Saluki
Other names: Persian Greyhound

The Saluki is such a graceful canine, with strength, endurance and great speed capabilities. Because of these characteristics, it is a great hunter, skilful at chase, hunt and kill any prey over many terrains. Individual features vary in each dog, but all Salukis have a greyhound-like appearance, with a deep chest and narrow body, slender, long legs, a tiny waist and a long tail. The deep eyes of the dog have a faithful, soul-searching look. Overall, the Saluki is a dignified, gentle breed.
Key facts about the Saluki
Origins and history
Originally called the Gazelle Hound, or the Persian Greyhound, the Saluki is understood to be an ancient breed, possibly dating back to the first dogs known to man. Images of dogs that have the appearance of a Saluki appeared on the tombs in Egypt, dating back some 4000 years to 2100BC.
Egyptian Pharaohs used Salukis for hunting hares and gazelles, often working alongside falcons. Many mummified Salukis have been discovered showing how honoured they were as a breed. The first dogs to have been noted in the UK arrived around 1840, however they weren’t recognised as a breed until after the First World War, when many officers brought them home from the Middle East, as their pets.
FCI breed nomenclature
FCI Group
Group 10 - Sighthounds
Section
Section 1 : Long-haired or fringed Sighthounds
Physical characteristics of the Saluki
Adult size
Female : Between 23 and 28 in
Male : Between 23 and 28 in
Weight
Female : Between 33 and 55 lb
Male : Between 33 and 55 lb
Coat colour
White, grizzle, red, golden, fawn, cream, tri-colour, black and tan and all of these with white coat colours too.
Type of coat
The Saluki coat length is short to medium in length, with longer feathering hair.
A Saluki can be either smooth or rough-coated. A dog with a smooth type coat, very glossy and silky, will have a little feathering around their tail and thighs. Similarly, the Saluki with a rough coat has quite dense hair, quite full around the neck area with soft feathering on his tail and thighs.
Eye colour
The eyes of a Saluki are quite large, dark in colour and very expressive.
Description
The Saluki breed have long necks which they arch in a graceful manner, and broad, sloping shoulders. With long, straight front legs, these dogs are built for speed and agility. Deep chested and broad, they have muscular hindquarters to aid their running skills. The slightly feathered ears are of a medium size, which the dog holds close to his cheeks. The dog holds his long tail quite high when moving, yet lowers it when at rest.
Good to know
This is one of the very oldest breeds of dog known, having a very graceful and agile appearance. Noblemen in Egypt gave it the name of the “Royal Dog” as they thought it a great companion and honoured canine breed. Arabian tribesmen paid great attention to their Saluki hunting dogs, prizing not only their endurance but also their speed. It is very difficult for any human to match and keep up to the speed of a Saluki dog.