Silken Windhound vs Karelo-Finnish Laika - Breed Comparison

The Karelo Finnish Laika is a Spitz type hunting dog from the Karelia area of Russia.Some people say the dog developed in Sweden. The dog is from a group of ‘Laika’ breeds and has that typical Spitz-type look – the sharpish face, the erect ears and the tail which curls over the back.

This attractive dog was developed as a hunting dog, and has a thick, weatherproof coat.The Karelo-Finnish Laika breed developed because people wanted a smaller sized hunting dog that could cope well with the weather, and these Laika dogs matched well.

The breed is ancient – centuries old, and after dying out in numbers during the second world war, the breed was revived when Russians imported Finnish Spitzes from Finland and bred them. The dog is similar to the Finnish Spitz, and in 2006 the Finnish Kennel Club and Russian Kennel Federation included the Karelo-Finnish Laika as a Finnish Spitz breed.

The 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.

With his wolf-like appearance, the Karelo Finnish Laika is a sharp, intelligent dog and is the smallest Laika in Russia used for hunting. He stands at about 38–48 cm in height and weighs about 11 - 14 kg.

His coat is a reddish color and the fur is fairly long and coarse with a dense, soft undercoat. He looks like a red fox with his sharp, bright face, his erect ears, black nose and bushy tail which curls over the back.

Temperament:

The Karelo-Finnish Laika is a sweet dog with a quiet character. Whenever you suggest a game for him, he throws his docile side to the wind and becomes highly energetic and animated. He is an active dog and loves nothing more than a game with his human family members.

He is mistrustful of strangers, he tends to bark easily and he is territorial and all these characteristic go towards making him a good watchdog. He is quite prepared to live peacefully alongside other dogs in the home, more so when he has been trained and socialized.

He makes a great friend and pet for families and is more than ready to be loving and loyal to his human family.

The 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.

The Karelo Finnish Laika is such an energetic dog, full of life and he promises to make an affectionate family dog.

He is a fairly low maintenance dog too and not prone to getting sick easily. Treat this attractive Laika dog like he deserves and you’ll find that he makes a splendid pet.

Characteristics

1. 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.

Apart from his good looks, the Karelo-Finnish Laika happens to be a pretty healthy breed and there are no known hereditary health problems with him. Diseases which can affect any dog -

Hip Dysplasia:

Many large breeds are prone to hip dysplasia. In hip dysplasia, joint problems cause arthritis and pain and eventually lameness. These days, when buying a puppy, people ask breeders about whether the parents were screened for hip dysplasia.

Obesity:

Any dog fed the wrong diet and who isn’t exercised can become overweight. Obesity in dogs is linked to many health problems in dogs. If you’re in doubt about your pet, consult with your vet on the best food for him.

Cancer:

Many dogs are at risk for certain types of cancer, including lymphoma which is cancer of the lymph nodes. When you are brushing your pet, check him for any unusual lumps so that you can catch cancer early.

Heart Conditions:

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is where the chambers of the heart are stretched out and don't pump blood properly. Sometimes it can go undetected for a while until the dog becomes seriously ill, requiring emergency medical attention. Medications can regulate heart rhythm but there is no cure.

Most 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

The Karelo-Finnish Laika is a most attractive looking dog and his thick, double coat will need to be brushed at least twice a week to keep it free from dust, grass and burrs. He sheds throughout the year so this brushing will keep the loose dog hair under control.

Diet:

Watch your Karelo-Finnish Laika’s diet as a lean, mean dog can live longer than one who is overfed. Dogs which are overweight are likely to develop joint problems and heart disease.

The quality of food you feed your pet is hugely important. Popping chocolates and peanuts into his mouth because you love him so much will be toxic for him. Apart from his top quality dry kibble, add in some cooked chicken, rice and vegetables as a tasty treat and mix in a little bit of raw meat also when you can.

Exercise:

Exercise for your Karelo Finnish Laika is a key component to prolonging his life, and he absolutely loves games, walks and action all the way. It will keep him in shape, keep him happy and prolong his life.

1.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.