The Silken Windhound is an elegant, small to medium-sized sighthound, with a moderately long, silky coat. Its classic lines and athletic build are the hallmarks of a true coursing dog. When viewing a Silken Windhound, one has the impression of grace, balance and strength integrated with exceptional running ability. In proportion, they are approximately square or slightly rectangular. Silkens that are excessively longer or shorter than they are tall are to be penalized to the extent of the deviation. The build of the Silken Windhound is sleek, through a balanced combination of fine bladed bone and smooth muscle, and never looks frail.

Silken Windhounds are affectionate and playful and are good dogs for families with children. Owing to their friendliness, they are not good guard dogs but are easily house broken and can be trained to live with smaller household pets. Silkens particularly like agility, therapy, flyball, and obedience. Silken Windhounds are often intelligent and easily trained using reward and affection in short, positive sessions and will work eagerly and form strong relationships with their owners if so treated. Like many sighthounds, Silken Windhounds can slip out of buckle collars, so most owners favour semi-slip collars.