Silken Windhound vs Schweizer Laufhund - Breed Comparison

Silken Windhound vs Schweizer Laufhund - Breed ComparisonSchweizer Laufhund is originated from Switzerland but Silken Windhound is originated from United States. Both Schweizer Laufhund and Silken Windhound are having almost same height. Both Schweizer Laufhund and Silken Windhound are of same weight. Schweizer Laufhund may live 6 years less than Silken Windhound. Schweizer Laufhund may have more litter size than Silken Windhound. Both Schweizer Laufhund and Silken Windhound requires Low Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Hound dog
Hound dog
undefined
Switzerland
United States
Height Male:
47 - 59 cm
18 - 24 inches
47 - 60 cm
18 - 24 inches
Height Female:
47 - 58 cm
18 - 23 inches
44 - 55 cm
17 - 22 inches
Weight Male:
15 - 20 kg
33 - 45 pounds
10 - 20 kg
22 - 45 pounds
Weight Female:
15 - 20 kg
33 - 45 pounds
7 - 17 kg
15 - 38 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 12 Years
15 - 18 Years
Litter Size:
3 - 7
1 - 4
Size:
Medium
Medium
Other Names:
Bruno Laufhund, Bruno Jura Laufhund, the Jura Type Saint Hubert Hound French Type, Bruno Hound, Lucerne Hound, the Jura Type French Saint Hubert Hound, and the Schwyz Laufhund., Lucerner Laufhund, Chien Courant Suisse Berner Laufhund, the French Jura Type Saint Hubert Hound, The Saint Hubert Hound Jura Type, Jura Hound, Jura Laufhund, Bern Hound
Silkens
Colors Available:
different for each line black with tan markings; tan with black mantle or saddle; white with black or tan or orange.
tuxedo marked or solid colored , white to black with brilliant brindles and solid red, in between. They can be spotted
Coat:
coat type short, smooth, and somewhat harsh
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, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Loving, Loyal, Playful, Stubborn
Affectionate, Gentle, Intelligent, Outgoing, Playful, Stubborn
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

schweizer laufhundThe Schweizer Laufhund is a breed born in Switzerland and sought after by the French and the Italians for their skill at hunting small mammals, especially hare. Mercenaries brought scent hounds from France to Switzerland and cross bred them with the Schweizer Laufhund, thereby influencing and changing the native breed.

In 1882 it was established that within the breed of “Swiss Hound” (Schweizer Laufhund) there were five different varieties. At this time a standard was written for each of these five different types. By 1909 the standards were revisited and revised, eliminating the hound of Thurgovie. Then in 1933 it was decided that one standard would cover all the varieties of the Schweizer Laufhund.

The Schweizer Laufhund was a line used to develop many different scent hounds. They are used almost exclusively as hunting dogs and not as family companion dogs. St. Hubert Jura Hound, the rare ancient variety, is still in the hunting parties of Canada and France. The breed existed before any dog breeding written records were kept. In Switzerland from the middle ages on, the Schweizer Laufhund was the only hunting dog in the country until recent times.

Even though they didn’t have any popularity until the European nobility became enamored of them in the middle ages, it is thought by some that they date back to the Roman Empire. In actuality most of their pre- Swiss history has been lost. We do know that through the years the breed has been influenced by cross breeding with Austrian, German and French scent hounds.

He is not recognized by the larger kennel clubs such as AKC or UKC, but by some rare breed associations. The dogs that remain today in the United States, Canada and Europe are still mainly owned by either active or retired hunters. Despite their great personalities, they are still not numerous among family pets.

silken windhoundThe 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.

Description

schweizer laufhund puppy - descriptionA medium sized dog with good endurance and strength. Its head is lean, and its muzzle is long making this a very noble looking breed. Each of the 5 varieties has some of its own characteristics. They all have short, fine hairs on their ears and heads and longer hairs on their legs and back.

Each variety can be identified by its colors as they are unique.

• Bernese – White with a black saddle or black patches and tan on the ears and face.

  • Schwyz – A white dog with marking of orange.
  • Bruno Jura – Black with tan markings and Tan with black saddle marks.

• Lucernese – Because they have white and black hair mixed across their bodies, they appear to be “blue”.

  • St. Hubert Jura – Tan with a black saddle.

The Schweizer Laufhund come in miniature and standard sizes fitting into the same standard. Weight has a lot to do with the gender and height of the individual dog, they are longer than they are tall. As a scent hound, the breed is muscular and sturdy. They carry their long tails in a slight curve with a taper at the end.

Despite the different colors in the different varieties all of the breed have black noses, long droopy ears, and oval, brown eyes. They have a soft, calm and gentle facial expression.

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

schweizer laufhund dog - characteristics1Children friendliness - they can be very gentle and loving with children. Toddlers might remind them of prey, however.

2.Special talents – they have great stamina.

3.Adaptability – adapts well if he gets enough exercise.

4.Learning ability -their learning ability is high, but they can be very stubborn.

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

schweizer laufhund puppies - health problemsThere are a few health issues that the Schweizer Laufhund is prone to. As an ancient breed there is not a lot of genetic evidence of breed health issues but there is more recent reporting.

  • Hip Dysplasia – can result in lameness, arthritis and inability to hunt.
  • Cataracts – can result in blindness.
  • Elbow Dysplasia – can result in lameness, arthritis and inability to hunt.

• PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) – hereditary – can result in blindness.

  • Ear Infections – due to long droopy ears. Keep them clean.

• Ectropion and Entropion – eyelid misalignments either inward or outward. Can be corrected with surgery.

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

schweizer laufhund dogs - caring. Feeding the puppy – as an active working breed they should be fed a high quality active or working breed kibble formula.

2.Feeding the adult - the adult should be fed the same active or working breed formula, only in an adult formulation.

3.Points for Good Health – stamina

4. Games and Exercises – this active breed does require a lot of daily exercise. Take them on at least one good, quick walk per day and give them a fenced yard to play in. They love hunting training and field trials along with activities like barn hunt. They love to run alongside as you bike or jog.

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. Schweizer Laufhund vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  2. Schweizer Laufhund vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. Schweizer Laufhund vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  4. Schweizer Laufhund vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. Schweizer Laufhund vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Schweizer Laufhund vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Schweizer Laufhund vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Schweizer Laufhund vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Schweizer Laufhund vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Schweizer Laufhund vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Schweizer Laufhund vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Schweizer Laufhund vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Schweizer Laufhund vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Schweizer Laufhund vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. Schweizer Laufhund vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  16. Schweizer Laufhund vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. Schweizer Laufhund vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. Schweizer Laufhund vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. Schweizer Laufhund vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  20. Schweizer Laufhund vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  21. Schweizer Laufhund vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  22. Schweizer Laufhund vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  23. Schweizer Laufhund vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. Schweizer Laufhund vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. Schweizer Laufhund vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Silken Windhound vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Silken Windhound vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Silken Windhound vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Silken Windhound vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Silken Windhound vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Silken Windhound vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Silken Windhound vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Silken Windhound vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Silken Windhound vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Silken Windhound vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Silken Windhound vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Silken Windhound vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Silken Windhound vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Silken Windhound vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Silken Windhound vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Silken Windhound vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Silken Windhound vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Silken Windhound vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Silken Windhound vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Silken Windhound vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Silken Windhound vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Silken Windhound vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Silken Windhound vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Silken Windhound vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Silken Windhound vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison