terrecar Posted January 29, 2019 Report Share Posted January 29, 2019 Silken Windhounds are Borzoi/Whippet crosses with perhaps Longhaired Whippet aka ‘Silken Windsprites’ or just ‘Windsprites’ (Whippet/Sheltie/X) added to the mix. Honestly, one of the reasons I could so easily relate to D. McCaig’s “Dog Wars” is that Ive seen how easily and fancifully new ‘breeds’ continue to be created for the pet market. Good grief, enough already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted January 29, 2019 Report Share Posted January 29, 2019 3 hours ago, terrecar said: Silken Windhounds are Borzoi/Whippet crosses with perhaps Longhaired Whippet aka ‘Silken Windsprites’ or just ‘Windsprites’... Oh, my. You've caught me in one of my mental pauses! Of course, you're right. Thanks for correcting me. IIRC (this conversation took place years ago) the LHW person I knew told me they were considering some name that was deemed too similar to the new borzoi/whippet cross and so that may be where I'd heard that name. I really don't keep up with new designer breeds and was especially not particularly interested in sighthounds at all before I accidentally ended up with a dog that has sighthound in her mix. Maybe what I'm remembering was that they'd originally considered calling the LHWs Silken Windsprites(?), later dropping the "silken" because of the windhound people. (LHWs went into the formation of the silken windhound.) Anyway, I think windsprites is an even more fantastical and un-doglike a name than windhounds, which at least acknowledges that it's a kind of dog. That's when I got into trouble, telling her that. (I really never used the word "stupid," despite originally saying it above. ) Anyway, it's interesting that the windhound people refer to their dogs as lurchers. There's probably such a tiny bit of Sheltie left as to be practically immeasurable. (There's still some disagreement over whether or not they were ever crossed with Shelties to get the coat. The original breeder denied it at one point and later admitted it from what I've been told by the LHW people I know, one of whom is president of their international breed club, and who all accept their Sheltie ancestry.) I know (for real LOL) that in Britain sighthound X sighthound crosses are called longdogs, distinct from lurchers, which are sighthounds crossed with a non-sighthound breed, usually pastoral and hunting breeds or a terrier. Between having known the LHW folks, now having my own (most likely) accidental lurcher (I think she's part border collie and maybe saluki) and a Welsh friend having a purpose bred lurcher, I know a lot more about them now than I'd ever expected to. . . . even though my brain misfires on occasion. Again, thanks for correcting me. ETA: Windsprites are actually a pretty nice breed IMO, for a dog that's not a border collie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrecar Posted January 29, 2019 Report Share Posted January 29, 2019 FWIW, my post was intended as an illustration of the whimsical nature of newfangled breed creations and the resulting naming acrobatics; not as a correction. Other examples are the Parson Russell Terrier and Russell Terrier— spin-offs from the JRT after a political dust-up; the Miniature Australian Shepherd which was nixed for the politically acceptable Miniature American Shepherd. I could go on. ETA: Although the breeders of those examples will likely say they started out as variations, not mixes, and in some cases it starts with a name change vis a vis the Anatolian Shepherd and the Kangal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted January 30, 2019 Report Share Posted January 30, 2019 1 hour ago, terrecar said: FWIW, my post was intended as an illustration of the whimsical nature of newfangled breed creations and the resulting naming acrobatics; not as a correction. I know. But I was wrong and I do appreciate being corrected when I am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted January 30, 2019 Report Share Posted January 30, 2019 Hmmmm... Wolfhound Deerhound Foxhound Coonhound Windhound??? (I know, I know ... there are lots of breed names that don't match function, but windhound makes me think of a dog so dumb it chases the wind or ... something related to "passing wind" haha!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Elle Posted January 30, 2019 Report Share Posted January 30, 2019 23 minutes ago, juliepoudrier said: Hmmmm... Wolfhound Deerhound Foxhound Coonhound Windhound??? (I know, I know ... there are lots of breed names that don't match function, but windhound makes me think of a dog so dumb it chases the wind or ... something related to "passing wind" haha!) Ha-ha! My thought precisely, the first time I heard the name. And, actually, every time I have heard it since. Of course, "windsprite" conjures up an image of some kind of little elf that has wings, and most certainly not a dog. In general, I think the names they come up with for designer breeds are pretty silly. Like, for instance, the first poodle cross designer breed was a "labradoodle", which although dumb sounding at least tells you labrador+poodle. But since then, they all have a "d" in them, ie: goldendoodle. I suppose that is easier to say than "goldoodle", but it has always sort of annoyed me. Designer breeds are silly in general, methinks. We have enough breeds, and some that really should not exist at all. I will admit I know a goldendoodle who is truly a terrific dog with much intelligence, drive to learn, and athletic ability combined with thinking that every single creature she meets is her new best friend. I don't know if that is because of the cross, though, since I have known goldens like that as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted January 30, 2019 Report Share Posted January 30, 2019 Then there is the made-up breed name that grates on my ears the worst - it's neither pretty-sounding, whether meaningless or not (like silken, windhound, or windsprite), nor catchy or easy to say (like labradoodle). It's Border Colloodle, which a person who has mass-produced thousands of Border Collies over the years and whose family has also bred some Standard and Toy Poodles, decided to begin breeding when the market and price for her Border Collies went soft and she felt she could get much better prices for designer mutts (and this information came from what I read that she wrote herself, on FB, I think). But that name! It just makes me gag... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted January 30, 2019 Report Share Posted January 30, 2019 "Windsprites?" Makes me think of dust devils. "Windhounds?" Makes me think of flatulence. "Silken Windhounds?" Silent but deadly flatulence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Elle Posted January 30, 2019 Report Share Posted January 30, 2019 "border colloodle"? That's the worst I have heard. I heard that cross is called a "collie doodle" in England. Which is still bad, and the cross is a travesty in my opinion. Nothing wrong with poodles, mind you, if you like them. But neither breed is in any way improved by such a ridiculous cross. They should just STOP IT!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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