This table shows when the first Silken Windhound litter was born in each country.

While the arrival of an individual dog marks the physical presence of the breed, the birth of a first litter indicates the beginning of local breeding activity. It represents a transition from ownership to stewardship — from keeping the breed to actively participating in its development.

A first litter does not necessarily mean that a sustained breeding population immediately followed. In some cases, early efforts remained limited in scope. However, for the purpose of this documentation, the first recorded litter in a country is regarded as the starting point of that country’s breeding history.

It is also important to note that national breeding populations within Europe have never functioned in isolation. The Silken Windhound community has, from early on, relied on international cooperation, imports and cross-border breeding to maintain genetic diversity. Therefore, these first litters should be viewed as milestones within a broader, interconnected population rather than as the creation of separate national gene pools.

While the breed has established litters in multiple countries, the numerical center of gravity remains the United States, where the vast majority of the global population resides.

Most of the information presented here is based on my own collected records, cross-referenced with official registration data and the breed’s documented timeline.