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Saluki Dog Breed Introduction
Saluki ( also known as Persian Greyhound) is a sighthound that was originally bred in the Fertile Crescent. It is closely related to the Afghanhound. As a sighthound, a Saluki hunts by sight rather than scent. This breed may either have a smooth or feathered coat. The latter has light featherings on the ears, thighs, back of the legs, and sometimes the throat. The fur on both coat varieties is silky and low-shedding as compared to other breeds.
Majority of the Salukis bred in the Middle East have a smooth-coat. This breed is thought to be faster over long distances, even though Greyhounds have been credited as being the fastest dog breed up to distances of around 0.8 kilometers. Saluki are aloof and independent which makes training difficult. They may also seem reserved with strangers. A Saluki is also susceptible to chasing things that are in motion such as bugs, birds, squirrels, and cats.
Saluki Origin | History
This is an ancient breed that dates back as far as 7000 b.c. It originated in the fertile Crescent. Historical artifacts in the Middle East have depicted images of slender, fast dogs with feathered tails, ears, and legs. This was a beloved breed of the Egyptian loyalty who also mummified their canine companions. Dog remains that closely resemble the Salukis have been found in tombs across the Nile. They were used for hunting foxes, hares, gazelles, jackals, and jerboas. There is a debate on where the breed took its name.
Some historians believe that the Salukis take their name from the Seleucia City in Syria or from the ancient city of Saluk in Yemen. Nomadic Muslims considered this breed a gift from Allah and allowed them to sleep in their tents. Although they generally considered dogs to be unclean animals. The first known presence of Saluki in England dates back to 1840. However, the breed was not established until the 20th century when many British officers returned from the Middle East with these dogs. Salukis were officially recognized by AKC( American Kennel Club ) in 1927.
Saluki Lifespan
According to AKC, Salukis have a lifespan of 10 to 17 years.
Saluki Grooming
Both smooth-coated and feathered variety are self-cleaning dogs that require minimal grooming needs. Brush the coat on a weekly basis using a bristle brush or hound glove to remove dirt, loose hair, promote new hair growth, and distribute the natural oils present on the skin. Use a slicker brush to groom the featherings on the tail, ears, back of the legs, and thighs to prevent matting.
Salukis need an occasional bath unless they roll into something stinky. Always brush the coat before bathing especially the feathered variety to prevent matting and tangling. After a bath, thoroughly rinse off the grooming products from the coat to prevent skin irritation. Wipe the ear corners using a damp clean washcloth or unscented canine wipes. For the Feathered variety, pet parents should use a snood to keep the ear featherings from the food bowl. The nails are trimmed every 3 to 5 weeks to prevent overgrowth, cracking, and splitting.
Overly grown nails are painful for Salukis while walking or running. Parents should get their Salukis accustomed to teeth brushing from puppyhood. Brush the teeth of a Saluki at least twice a week if not daily to remove tartar buildup using a dog-formulated toothpaste and toothbrush. Clean the ears on a weekly basis using an ear cleanser solution and cotton balls to remove excess wax and debris. While cleaning the ears look out for signs of dog’s ear infection such as odor, redness, or a dark discharge.
Saluki Shedding
A Saluki is a low-shedding breed. It sheds at minimal levels all-year round.
Saluki Coat
A Saluki has a silky coat that may either be smooth-coated or feathered. The feathered variety has featherings on the ears, back of the legs, thighs, and tail.
Saluki Hypoallergenic
Although Salukis shed at minimal levels all-year round, they are not hypoallergenic. This is because they have a moulting coat that releases dander and fur into the environment triggering allergic reactions. Apart from dander and fur, Saluki’s saliva, mucus, and urine contain a protein allergen that triggers inflammation.
Saluki Training
This is an independent breed that is somewhat aloof which makes training a bit difficult. However, Salukis need more persuasion through use of positive reinforcements methods such as use of treats, toys, petting, playtime, and verbal praise to respond well to training. However, trainers should avoid use of harsh correction methods such as use of choke or prong collars, shoving, kicking, beating, or yelling. These methods are counterproductive during training.
Owners should also assume pack leadership for a successful training. Dogs love to be associated with a social group and thrive where a functional pecking order has been established. Salukis are reserved or shy with strangers. They require early socialization to have a well-rounded temperament around unfamiliar faces. Furthermore, well-behaved dogs are welcome almost anywhere.
