Northern Lore Windsprites

01/10/2026

As I suspected may be the case, Fable has been given a diagnosis of food-responsive chronic enteropathy (FRE). This condition can be accompanied by food allergies and progressive loss of oral tolerance, in which the body develops immune responses to novel proteins over time. This is in line with what we've been experiencing. Although FRE is on the spectrum of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), it is considered distinct from classic IBD, which is idiopathic (without clear cause) and typically requires lifelong medication support. FRE is essentially the best-case scenario along this spectrum, as it is typically manageable through diet alone, without the need for ongoing medication. Nevertheless, FRE is a more complex and consequential condition than mild, static, predictable food sensitivities, and it is not to be taken lightly.

With this confirmation, we are officially washing Fable from our breeding program. 

While this is a sad decision, it is also a straightforward one. Given Fable’s family history, which includes similar autoimmune issues, there is no question in my mind that this is the right move and I have to admit that in that certainty there is also a sense of relief. Now that we have a better understanding of Fable's circumstances, we can step off of this confusing carousel of speculation and indecision. We can stop experimenting on her and let her body heal, knowing that we have a clear path to seeking an excellent quality of life for her with a simple, permanent shift back to a hydrolyzed diet.

I do want to be clear that if Fable had continued to present with only minor, limited food allergies, as originally theorized when she was younger, we would very likely have proceeded with breeding her, with utmost care, intention, and transparency. Having dedicated an enormous amount of time, effort, and energy to making this decision, I believe firmly that it is a mistake to wash mildly allergic dogs from the gene pool as a matter of course and that we should be giving plenty of time for such concerns to arise and to develop fully as our dogs mature. In my view, the path to reducing these issues in Windsprites requires that we make careful pairings with an eye to increasing genetic diversity and that breeders and caretakers alike be forthcoming with one another about signs, symptoms, and diagnoses. We need to be responsive to this issue, not reactive.

But I can wax philosophical about all of that at another time... For now, even though I've been bracing for this very real possibility for quite some time, I still find myself grieving the future I'd envisioned for Fable and for this breeding program. Knowing that this is the right decision for her and for the breed at large doesn’t make the enormity of this loss feel any smaller.

01/05/2026

I love to share Windsprite art! Check out this beautiful portrait of three lovely Windsprites owned by Jean McCord! What a treasure.

Finished this commissioned painting of three lovely Windsprites! 14” x 18” oil on linen. www.micheletrifiro.com

01/04/2026

Miss Haven passed her preliminary heart examination today with flying colors! Results will be available in the OFA database prior to her breeding.

01/02/2026

Chasing our goals into the new year like Windsprites in hot pursuit. 🔥 Here's to a healthy, happy 2026!

12/27/2025

Well, folks. I have some good news and some bad news.

The good news is that I feel quite confident that I've finally figured out exactly what's going on with Fable and, while it is not at all the outcome I was hoping for, it will be a relief in many ways. The bad news is that I believe that what is going on is more significant than mild food allergies and, if I am correct, Fable will be washed from our breeding program once we've confirmed a formal diagnosis with her veterinary care team.

Below is a summary of Fable's journey thus far, for the sake of transparency.

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If you've been with us for a while, you may remember that Fable began experiencing repeated bilious vomiting when she was about 9-10 months old. Probiotics and smaller, more frequent feedings didn't resolve the issue, though it went away quickly on a hydrolyzed diet, pointing to food sensitivities as the most likely culprit. We kept her on the hydrolyzed kibble for several months, doing periodic trials with novel proteins to try to isolate what ingredients were problematic for her. After a time, we determined that she was allergic to chicken and beef. With many other protein options available in commercial diets, we began to try to find a limited ingredient, intact protein (non-hydrolyzed) kibble that would work for her for the long haul.

Over the last year and a half or so, we had many promising trials, including the most recent one, which lasted over six months. On each new kibble, Fable would be completely asymptomatic for several months at a time before developing mild reactions to food that theoretically shouldn't have posed a problem for her. With each recurrence, we thought, "Perhaps we just can't trust that this brand does a good job of keeping their limited ingredient line from being contaminated by her allergens", "Maybe she's allergic to some other ingredient that we haven't identified yet", and so on. Working within the only framework we had and operating under the assumption that she simply had allergies to a few specific ingredients, I had theorized that her allergies were so mild that it took a long time for the irritation to build up before she would show any symptoms. However, I believe I was fundamentally misunderstanding an important part of the process.

I have since learned that dogs that are "immune dysregulated" can develop new sensitivities as a recurring cycle. They may eat novel proteins without issue for a while, but daily exposure to that main ingredient eventually becomes problematic. I now believe that rather than narrowing things down and pinpointing her allergens, we've essentially been unintentionally growing the number of ingredients to which she is sensitive. This is a difficult realization, but the reality is that there was every chance that Fable was just a dog with an overall healthy immune system and a sensitivity to a handful of isolated ingredients. We couldn't have known until we tried. The concept that her immune system has been slowly, but steadily learning to categorize additional proteins as suspect feels like the missing link. With that piece in place, it all makes so much more sense.

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We have a vet visit scheduled for Fable in early January and I hope we will get a more formal diagnosis locked in at that time. The important thing is that, if my theory is correct, we'll have a clear path for her care and she should have excellent quality of life for the foreseeable future. I will make a final decision about her status as a breeding prospect following her appointment. Stay tuned for an update.

In the meantime, thank you all so much for your support. ❤️ It means the world to me.

12/26/2025

Happy holidays from our family to yours 🎄

12/19/2025

There's our Fable! ❤️ The Windsprite, originating in the Northeastern United States in the 1950s and 60s, and the Silken Windhound, founded in the 1980s using Windsprite stock, are both being featured today by The Breed Photography Project! So cool!

If you know the other dogs pictured, please give their people a shout-out!

You would be forgiven for not knowing that Silken Windsprites and Silken Windhounds are two separate breeds. For starters, one served as foundation stock for the other. Add to that the fact that they look remarkably similar, and that their names leave little room for differentiation, and even those well-versed in dogs can get confused.

Breed Histories

Windsprites came first and were bred by Walter A. Wheeler Jr.’s Massachusetts Windsprite Kennel. Sometime in the 1950s or 1960s, Walter Wheeler claimed to have seen long-haired Whippet puppies at a fellow breeder’s home. Believing this to be evidence of a long-lost recessive long-haired gene in Whippets, he set off through linebreeding and inbreeding to find it. Much to the panic of the American Whippet Club, in the early 1970s he presented his long-haired Whippets at a dog show. That very night, the club updated the standard to exclude all coat types outside of the usual close, smooth coat. An investigation was launched, which ultimately concluded that Mr. Wheeler’s dogs— all of whom were registered as Whippets—were not purebred, and their registrations were revoked.

Still maintaining that his dogs were purebred, Walter created the Long-Haired Whippet Association in the early 1980s, the work of which was later carried on by the International Windsprite Club, reflecting the breed's official name change as of 2017. Mr. Wheeler’s records were lost at the time of his death, but thanks to modern genetic testing, we can say with relative certainty that the foundation of Windsprites was comprised of Whippets and Shelties, possibly with a very small amount of Borzoi or Italian Greyhound.

To add to the confusion, in their country of origin (the USA), it's just Windsprite; however, in Europe, the breed is known as the Silken Windsprite.

Silken Windhounds were created by Francie Stull’s Kristull Kennel in Austin, Texas, by crossing Windsprites* to her Borzoi. The first litter of Silken Windhounds was born in 1985; however, the breed remained relatively unknown until the late 1990s. In 1999, the International Silken Windhound Society (ISWS) was created, and with it, the first official breed standard was approved. That same year, the first national show, Silkenfest, was held in Austin.

*“To develop the breed, Stull crossed small lurchers from Walter A. Wheeler Jr.’s Massachusetts Windsprite kennel to her show and field champion Borzoi.” — The Silken Windhound Club of America

Physical Differences

While at first glance these breeds can appear very similar, some key physical traits can be used to tell them apart.

Although their sizes do overlap, on the whole Silken Windhounds tend to be larger, both in height and weight.

A popular saying goes: “Windsprites look like coated Whippets, whereas Windhounds look like Borzoi in miniature.”

Perhaps the easiest physical difference to grasp is the coat. Windsprites will have feathering, typically on their ears, tails, and the backs of their legs. Windhounds, on the other hand, tend to be much more heavily coated overall.

Head shapes are also decidedly different, with Windsprites having a slight stop, whereas Windhounds have a barely perceptible one. Windsprites also show slightly more roundness to their skulls, while Windhounds appear more angular.

The breeds vary temperamentally as well, with Windhounds tending toward a bit more of the classic sighthound aloofness and sensitivity, while Windsprites are typically warmer and more outgoing.
While they have their differences, both breeds are lovable, goofy sighthounds that bring great joy to those who share their lives with them.

Ultimately, the confusion between Silken Windsprites and Silken Windhounds is understandable, but their stories illustrate how even closely related breeds can diverge into distinct identities shaped by different goals, influences, and standards. Taking the time to understand these differences not only helps us identify them correctly, but also deepens our appreciation for the careful choices, controversies, and passions that give rise to new breeds—and reminds us that breed identity is as much about intention and stewardship as it is about appe

12/19/2025

Haven (Wisco Oak Grove Cojack of Aurai) is looking so grown up these days! 🙂 Here she is today at a little over a year and a half old, as well as at five months old and at 7-8 weeks old.

We'll be considering breeding Haven in late 2026 or early 2027, depending on how she matures, the timing of her heat cycles, and the results of her health testing. She'll be having her first OFA heart examination via auscultation in just a few weeks, which is very exciting!

Many thanks to Maggie and Rich of Wisco Windsprites and to Tricia Lehman Conklin of Aurai Sighthounds for this beautiful girl. We love her to pieces.

12/13/2025

Who's the MOST adorable little copilot? You aaare! Yes, you are. 🏡 Sweet, sweet Haven joined me for a short solo trip today. With wind chills approaching -30°F, we're finding alternatives to being outdoors. Stay warm, friends!

12/12/2025

Temps in the teens can't stop these Midwestern girls!

The majority of Windsprites in the United States are concentrated in the Northeastern part of the country, where the breed was originally founded. But did you know we have a regional Facebook group to support the growth of the breed community in our neck of the woods? Feel free to join us over at Midwest Windsprites for updates about events, breeding plans, opportunities to meet the breed, and more!

12/11/2025

Fable and I had a wonderful visit today at one of our favorite day care sites up in Merrill, WI. Many thanks to Kindhearted Care and to our local tester/observers for making time for us! Fable is now all set to continue her certification with the into the new year.

Once we have the paperwork squared away, Haven will be taking her first steps towards certification as well!

12/11/2025

May I recommend slow roasting your sighthounds with a heated throw blanket? 🤌🏻 Delicious.