of dog, snoozing in front of the TV.

He wants to be up and about going on long walks or playing ball games that give him a good run. If he gets his fair share of exercise he can adapt to life in the city or the countryside.

He is intelligent too and will respond well to training and socialization.

He just loves his human family and wants to be constantly with them. He won’t do well if you just keep him locked outside away from everyone. He is social, alert innovative and entertaining as well as being a good guard dog.

silken windhound puppy - descriptionThe Silken Windhound is a breed of beautiful, athletic medium sized dogs. They have the long coat, athletic build and classic lines of the sighthound/coursing dog. Just looking at them and you know they have strength, balance and grace in those medium sized bodies. Their running ability is exceptional. They perform well in the confirmation rings.

They are sine boned, balanced with smooth muscles – a sleek hardy looking dog. They have almond-shaped, large, dark eyes with small folded ears. Looking in their faces you see intelligence, friendliness and alertness. The head is long with a well balanced muzzle and a dark, slightly down-turned nose. Her lips are dark and full and her neck long and slender. The Silken Windhound must have a flexible loin because they have a gallop of double suspensions and are amazingly fast. A deep chest is also a must with a flexible, curving tail. Her legs are straight and long, as she is built for speed.

Characteristics

swedish vallhund dog - characteristicsYour Swedish Valhund is such a confident, independent dog and he promises to be a loving, faithful pet. He's also alert and will let you know if strangers are approaching his property.

He is a calm, easy going pet and is capable of adapting to quiet or noisy homes. He may be quite a strange looking dog, but he's got a whole lot of loving to give.

Characteristics

silken windhound dog - characteristics1. Children friendliness – they are great with children and would romp with them all day.

2.Special talents – speed and agility.

3.Adaptability Like most sighthounds they can be couch potatoes but being medium sized they can live just about anywhere as long as it is inside.

4.Learning ability - They are smart but their learning ability can be hampered by their stubbornness.

Health Problems

swedish vallhund puppies - health problemsCapable of living a long, healthy life, the Swedish Valhund isn’t likely to fall victim to some of the many dog illnesses there are, and yet it is wise to be alert to some of them that he could get.

One of these is an hereditary eye disease known as retinopathy. Its where there is degeneration of the retinal photoreceptor cells. This eye disease can lead to blindness.  

You need to be careful with this pet of yours, because with his long back and short legs he can so easily hurt his back if he leaps off a bed or high chair.

Whenever you pick this dog up, always support his legs and back. Don’t pick them up without supporting both the front legs and the rear end.

silken windhound puppies - health problemsMost inherited diseases and conditions are rare. There is some drug related sensitivity, especially to ivermectin, and some dogs carry a MDR1 (multi-drug resistance gene) that is defective. Breeders are attempting to breed this out of the Silkens. A few other rare instances of concern include:

  • Cryptorchidism – a birth defect resulting in undescended testicles.
  • Lotus Syndrome – an occasional birth defect resulting in death.
  • Umbilical hernias – may require surgery.
  • Cataracts - may lead to old age sight problems
  • Deafness

Caring The Pet

swedish vallhund dogs - caringTry and feed your Swedish Valhund two meals a day instead of just one, so that he doesn’t gobble down his food too quickly.

Your dog can be prone to obesity, so you have to be careful with the way you feed him. Overfeeding a dog packs on extra weight and this puts strain on the joints.

Apart from the dry kibble that you feed him, try to include some tasty, nutritious homemade food such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta, sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach.

This can all be chopped up and added to his dry kibble. Some raw meat added to the diet can only be to his benefit. Remember to always ensure a bowl of fresh, cool water is available.

General Care:

Give his thick coat a brush twice a week to remove dead hair. Brushing also stimulates the sebaceous glands that produces oil which gives the coat is sheen.

Open his mouth and check for rotting teeth which can be painful for him.

Trim his nails because left long, they can hook onto things and rip the skin open.

Check inside the ears too for redness which could mean an ear infection.You get dog wipes that you can wipe the ear out with. There are always professional dog groomers who can do these chores for you if you don't want to.

