Silken Windhound vs Australian Red Heeler - Breed Comparison

Silken Windhound vs Australian Red Heeler - Breed ComparisonAustralian Red Heeler is originated from Australia but Silken Windhound is originated from United States. Australian Red Heeler may grow 9 cm / 3 inches shorter than Silken Windhound. Both Australian Red Heeler and Silken Windhound are having almost same weight. Australian Red Heeler may live 3 years less than Silken Windhound. Australian Red Heeler may have more litter size than Silken Windhound. Australian Red Heeler requires Moderate Maintenance. But Silken Windhound requires Low Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Herding dogs
Hound dog
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Australia
United States
Height Male:
46 - 51 cm
18 - 21 inches
47 - 60 cm
18 - 24 inches
Height Female:
43 - 48 cm
16 - 19 inches
44 - 55 cm
17 - 22 inches
Weight Male:
15 - 16 kg
33 - 36 pounds
10 - 20 kg
22 - 45 pounds
Weight Female:
14 - 16 kg
30 - 36 pounds
7 - 17 kg
15 - 38 pounds
Life Span:
13 - 15 Years
15 - 18 Years
Litter Size:
3 - 7
1 - 4
Size:
Medium
Medium
Other Names:
Australian Cattle dog, Queensland Heelers
Silkens
Colors Available:
Red and blue mostly. Other varieties include chocolate, cream, blue mottled, brindle and some with white markings
tuxedo marked or solid colored , white to black with brilliant brindles and solid red, in between. They can be spotted
Coat:
short and dense
silky coats of middling length longish to very long, with feathers. Some are straight, some are very curly
Shedding:
Moderate, Seasonal
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Stubborn
Affectionate, Gentle, Intelligent, Outgoing, Playful, Stubborn
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
No
Yes

History

australian red heelerWhen George Hall arrived in the New South Wales Colony in 1802 he set about ‘creating’ a tough working- or herding dog. By crossing Australia’s native Dingoes with Collies as well as with other herding dogs, the robust Red Heeler, also known as the Australian Cattle Dog came into being. Today he is a thick-set dog, ideally suited to working livestock.

Ranchers, particularly, were impressed with the breed’s toughness and they were sought after on cattle stations. The name actually comes from them when the dogs are herding animals, they nip at their heels to get them moving.

The Blue Heeler and the Red Heeler breed are the exact same dog, but just different colors. These Australian cattle dogs originated in Australia in the mid-1800s and adapted well to the harsh desert environment of the outback.

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

The Muscular Body

australian red heeler puppy - descriptionThe Red Heeler or Australian Cattle Dog is a sturdy, muscular dog with ears that are pricked and with dark, alert eyes. The tail is long. The neck, shoulders and legs of the Red Heeler are strong and muscular. The dog is longer than tall – the length of the body is greater than the height at the withers. A well fed, well exercised, well cared for Red Heeler will weight roughly 15–22 kilograms.

The Coat

There are 2 coat colours of the Reeler – red and blue, but there are are lesser varieties such as chocolate, cream, blue mottled, brindle and some with white markings. It is interesting to note that with both the Red- and the Blue Heeler, puppies are generally born white, with the coat turning to red as they mature.

These Australian Cattle Dogs display patches of solid colour, and you might well find masks over one or both eyes and a white tip to the tail. Both the Red and Blue Heeler can have a white star on the forehead which is referred to as the Bentley Mark. The Heelers have a double coat - short, straight outer hairs while the undercoat is short, fine and dense. Despite their short coat, they shed a lot.

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

australian red heeler dog - characteristicsYour Australian Red Heeler needs plenty of exercise but also plenty of companionship too from his human family. He is an affectionate, playful pet but is reserved with people he doesn’t know. When socialized he is patient with children in the home but he does still have the tendency to herd them and nip at their heels. The dog builds up a strong bond with his human family, and is protective toward them, being happy to be close to his owner’s side.

Take Time out to Play

Red Heelers need activities and lots of room to play, and they therefore won’t adapt to apartment living. If you don’t live on a farm, don’t neglect your working dog as he will need lots of rough and tumble games and activities to keep him from boredom. Treat your Australian Red Heeler with the love, patience and kindness and you’ll bring out the very best from this active, loyal fur-friend of yours.

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

Eye Problems

australian red heeler puppies - health problemsThe Australian Cattle Dog is quite often affected by progressive retinal atrophy, an eye condition where the rods and cones in the retina of the eye deteriorate later in life, and it could lead to blindness. This eye illness is an autosomal recessive trait, and even if the dog doesn’t develop the condition himself, he can be a carrier of the affected gene.

Fractures

The Heeler is just bursting with personality and energy and a study of dogs diagnosed at veterinary colleges described fractures and ligament tears as one of the most common conditions treated with the Australian Red Heeler.

General Health

You love your Australian Red Heeler and you want to take good care of him. Check with your vet because at 8 weeks he should be starting with his first puppy vaccinations.

To keep your best friend healthy and happy, watch his diet, ensure he gets plenty of exercise, brush his teeth regularly to remove plaque build-up, and always call your veterinarian when you see he is ill and isn’t his usual boisterous self.

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

Grooming

australian red heeler dogs - caringThe Australian Red Heeler is a low maintenance dog. He does shed quite a bit so you’ll need to brush his coat at least twice a week to remove loose hairs and to keep his coat lustrous. When your dog has been in a particularly dusty area, you you wipe his coat down with a damp cloth. As with all dogs, you’ll want to check his teeth, ears, eyes and nails regularly to avoid health problems.

Training

If you care for your working- and herding dog you’ll train him to that he becomes a good family dog and companion. The Red Heeler has plenty of energy and stamina and if he grows up untrained and un-socialized, you could see him becoming aggressive towards other animals and even your own children. He certainly becomes over-protective of his territory if not socialized. Train him as he is an intelligent breed and responds well to training.

Diet

Any vet will tell you of the critical importance of a proper diet and exercise routine for your dog. He’s an active, smart dog with loads of energy and you want to keep his diet consistent with this energy. Speak to your vet about what food would suit your pet best, because a high quality diet appropriate to his age, his body size and his energy levels will be important. Along with high quality foods which include a good intake of raw meat, your dog must always have access to a bowl of fresh, cool water.

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

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  29. Australian Red Heeler vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Australian Red Heeler vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Australian Red Heeler vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Australian Red Heeler vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Australian Red Heeler vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Australian Red Heeler vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Australian Red Heeler vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Australian Red Heeler vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Australian Red Heeler vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Australian Red Heeler vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Australian Red Heeler vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Australian Red Heeler vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Australian Red Heeler vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Australian Red Heeler vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Australian Red Heeler vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Australian Red Heeler vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Australian Red Heeler vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Australian Red Heeler vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Australian Red Heeler vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Australian Red Heeler vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Australian Red Heeler vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Australian Red Heeler vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison