Saluki

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Breed Details

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Breed Rating

Breed Details

General

The Saluki originated in the Middle East and was bred to hunt jackal, gazelle, hare and fox. The name itself derives from the Middle Eastern city called Saluki which does not exist anymore. This breed has a sacred sentimentality because people of the Muslim faith thought that they were a present from their God and would never sell them only give them to friends as gifts. The exact whereabouts this dog actually began to be bred is thought to be near the region of Turkey.

This breed is a very slim and athletic dog that has incredible speed and agility. They have a very skinny face with a long muzzle and large droopy ears. The legs of this dog are elongated and strong helping them with their speed and gait. The Saluki has long hair streaming off their ears, tail, and they have tufts of hair on their paws to prevent damage to them when running.

This breed has a non stop mind set of a hunter. They should not be around any small pets such as cats, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters, etc. as their instinct to hunt will kick in. When running, this dog will have all legs in the air giving them incredible stride and saving them crucial energy when on an actual hunt.

Color

The Saluki comes in red, blonde, cream, black & tan, white and fawn. There can be mixtures of these colors in patches throughout the dogs body. Every dog of this breed has a white patch on their forehead, which the people of Bedouin faith tribe believe to be a kiss from their God!

Coat

The Saluki has a thin coat that is shorter yet has longer fringe on their ears and tail. There is also a variation of the Saluki with no fringe at all. The entire coat itself is hard but has a smooth texture to it while the fringe is silky.

Personality

The Saluki is a sweet and affectionate breed that doubles both as a working dog and a companion. They will make a great pet for a family with older children because they are too frail for younger children roughhousing with them. If your planning to own a Saluki, it would be best to not own any smaller animals such as mice, rabbits, birds, guinea pigs etc because their hunting instinct will never be completely gone as this cannot be bred out of this dog. This breed is notorious for its obscure bark that is described more as 'singing'. This dog will bond to one or two people more than the rest and can be reserved with others including family members. It is said that Saluki's get along well with each other as they can keep themselves entertained.

Care

The Saluki has a short coat with longer fringe on their ears and tail making this breed quite easy to groom. They should be brushed about once every week just to remove some of the dead fur. Bathing is up to the owner as to how much they would like it done. This breed is prone to cancer, sensitivity to medical treatment drugs (anesthetics) and may be prone to some eye problems. On the whole, the Saluki is a healthy breed but as always if deciding to own this dog, check the parents medical history.

Training

This breed will need very gentle training methods as negative methods will inflict more damage then good on their confidence. Although sensitive training is a must, the owner must be firm and consistent as like all other breeds they need to have repetition. The Saluki is a hound and owners should not have high expectations on perfecting their obedience because they have a free spirited mentality that is not focused on training methods.

Activity

The Saluki will need at least 1 hour per day of exercise whether that be a walk, jog, or time in a dog park spent playing with other dogs or chasing a ball. This breed should not be walked off leash as they tend to have poor response skills especially when on the chase. This breed will do well in a household environment because they need as much space as possible. A backyard or even acreage will be best because these dogs need outside space to run around in.