See that his vaccines are up to date and that if he shows signs of illness, you get him to the vet.

silken windhound dogs - caring1.Feeding the puppy This is a medium sized, active breed. They need high quality dog food with plenty of protein. Feed them 3 times a day from a food made for high energy active medium sized breeds.

2.Feeding the adult - Feed them 2 times a day from a food made for high energy active medium sized breeds.

3.Points for Good - Exceptional agility and speed.

4. Games and Exercises The breed is active, and they love to run. They need daily exercise and they usually excel at flyball, agility, obedience and therapy. Obviously, they are very good at lure coursing and racing. They love to run or jog with you.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Swedish Vallhund vs Pembroke Welsh Corgi - Breed Comparison
  2. Swedish Vallhund vs Australian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. Swedish Vallhund vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois) - Breed Comparison
  4. Swedish Vallhund vs Australian Cattle Dog - Breed Comparison
  5. Swedish Vallhund vs Bearded Collie - Breed Comparison
  6. Swedish Vallhund vs Collie - Breed Comparison
  7. Swedish Vallhund vs Austrailian Blue Heeler - Breed Comparison
  8. Swedish Vallhund vs Dutch Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  9. Swedish Vallhund vs Blue Healer - Breed Comparison
  10. Swedish Vallhund vs English Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  11. Swedish Vallhund vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  12. Swedish Vallhund vs Catahoula Cur - Breed Comparison
  13. Swedish Vallhund vs Australian Red Heeler - Breed Comparison
  14. Swedish Vallhund vs Catalan Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  15. Swedish Vallhund vs Pyrenean Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  16. Swedish Vallhund vs Bergamasco - Breed Comparison
  17. Swedish Vallhund vs Berger Picard - Breed Comparison
  18. Swedish Vallhund vs Appenzell Mountain Dog - Breed Comparison
  19. Swedish Vallhund vs Queensland Heeler - Breed Comparison
  20. Swedish Vallhund vs German Coolie - Breed Comparison
  21. Swedish Vallhund vs Bohemian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  22. Swedish Vallhund vs Croatian Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  23. Swedish Vallhund vs Red Heeler - Breed Comparison
  24. Swedish Vallhund vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Tervuren) - Breed Comparison
  25. Swedish Vallhund vs Blue Lacy - Breed Comparison
  26. Silken Windhound vs Basset Hound - Breed Comparison
  27. Silken Windhound vs Pharaoh Hound - Breed Comparison
  28. Silken Windhound vs Basenji - Breed Comparison
  29. Silken Windhound vs Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla - Breed Comparison
  30. Silken Windhound vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  31. Silken Windhound vs Hungarian Vizsla - Breed Comparison
  32. Silken Windhound vs Redbone Coonhound - Breed Comparison
  33. Silken Windhound vs Bluetick Coonhound - Breed Comparison
  34. Silken Windhound vs Norwegian Elkhound - Breed Comparison
  35. Silken Windhound vs Coonhound - Breed Comparison
  36. Silken Windhound vs Bavarian Mountain Hound - Breed Comparison
  37. Silken Windhound vs Basset Fauve de Bretagne - Breed Comparison
  38. Silken Windhound vs Santal Hound - Breed Comparison
  39. Silken Windhound vs Beagle-Harrier - Breed Comparison
  40. Silken Windhound vs English Coonhound - Breed Comparison
  41. Silken Windhound vs Anglo-Francais de Petite Venerie - Breed Comparison
  42. Silken Windhound vs Alpine Dachsbracke - Breed Comparison
  43. Silken Windhound vs Basset Bleu de Gascogne - Breed Comparison
  44. Silken Windhound vs Podenco Canario - Breed Comparison
  45. Silken Windhound vs Dunker - Breed Comparison
  46. Silken Windhound vs Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen - Breed Comparison
  47. Silken Windhound vs Chippiparai - Breed Comparison
  48. Silken Windhound vs Podenco Andaluz - Breed Comparison
  49. Silken Windhound vs Podenco Galego - Breed Comparison
  50. Silken Windhound vs English Foxhound - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds