The site was last updated on

24 Aug 2000

Name of breed: Saluki
Class: Hound
Size: Height dogs 58.4-71 cm (23-28 in) bitches are smaller
Coat: Smooth, silky in texture.
Colors: White, cream, fawn, golden red, grizzle, silver grizzle, deer grizzle, tricolor (white, black and tan) and variations of these colors.

The Saluki, like the Saloughi, is an ancient breed whose likeness appears on the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs. It takes its name from the ancient city of Saluki in the Yemen or possibly from the town of Seleukia in the ancient Hellenic Empire in Syria. It is also knows as the Gazelle Hound, the Arab Gazelle Hound, the Eastern Greyhound and the Persian Greyhound.
The Saluki is esteemed by the Arabs, including the nomadic Bedouin, who prize it for its ability to keep pace with fleet-footed Arab horses and, paired with a falcon, to hunt gazelle. Elsewhere in the world it is kept as a companion and show dog.
In 1895, an Englishwoman, Lady Florence Amherst, was given two Saluki puppies, and was so impressed by the breed that she imported others and did her best to popularize it. Despite this the Saluki was not recognized by the Kennel Club in Britain until 1923. The breed was recognized in the US in 1927.

Character and care

This elegant, if somewhat aloof, breed is loyal, affectionate and trustworthy, and is now sought after both as a pet and show dog. It taken in the countryside that its hunting instincts are kept under control. The Saluki's coat should be groomed daily, using a soft brush and a hound glove.