About Silkens of Sidhe:

Hi! Thanks for visiting. It means a lot just to have you here reading about my mission. My name is Katie and I began this journey with my first female silken windhound, Lumen. She changed a lot in my life and shifted the way I view companion dogs. Having had many breeds of dog ranging from chihuahuas, to huskies, to German and Swiss shepherds, to Australian shepherds, and more, I’ve adapted the way I’ve lived with dogs over time and repetition. I have to be sure I’m meeting their needs and also my own. When Lumen came into my life, it was like a cool breeze in summertime, coming in the window when the lilacs bloom. There was a level of ease and calm I never knew I was missing until she pounced into my life. Now it is a sense of stability and serene I never want to live without.

I have worked as a Montessori Teacher, a Postpartum Doula, and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer with a specialty focus working as a Trauma Informed Pet Professionals Practitioner for families who have dogs that have been through trauma, or are working through anxiety or aggression. I’m also a mother to two children. So I’ve worn many hats. I couldn’t tell you what the most rewarding of my careers has been because they’ve all brought something critically important, and life changing to the table. All of this is to say I bring the lessons I learned in each amazing thing I’ve done, to my breeding. As a teacher working with very young children I needed practice respect, adaptability and patience. As a postpartum doula working with mothers who’ve just given birth, I needed to “mother the mother” and provide her with emotional support and physical rest and nourishment. As a dog trainer working with families and dogs I needed to practice empathy, communication, MORE adaptability, support and unwavering strength for people going through hard times with their canine companions. I aim to produce excellent family companions who are healthy, but first and foremost have incredible temperaments that will be a breeze on a summer day for all families.

After seeing what I’ve seen/experienced, and knowing what I now know about canine cognition, genetics, breed groups and family dynamics, I want to put healthy and stable dogs into the world that can enjoy adventures, or a casual stroll in the neighborhood. Thus, Silkens of Sidhe was born.

Why “Silkens of Sidhe?” Sidhe is a Gaelic term for fairy mound! If there was every a dog breed that represented a fairy, I’d reckon it be a Silken Windhound. Watch them move, watch the sunlight illuminate their ears from behind in the morning light, watch them bound through the woods and you’ll agree. As an Irish/Scottish folk, the Sidhe felt like a fitting place for our fairies… I mean Silkens, to reside.