The Catalyst
The following is taken from an article written by the breed's founder, Francie Stull...
For years, we had been searching for the perfect second breed for our Kristull Borzoi kennel. We had developed a unique and successful line of hounds that we were very proud of.
But like so many dog people know, breeding and showing dogs is a process that can become blind and stagnant if complacency is allowed to set in. So, in 1975, we sat down to choose a second breed. We were going to be wise this time and try to apply all of the lessons that we had learned the hard way with our first breed to prove that we could short-circuit the trials and tribulations every novice must survive to stay "in dogs."
So, with great sincerity, we wrote down our requirements. The breed had to be smaller. Borzoi are magnificent in their size and presence, but the feed bill was outrageous and neither my sister Jackie nor I owned a big enough house to hold more than one large breed. Small, therefore, and easy to care for.
Temperament? Well, we were spoiled. Sighthounds are unique: independent, yet affectionate; sometimes reserved with new people, but quick to make friends; exuberant, yet sensitive to both the objects and people around them. Terriers were out of the question as our dogs lived and ran as a group and arguing was never allowed.
A short coated breed? Well, somehow I just didn't like them. We had owned a darling Greyhound whose skin seemed to be made of tissue paper. Admittedly, he healed as easily as he tore, but hunting scars do eventually become unsightly. We don't live an easy life, often traveling with our dogs on horseback, expecting them to keep up and enjoy the outings. They are fenced on five acres of natural cliffs, gullies, trees and creekfront water. The coursing records prove that those that grow up in this type of environment are tough and stable.
And last, but surely not least, had to be aesthetics. Webster defines it as: "pertaining to the beautiful and artistic". I find it no surprise at all that there is more artwork available depicting sighthounds than all other breeds combined. They are both beautiful and artistic, just as our new breed had to be.
So where were we? Small, gentle, beautiful, long silky coat, but not a coat that sweeps the ground. The Afghan Hound is the smallest long-haired sighthound, but it was neither small enough nor carried the desired coat. In less than a decade, we would have embarked upon the journey to create a small to medium sized long and silky coated sighthound.
