Saluki - Top 10 Interesting Facts

One of the oldest of dog breeds, Salukis were once considered a gift from Allah.
There are TOP 10 interesting facts about Saluki.

1) History

Salukis are one of the oldest hound breeds in the world and their roots can be traced back to ancient Egypt, Greece, Persia and the Middle East. They were bred as desert dogs and they lived alongside nomadic tribes. These elegant hounds were highly prized for their hunting abilities in hot and arid desert landscapes and they were so highly regarded by the Egyptians that they were known as the 'Royal Dog of Egypt' with mummified remains having been found in the tombs of Pharaohs.

2) Gift from God

Salukis were highly valued by Arab tribesmen, who thought of them as a gift from God and called them "el hor," which means the noble. They paid equal attention to the breeding of their Salukis as they did to their Arabian horses, prizing speed, endurance, and a keen hunting instinct. There are still Salukis used for hunting today in the Middle East.

3) Appearance

Salukis are very graceful, elegant and athletic looking hounds with their glossy coats and fine, silky feathers on their ears and tails. Their heads are large, long and narrow which adds to their lithe appearance. They have well defined stops and broad skulls which are slightly domed with dogs having quite a prominent brow. Noses are black in colour and large. Their eyes are moderately large and set nicely into a dog's head being dark in colour with Salukis having a keen, alert expression in them. Their ears are medium in size and lie close to a dog's cheeks being slightly feathered.

4) Temperament

The Saluki is a friendly, sensitive and intelligent hound, but they are not the best choice for many people. The reason being they are highly strung by nature and like many other hound breeds, they are extremely sensitive which means they need to be handled and trained by someone who is familiar with their particular needs. In the right environment and with the correct amount of socialisation and training, a Saluki is a pleasure to have around.
5) Living With

Despite their desert history, Salukis enjoy living a life of luxury. Due to their lack of natural padding, they appreciate soft surfaces to lie on, such as the couch, an easy chair, or your bed. But don’t forget that they are high-functioning athletes that benefit from a variety of mentally- and physically-challenging activities. They excel at lure coursing, agility, exhibition jumping, and flyball, for example.

6) Mascot

The Saluki is the sports mascot for Southern Illinois University and Red Hill High School, Illinois. It was chosen for its speed, skill and even temperament.

7) Coat

When it comes to their coat, the Saluki can either have a rough or a smooth coat. Rough coated dogs have a dense coat that lies close which is fuller around their necks, on their thighs and their tails are nicely feathered. Smooth coated dogs have much closer coats which is a lot more hound-like and they only have a slight amount of feathering on their thighs and tails.

8) Grooming

The Salukis has a silky, short coat with nice feathering on their ears and their tails. Because they are so prone to sunburn and more especially on their noses, care has to be taken during the hotter summer months. However, a Saluki's grooming needs are low, a daily brush paying more attention to around a dog's ears and their tail is all it takes to keep things tidy and to prevent any knots or tangles from forming.

9) Excercise

The Saluki is an athletic, high-energy dog and one that has a tremendous amount of stamina for such a slight, elegant hound. As such they need to be given at least 2 hour's exercise every day with as much off the lead time as possible. However, a Saluki, no matter how obedient, should only be let off their leads in secure areas because of their high prey drive. If these dogs are not given the right amount of daily exercise and mental stimulation they need, they can quickly develop some unwanted and destructive behavioural issues that make them harder to live with and control which includes separation anxiety.

10) Around Kids and Pets

Salukis are known to be quite placid and enjoy being in quieter environments, but they do like being around children as long as things don't get too loud or too boisterous. As such they are not a good choice for families with very young children, but make ideal pets in households where the kids are older and therefore appreciate how to behave around dogs with sensitive natures.



Source:
https://www.pets4homes.co.uk/dog-breeds/saluki/
http://www.akc.org/content/entertainment/articles/9-facts-about-the-salukia-sighthound-of-ancient-beauty/