Saluki

[ratdogg]

This will be a rather boring thread but just recently I became aware of the breed known as "Saluki". I've met two of them and they seem to me to be really exotic looking dogs. I love their ears, long muzzles and feathered tails.

A friend of mine told me they are sight hounds and I found that interesting. I've been googling the breed to learn more, but I thought it'd be neat to see if anyone on PT had info or experience with the breed. I'd love to hear what people know about this breed

[crow_noir]

How can this be a boring thread when its about Salukis!?

Such pretty dogs. I oooohed when i read the thread title and wondered what we'd be talking about in this thread.

I know they're also related to the Afghan Hound.

I have never got to meet a Saluki in person, but I'd LOVE to. I have seen them a few times on TV. (Like on PBS programs.)

This will be a rather boring thread but just recently I became aware of the breed known as "Saluki". I've met two of them and they seem to me to be really exotic looking dogs. I love their ears, long muzzles and feathered tails.

A friend of mine told me they are sight hounds and I found that interesting. I've been googling the breed to learn more, but I thought it'd be neat to see if anyone on PT had info or experience with the breed. I'd love to hear what people know about this breed

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/3103_dogs.html

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/dogs/worl-nf.html

[ratdogg]

ooh yes, i can definitely see afghan hound in their face. As for their coat they are like a shorter haired version to me The two I met were beautiful. One was mostly black and the other had a chestnut color.

[Suki Wingy]

The one's I've met acted much like greyhounds. They're also the mascott for a college I'm looking at, Southern IL U. Everything there is named for something Eqyptian.

[Giselle]

Oh jeez, my memory of the history of the sighthound is very very foggy, so all I can say definitively is that the Saluki is a very ancient breed and retains primal sighthound characteristics. Unfortunately, cancer is not an uncommon disease in this breed. Still, overall, Salukis are very healthy (as are most sights).

Since they are sighthounds, they don't have a very high drive to please their owner. Their original function was to seek prey and to run it down. There is absolutely no human intervention. Therefore, sighthounds usually don't make the best obedience competitors. Some people mistake this for "low intelligence". WRONG WRONG WRONG. Sighthounds are very intelligent in ways that humans can never imitate (can *you* catch sight of an animal and run up to 40 mph to chase it down?).

Sighthounds are the best. What can I say? They're all greyt!!

[Genny]

I've never had one but I think they are pretty dogs. They remind me of a gray hound and like toehrs said the afghan too.

[Miss Z]

Ah, I love salukis too. I've only ever met one, but she was a lovely dog; very even tempered and gentle.

Their original function was to seek prey and to run it down. There is absolutely no human intervention.

Yes, I think nomadic tribes use three animals to hunt; the arab horse, the hawk and the saluki. The saluki retrieves the prey of the hawk, I think. Something along those lines, it was a while since I read about it. So no, I don't think they like an excess of human company.

ETA: Just realised how old this thread is, and what happened to the OP.

[EnchantedGypsy]

I *love* Salukis!! Here's a photo of one of the first Salukis I met in person back in 1982. I've been a fan of sighthounds since I was a little kid....



Here's a very pretty spotted Saluki from 1992....


And a smooth haired Saluki from 1994....


These photos were all taken at the annual local AKC dog show.