Socialization training starts from an early age of 3 weeks while the dog is with the breeder until the age of 16 weeks after the pup has already settled in its new home. Normally, owners take their pets home from the age of 8 weeks. Socialization may be a life-long process even after the age of 16 weeks to ensure the dog matures to have a well-rounded personality.
To socialize a Saluki, expose it to a wide variety of places, people, animals, situation, sight, smell, surfaces, experiences, and sounds such as baby crying sounds, door bells, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, sirens, lawn mowers, and whistles. Enrolling a Saluki in a puppy class will also serve as a form of socialization. These classes create a controlled environment where puppies get to interact. Puppy classes are also beneficial to parents. They not only allow them to correct and identify bad habits but also have access to training information and assistance.
Keep the training sessions short, fun, and challenging to avoid boredom and distraction. Train the dog for a span of 5 to 10 minutes distributed throughout the day. Start teaching basic commands words such as come, sit, stay, lie down, heel, wait, etc. immediately you bring the pet home. Teaching basic command will help a Saluki to learn manners at home and community.
Avoid issuing a command while too excited or frustrated since it does not sound the same for your pet. Effectively housebreak a Saluki by creating a feeding schedule, crate training, and potty training. Crate training is especially recommended for Salukis to come in handy when the dog needs to be safely confined while traveling or in the home.
Saluki Temperament | Personality | Traits
- Independent.
- Reserved or shy around strangers.
- Devoted.
- Calm and Quiet in their adult years.
- Gentle with children.
- Good with other dogs.
- Intelligent.
- Loyal.
- Gentle.
- Dignified.
- Versatile.
Saluki Exercise
A Saluki needs daily exercise to keep fit in form of daily walks while on leash and running in a fenced yard. This will stimulate the dog both physically and mentally. A Saluki should always go for walks while on a leash and run in a secured-fenced yard since they are escape artists. They may also participate in canine sports such as agility, flyball, and lure coursing.
Saluki Barking
Generally, a Saluki is not a vocal breed. If it is not properly stimulated, it will indulge in behavior problems such as chewing and digging. Rarely, they will bark excessively.
Saluki Height
A Saluki has a height of 23 to 28 inches ( approx. 58 to 71 cm ).
Saluki Weight
Salukis have a weight of 40 to 65 pounds ( approx. 18 to 29 Kg).
Saluki Size
A Saluki is a large-sized breed that has a height of 23 to 28 inches ( approx. 58 to 71 cm ) and a weight of 40 to 65 pounds ( approx. 18 to 29 Kg).
Saluki Health Issues | Health Problems
A Saluki is a relatively healthy breed that has a lifespan of 10 to 17 years. However, it may suffer from certain health issues such as lymphoma, liver cancer, heart failure, heart murmur, Cardiomyopathy, alopecia, dermatitis, Anesthesia Sensitivity, Hemangiosarcoma, gastric torsion or bloat, lymphoma, eye disorders like progressive retinal atrophy, and mammary cancers.
Saluki Names
A Saluki owner may decide to find a name for the pet before it joins them home from the breeder or days after the pet joins them home to ensure they understand the personality of the particular dog. Parents may get name inspirations from the heritage of the breed, coat color, personality, celebrity Salukis, books, movies, songs, food, nature, and historical figures.
Regardless of where the parent will source the name, he or she should ensure the name chosen freely rolls off their tongue and will not make them embarrassed if the name is uttered out loud in the public. Salukis and other dog breeds better understand names that have vowels.
Avoid giving your pooch a name that rhymes with the command word to prevent confusion. If the owner settles with a long name, he or she should ensure that the name chosen freely rolls off their tongue. If a Saluki shares a name with any family member or guest who frequent the home, it may result to confusion. Some of the names that Saluki owners give to their pets include:
- Crystal.
- Cocoa.
- Bella.
- Lazarus.
- Amigo.
- Pharaoh.
- Blaze.
- Chiffon.
- Brandy.
- Misty.
- Magnolia.
- Dakota.
- Kylah, etc.
Saluki Speed
Although, Greyhounds are credited for being the fastest dogs that ran for a speed of 45 miles per hour ( approx. 72km/h), Saluki are thought to be faster over longer distances. According to the Guinness Book of Records, a Saluki was listed as being capable of reaching a speed of 42.8 miles per hour ( approx. 89 km/h) in 1996.
Saluki Collar
Salukis tend to have a smaller head than neck. Therefore, it is easy for them to slip off the collar. However, use of martingale collar helps to keep a Saluki safe without choking it. As earlier discussed, Salukis are escape artists that love to chase small animals that are in motion. If this breed slips off the collar during a walk, it pose as a safety hazard due to traffic.
