All About
Saluki

Reserved, sensitive and gentle, the Saluki is an increasingly popular pet. These are extremely bright, even-tempered, loyal animals that are affectionate but not overly demonstrative and watchful but not aggressive. They are curious, clever and can be a bit mischievous. Salukis usually are fairly independent and aloof around strangers. They often become attached to one family member and show little interest in the others. Despite their relatively unpampered nomadic background, Salukis appreciate the finer things in life, like snuggling on a sofa or soft bed. They also love and need vigorous outdoor activities. Naturally clean and odor-free, Salukis are easy to integrate into an active household. However, a person who wants a dog that instantly obeys commands and comes on recall every time should not get a Saluki. People who can’t exercise their dog every single day and use patience and positive training methods for the life of the animal shouldn’t get a Saluki. This glorious, glamorous animal is just not a dog for everyone. Potential owners must make sure that the breed’s unique characteristics will fit with their lifestyle.

The Saluki should do well on a high-quality dog food, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared with your veterinarian’s supervision and approval. Any diet should be appropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior). Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times. Saluki appetites can range from the skimpy to the gluttonous. Dogs with the latter will often eat other dogs’ food as well as their own, so they may have to be separated at mealtimes to prevent becoming overweight.

Salukis have two types of coats—feathered and smooth—and both are easily groomed with weekly brushing, although if they have long ear or tail feathering, that may take a bit more attention. Many Saluki owners use a snood to keep ear feathering out of the food bowl (smooth Salukis do not have that problem). Salukis are very clean dogs and known for not having a “doggy” odor. Bathing need only be done if they get dirty or before a dog show.

Salukis are not suited for apartment life. They need a home with a large, securely fenced yard where they can run flat out. The ideal running area for a Saluki is 300 to 400 feet in length or width. Fences should be at least five to six feet high or a Saluki will easily jump them. Underground electronic fencing will not contain a Saluki, nor will it protect him from other animals that might enter your yard.Keep your Saluki on leash whenever he's not in an enclosed area. A Saluki was bred for hunting and has a strong prey drive. If he sees anything fast and furry, he'll pursuit it for as long as he can, disregarding any commands to come or stop.Salukis are indoor dogs and require soft, cushioned bedding to prevent calluses from forming. Place food well out of reach of the Saluki's inquiring nose. That means behind closed doors or up about seven feet.Salukis are intelligent and learn quickly, but they're also independent and can be stubborn, which makes training a challenge. To hold your Saluki's attention, keep training sessions short, fun, and interesting. If a Saluki becomes bored, he will choose not to learn. Use positive reinforcement, never harsh verbal or physical corrections.

As a breed, Salukis are free from serious genetic diseases. Some may develop heart conditions such as valve disease or arrhythmia, and enlarged hearts are not unknown. Certain cancers such as hemangiosarcoma or osteosarcoma, lymphoma, or mammary cancers (the latter is prevented by early spaying) can occur, and some autoimmune and blood conditions have been reported. Vigorous running and playing after eating can cause bloat, or gastric torsion (which is a life-threatening emergency and needs immediate intervention). Generally, however, Salukis enjoy a healthy, active life from birth to old age.

Recommended Health Tests from the National Breed Club:

Read the Official Breed Club Health Statement.

Once known as the Persian Greyhound or the gazelle hound, the Saluki has long been considered one of the most ancient of breeds. Recent genetic evidence confirms this to be the case.Scientists speculate that Salukis and other ancient breeds descend from the first dogs and made their way through the world with their nomadic owners. Depictions of dogs resembling Salukis — with a Greyhoundlike body and feathering on the ears, tail, and legs — appear on Egyptian tombs dating to 2100 B.C.E., some 4,000 years ago. Even older are carvings from the Sumerian empire (7,000-6,000 B.C.E.) that show dogs with a striking resemblance to the Saluki.Pharaohs hunted gazelles and hares with Salukis, which often worked in partnership with falcons. The dogs were frequently honored with mummification after death. Nomadic Muslims, who generally despised dogs as unclean animals, considered Salukis a gift from Allah and referred to the dogs by the honorific El Hor, meaning The Noble.Salukis were the only dogs permitted to sleep inside the tents. The breed may take its name from the ancient city of Saluk, in Yemen, or perhaps from the city of Seleukia in Syria. Another theory suggests that the name is a transliteration of the Arabic word for hound.Salukis were widespread in the Middle East and could be found in Persia (modern-day Iran), Syria, Egypt, Palestine, Anatolia, Mesopotamia, and Arabia. The first documented case of Salukis arriving in Britain was in 1840, but it wasn't until after World War I, when many British officers returned with them from the Middle East, that the breed became established in Great Britain.Interest in the Saluki was slower to take hold in the United States. The Saluki Club of America was founded in 1927, the same year the breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club. The first Saluki registered by the AKC was Jinniyat of Grevel in 1929. Today the Saluki is a rare treasure, ranking 116th among the 155 breeds and varieties recognized by the AKC.