Saluki Profile

Other Names: gaze hound, gazelle hound, slugi, shami, tazi 

Country of origin: Iran

Dog Group Kennel Club: Hound

General appearance:

Salukis are from the sighthound family and are one of the oldest breeds of dog.  They are fine and graceful dogs capable of speed and endurance, two attributes gained from their appearance.  They have smooth and soft coats with feathering on legs although there is a smooth variety of the coat that does not have feathering. In addition, Salukis have long flowing hair on their ears too. The Saluki breed come in two different coat varieties: Smooth and Feathered. In either variety the coat is short and close. The feathered Saluki has silky flowing hair on the ears, underside of tail, legs, stern, and back of thighs. The Saluki's coat comes in a variety of colors such as white, cream, fawn, golden, red, black and tan. It may also be tri-color white, black and tan. They are minimal shedders and are odorless. Elegance personified! Grace and symmetry. With a dignified head and bright far seeing eyes, and feathering on the ears and tail, all goes to make this dog look like nobility.

Colours:

Any colour bar brindle.

 Size:

Bitch            56 -69 cms

Dog              58-71 cms

Weight:

                            Min                 Max
 
Bitch            15kg(35 lbs) 29kg(65 lbs)

Dog               19kg (44 lbs) 29kg(66 lbs)

Temperament:

Salukis are reserved breeds of dogs who tire of repetition and need regular exercise.  They are intelligent and independent with a sensitive nature, a quality that should be taken into consideration when training.  They can be reserved with strangers and, when required, tend to 'sing' rather than bark. Tends to be aloof with strangers and often chooses one 'owner' in a household, therefore not a good breed for those with low self-esteem. Independant and intelligent, with speed and stamina. They are the perfect house guests, quiet, reserved and, having only one coat to help cope with the desert heat, they lack the oily undercoat which creates the usual 'doggy odour'. They display a great depth of loyalty and may become very attached to one certain person in the family. They enjoy the company of older children and may become over-protective of them. They are aloof to strangers and do not get along with other dogs or pets.

Movement:

Flowing, light and far reaching.

Care and training:

The Saluki's coat is easy to care for. They require occasional combing and brushing, particularly on the feathered areas. Their ears need regular cleaning and inspection. In some cases this breed may be finicky about eating and will skip meals. Though they eat smaller portions, it is important to report loss of appetite to a veterinarian if this lasts more than 48 hours.

The Saluki does best with early obedience and socialization training. Their deep- rooted instinct to hunt is not something that can be or should be discouraged. They are quick to learn, but do not like repetitive training. They prefer short and varied sessions. Whilst highly intelligent, unfortunatly they are also highly independant, so this intelligence can often work against you. They also seem to take great pleasure in winding you up, they know very well that if they don't want to be caught, you can't catch them!

Overall Exercise: 2 hours per day.
Salukis up to 10-12 months should have their exercise restricted to ward against joint injuries. Over 12 months exercise should be increased to 5 - 8 miles a day, a mixture of road walking (for strong muscle development) and free runs. There is nothing quite like watching the grace of a saluki at full stretch but do remember they will go for the chase so be careful where you let them off their leads.

Feeding requirements:

Salukis can be choosey eaters but do not gorge them selves and eat only what they require. only the best is good enough, be warned! They prefer to eat their food off the ground.

Exercise: High

Grooming: Med

Noise: Low

Personal Protection: Low

Suitability As Guard Dog: Low

Level of Aggression: Low

Compatibility With Other Animals: Medium

Suitablity for Children: High

Often docked?  No

Average litter size: 5 - 7

Life expectancy (yrs): 12 - 14

Health issues: Prone to cancer. Other possible health concerns include ehrlichiosis, epilepsy, hemangiosarcoma, hypothyroidism, sensitivity to anesthesia, genetic eye diseases and sunburns, especially on the nose.

History:  The Arabs were the first to breed the Saluki, but they date back to the time of the ancient Egyptian Pharaohs. Named after the ancient city of Saluk in Yemen, or possibly from the ancient Hellenic town in Syria named Seleukia, they were traditionally thought of as the "sacred gift of Allah". They have been called many names, including the Arab Gazelle Hound, Eastern Greyhound, or Persian Greyhound. Many times the Saluki was mummified with their royal masters, the Pharaohs. Today numerous specimens have been found in tombs in the upper Nile region. They were especially prized by the Arabs for their ability to keep up with horses and to hunt gazelle with the help of a falcon. Salukis were often used to hunt beside the falcon. Salukis were considered so valuable that they were never sold, but given as gifts. Another breed that paralleled this one very closely is the Sloughi. Both are thought to have come from the same lineage in the family tree. One painting made in 3600 B.C. depicted a dog that looked very similar to a Saluki, and was found at Hierakonapolis.