Saluki Colors
A Saluki may have a cream, white, fawn, grizzle and tan, red, black and tan, or white, black, and tan coat color.
Saluki Food
The amount of food that a Saluki feeds on depends on its age, activity level, metabolism, size, and body build. Salukis Puppies tend to have a high metabolism rate as compared to adults and seniors. Therefore, puppies eat small portions of food 3 or 4 times a day from when they start weaning until the age of 6 months. From the age of 6 months, Salukis feed a total of two meals in a day for the rest of their lives.
A Saluki is a deep-chested dog that is prone to bloat or gastric torsion. This is a life-threatening condition that causes stomach swelling. To avoid this condition, parents are urged not to; feed their dogs one large meal a day, allow the dog to drink large amounts of water after eating, or vigorously exercise the dog one hour before or after exercise.
A Saluki may feed on a raw diet, home made, dry food, or wet food depending on the budget of the owner and the time of preparation needed. Regardless of the food that the dog feeds on, owners should ensure that a Saluki feeds on the right amount of proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, fats, amino acids, water, and fatty acids to maintain a healthy bone structure and weight.
If the dog is feeding on dry or wet commercial food, the parents should ensure that the first three listed ingredients are proteins from a known source. Commercial food should neither have meat by-products, fillers, preservatives, chemicals, additives, nor generic meat products. The commercial dog food should also be formulated for large-sized puppies, adults, and seniors depending on the age of your Saluki . Check the physique of your pet to tell whether it is underweight or overweight. Some Saluki may be greedy. These dogs may often eat other dogs’ food as well as their own. Therefore, parents should separate these Salukis from other dogs during mealtime to prevent them from becoming overweight.
The dog is underweight if the ribs are visible. However, if the ribs are not visible but can be felt without pressing hard, a Saluki has an ideal weight. However, if the ribs cannot be felt after pressing, the pet is overweight and should be exercised. Owners who want to switch to another dog food should gradually do this over a period of one month by mixing old food with new food. As the week progresses, the amount of old food decreases as the amount of the new food increases until the Saluki is only feeding on the preferred food.
Apart from Salukis, other dog breeds include:
Saluki Tail
A Saluki has a naturally long and curved tail.
Saluki Long Hair
A Saluki may either have a smooth or feathered coat. The latter is referred to long hair since it has featherings on the ears, thighs, back of the legs, under the tail, and sometimes around the neck area.
Saluki Short Hair
A Saluki with a smooth coat may also be referred to as short-haired Saluki.
Saluki Vs Greyhound
Both Salukis and Greyhounds are sighthounds known for their top running speeds of 42 and 45 mph respectively. However, Greyhounds are slightly taller and heavier as compared to the Salukis. Greyhounds have a height of 26 to 30 cm ( 66 to 76 cm ) with a weight of 55 to 88 pounds ( approx. 25 to 40 kg). On the other hand, Salukis have a height of 23 to 28 inches ( approx. 58 to 71 cm ) with a weight of 40 to 65 pounds ( approx. 18 to 29 Kg). A Saluki may either have a feathered or smooth coat while Greyhounds only have a smooth coat. Although, Greyhounds can run faster, Saluki can endure long distances.
Saluki Vs Borzoi
Both Borzoi and Saluki are sighthounds. However, the latter is the oldest of the two breeds. Salukis were developed 7000 b.c.in the fertile crescent while Borzois originated in Russia in the 16th century. A Saluki may have a straight or feathered coat while Borzois may have a straight, wavy, or curly coat. Borzois are slightly heavier with a weight of 60 to 105 pounds ( approx. 27 to 48 kg ) while Salukis have a weight of 40 to 65 pounds ( approx. 18 to 29 Kg). Salukis tend to live longer up to the age of 17 years while Borzoi may live up to the age of 14 years.
Are Salukis Hypoallergenic
No. Salukis are not hypoallergenic although they shed at minimal levels all-year round. Shedding allows dander and fur to spread into the environment triggering allergies.
Are Salukis Smart
Yes. Salukis are smart dogs. However, they are independent and somewhat aloof making them difficult to train.
Do Salukis Shed
Yes. Salukis shed all-year round at low levels.
Salukis Quick Facts
- They can endure long distances as compared to Greyhounds.
- Salukis may either have a smooth or feathered coat.
- The Nomadic tribes used the progenitors of Salukis for hunting jackal, fox, hare, and gazelle.
