Saluki

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History/Origin
The Saluki traces its roots to Egypt, one of the oldest known civilizations. Named after an ancient Arabian City now situated beneath the desert sands, the Saluki is the royal dog of Egypt. Some unearthed royal tombs had their pictures and their mummified remains in them. Offered only as gifts to signify friendship, the Muslims believed this breed to be Allah'’s sacred gift.

Also known as Arabian Hound, Gazelle Hound, and Persian Hound, its appearance can be liked to the Afghan Hound. Its extraordinary speed and amazing agility made it an excellent desert sight hunter especially for gazelle, jackals, hares, and foxes. Westerners however, consider them as great companion, show dog, and race dog with its great potential in the racing track.

Description
The Saluki’s appearance is the epitome of balance and grace: all of its legs are suspended in mid-air during top speed. Its well-proportioned and narrow head that tapers toward the nose is framed by long, hanging ears while its long, brown eyes render a sweet yet majestic expression. Angular, muscular shoulders and a flexible neck make the Saluki'’s body elongated.

Its slim body resembles that of a greyhound’. Usually having long silky feathering on the tail and ears, some rare varieties have none which is a little coarser. Thick hair between its toes offers protection from tough terrain. Its coat may be in fawn, cream, white, black and tan, red, and gold and even different mixtures of these colors. However, if a Saluki has a white patch on its forehead considered by Bedouin tribes as the “the kiss of Allah”, then it is considered special.

Temperament
Sensitive and even tempered, Salukis are gentle and affectionate. They only take love and affection in training. Although very loyal and attached, they can never be a hundred percent obedient. Salukis are somewhat aloof and submissive to authoritative dogs and people. Their sensitivity causes them to be distracted easily. The Salukis' nature makes them perfect companion and watchdogs especially with older, disciplined children. They are however, better off with their kind and are naturally aggressive against non-canine animals. Obedience training however can keep this in control although caution must still be taken regarding other animals.