Saluki

The Saluki is a sighthound developed in the Fertile Crescent, where nomadic tribes used such dogs to run down gazelle, hare, fox and jackal. It hunts by sight more than scent and has the deep chest and long legs of its kind. Its closest relative is the Afghan Hound, and the Sloughi of North Africa is a related breed.

History

Slender running dogs appear on pottery from Susa in southwest Iran made about 6,000 years ago, and Saluki-like dogs are shown in Sumerian carvings and, from the Middle Kingdom on, in Egyptian tombs. Similar dogs appear in Persian poetry and miniatures, in a Chinese painting of 1427 by the Xuande Emperor, and in European paintings of the 16th century.

In the Middle East the Saluki was the hunting dog of nobles and rulers. Although Muslims traditionally regarded dogs as unclean, the Bedouin made an exception for the Saluki, which could live in the family tent. Salukis were typically never sold, but given as a mark of honor. Bedouin hare hunters sometimes rode up to their quarry on a camel and threw the dog toward it for a running start, and gazelle hunters used hawks or falcons to distract the prey.

Salukis first reached England in 1840. The first successful Western line began in 1895, when Florence Amherst imported a pair from Lower Egypt. The breed became popular in Europe only in the early 1920s, when officers returning from the Middle East after the First World War brought their dogs home.

Appearance

The Saluki stands 58 to 71 cm (23 to 28 in) at the withers and weighs 16 to 32 kg (35 to 70 lb), with females a little smaller. The head is long and narrow, with large eyes and drop ears, and the tail is long and curved. The overall impression is of grace and symmetry.

There are two coats, smooth and feathered. The feathered dog has light fringes on the backs of the legs and thighs, on the ears and sometimes on the throat. Both coats are silky and shed little. Colors include white, cream, fawn, red, grizzle and tan, black and tan, and tricolor.

The Saluki is thought to be faster than the Greyhound over long distances, and its well-padded feet give it great stamina.

Temperament

The Saluki keeps the character of a hunting hound. It is independent and often aloof, reserved with strangers, and can be hard to train; gentle, patient methods are advised. It generally cannot be trusted to come back when off the leash, and it will chase cats, birds, squirrels and other moving things. Adults are quiet and calm and can suit apartment life, though the breed bores easily and should not be left alone for long.

Care and health

A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 13.3 years. In a 2006 survey by The Kennel Club, cancer was the leading cause of death, at 35.6%, most often liver cancer or lymphoma, followed by heart conditions. Hip dysplasia is uncommon in the breed.

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