About Cascadia

At Cascadia, our dogs are truly a part of our family. Raised in our home, they enjoy abundant opportunities for enriching activities that nurture their well-being. They are cherished as pets first, and everything else comes second.

We delve into our commitment to ensure the well-being of our puppies by emphasizing health requirements and temperaments of parents. We also conduct detailed temperament evaluations on each puppy.

About Me | Preservation Breeder of Greyhounds & Silken Windhounds

A Lifelong Passion for Dogs

My journey with dogs began at the age of 14, when my family welcomed our first pet—a Boxer. Although I entered the dog show world later in life, my passion for dogs, structure, and temperament has always been a constant.

Discovering the Greyhound

After relocating to the Pacific Northwest, I finally had the opportunity to welcome a breed I had long admired: the Greyhound. While unable to work at the time due to visa restrictions, I sought volunteer opportunities and was led to Greyhound Pets Inc. (GPI), located just minutes from my home.

I began volunteering shortly thereafter and quickly fell in love with the breed’s gentle temperament, affectionate nature, and playful personalities. Within months, I began fostering Greyhounds, welcoming my first girl, Lola, followed later by Georgia.

Performance Sports & the Dog Show Community

Through Georgia, I became involved in performance sports, which introduced me to the broader dog sport and dog show community. Attending shows, learning from experienced exhibitors, and developing mentorships deepened my appreciation for structure, movement, and breed preservation.

Through this community, I was fortunate to meet Alfie’s breeder, and Alfie soon became an integral part of my program. As my experience grew, so did my vision: to preserve the Greyhound as a dog that is beautiful, sound, functional, and true to the breed standard.

Building a Thoughtful Breeding Program

After extensive research and guidance from trusted mentors, I chose Sky Hi Hounds and am deeply grateful to Anita for entrusting me with my foundation bitch, Adele. My Greyhound breeding program is built on thoughtful planning, ethical practices, mentorship, and a deep respect for the breed.

Introducing the Silken Windhound

My involvement with Silken Windhounds developed naturally through my work with Greyhounds, particularly in performance sports. From my first interaction with the breed, I recognized the same qualities I value deeply: soundness, grace, athleticism, and exceptional temperament.

Mentorship & Foundation Silken

Through the performance community, I formed relationships with dedicated Silken Windhound breeders who shared these values. After years of encouragement from Karen Sanders of Allagante Silkens, the opportunity aligned when I met Lara of Sorrento Silkens in person at a UKC show while exhibiting my Greyhound, Alfie.

That meeting led to an invitation to attend the whelping of a Silken Windhound litter, a formative experience that further shaped my program. From that litter came my foundation Silken Windhound, Harper.

A Unified Breeding Philosophy

Harper represents the bridge between my Greyhound and Silken Windhound programs. Across both breeds, my goals remain consistent:

Sound structure and correct movement
Stable, confident temperaments
Athleticism and performance versatility
Dogs who excel in sport while thriving in everyday life

By maintaining a unified philosophy across both breeds, my mission is to preserve the integrity, function, and purpose of the Greyhound and Silken Windhound, producing dogs that succeed in the ring, in performance, and as cherished companions.

Breeding Practices

We use a combination of Avidog and Puppy Culture breeding practices. Why is it important to use these methods while raising puppies? Well, they're essential for developing confident, well-adjusted dogs. These science-based methods emphasize structured enrichment, socialization, and the acquisition of life skills during critical developmental. By incorporating techniques like Early Scent Introduction and exposing puppies to diverse environments, breeders can foster resilience, adaptability, and emotional stability. This proactive approach not only minimizes future behavioral issues, but also enhances the puppies' ability to thrive as loving companions or capable working dogs.

Breeding Requirments

Ethical breeding requires a thoughtful approach to pairings. It is not enough to simply bring two dogs together for convenience. Successful breeding involves years of careful planning, showcasing your dogs in various venues, and conducting thorough health and temperament testing. This commitment ensures that each breeding decision is with the well-being of the dogs and their future offspring in mind.

Health testing

Health testing is essential for both Greyhounds and Silken Windhounds, as each breed has unique health concerns that may arise. By being proactive about health testing, owners can help their beloved pets live longer, healthier lives.

Greyhound Health Testing Requirements (OFA)

Silken Windhound Health Testing Requirements (OFA)

* The Silken Windhound breed club encourages dog owners to consider Holter testing for their pets. They provide a convenient rental program for just $40, available to all dogs registered with the club. This proactive approach helps ensure the health and well-being of your Silken Windhound.

To read more, please visit:

Holter Rental Program

Genetic Testing

All puppies receive genetic testing through Embark within their first week of life. Upon pickup, owners will be added to their puppy’s Embark profile, providing full transparency and access to the genetic results.

If you'd like to learn more about Embark, you can view their website for more information: https://embarkvet.com/

Temperament Testing

*All of our breeding dogs will have temperament evaluations conducted and be made public*

What is the importance of temperament testing your breeding dogs? For our adult dogs, this testing identifies any potential genetic or behavioral issues that could be inherited by future generations. In the case of puppies, such evaluations ensure they are well-suited for their new homes, promoting healthy and stable temperaments in the long run. Ultimately, this process is a responsible breeding practice and is for the overall well-being of the breed.

Who performs these tests?

You want to find a trainer that specializes in temperamant testing. I personally use my long time trainer, Kayley Paylor of Instride Azawakh & training.

Kayley has an excellent blog post on the importance of temperament when breeding your dogs, view here: Breeding for Temperament

What kind of tests are included during these evaluations? * pulled from dawgboss*

Sensitivity Tests – An evaluation of the dog’s response to sudden movements or unexpected stimuli.
Aggression Tests – An evaluation of the dog’s response to a potential threat, such as dominant displays or food guarding.
Trainability Tests – An evaluation of the dog’s ability to learn and follow commands.
Stability Tests – An evaluation of the dog’s level of nervousness or anxiety in different situations.
Socialization Tests – An evaluation of the dog’s response to new people, animals and environments.

Puppy Registration

* Transfer of ownership and/or adding as an owner will occur at time of go-home.

Greyhounds

All Greyhound puppies will go home on a full AKC registration, a 5 generation pedigree will be included in your go-home kit.
If you would like to register your puppy with other registries (UKC, CKC, etc.), you can do so at your own cost.

Silken Windhounds

All Silkens will be go home with a UKC and ISWS registration. Since the process takes longer for these registries, ownership paperwork will be mailed to you once received.