Saluki

Saluki

19×24 colored pencil. Original available.

The Saluki is perhaps the oldest known breed of domesticated dog. Widely admired for its beauty, speed, and endurance, the saluki historically travelled throughout the Middle East with nomadic desert tribes and therefore the habitat and actual origin of the Saluki comprised a region stretching from the Sahara to the Caspian Sea. As a direct result, the types varied somewhat in this widely scattered area-mostly in size and coat.
Temperament
A true Saluki retains the qualities of hunting hounds. They may appear reserved and uninterested. They learn quickly but can get bored with repetition, so training sessions should be short and varied. Salukis need regular exercise, but behave quietly indoors. They do not bark much but “sing” when they feel that something is wrong or when a member of the family is away for a long period of time. They get along well with children, but must be respected when they want to be left alone and rest. Salukis have a fairly long life span, living an average of 12-13 years.

Sensitive and intelligent, the Saluki should never be trained using force or hard-handed methods. They are usually quiet and don’t bark unless there is a reason.
Health
Like most sighthounds, the Saluki is a very healthy breed. The biggest problem to worry about is their sensitivity to anesthesia as a result of their low levels of body fat.
History
The Saluki has historically served as a courser, a speedy hunting dog that operated in packs. The breed also appears on the Egyptian tombs of 2100 B.C. The Saluki was so esteemed that his body was often mummified like the bodies of the Pharaohs themselves. The remains of numerous specimens have thus been found in the ancient tombs of the Upper Nile region. In the Middle East, dogs were often seen as dirty, but the Saluki was treasured by the Bedouin for the “Kiss of Allah” or white spot on the dog. These dogs always hunted in tandem with falcons which would find prey and then the Saluki would chase it down. Bedouin in the Middle East valued Salukis and raised them to be beautiful and to possess hunting qualities. Salukis slept with their owners in their tents to be protected from the heat of the day and the cold of the night.

Salukis were first brought into England in 1840. There was no real interest however, until the Hon. Florence Amherst imported the first Arabian Saluki in 1895 from the kennels of Prince Abdulla in Transjordan. King Abdullah’s hounds were probably originally from Kurdish areas of Syria.

As is the case with some other pedigree breeds in the United States, including the Basenji and Portuguese Podengo, the current population of Salukis is descended from a small number of founders introduced into the country within the last 100 years, and must be carefully mated to avoid inbreeding. However, the original dogs imported into the US came from throughout the whole Middle East, a vast geographical area, unlike most other breeds that come from very small areas, so salukis have the largest genetic base among purebreds. Recently, the AKC (American Kennel Club) has allowed the third generation of COO (Country of Origin) salukis to be registered after inspections by recognized judges so the DNA base will increase even more as more dogs are imported. (information from Wikipedia)

Complete 1997

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All Animals Great And Small., All Pets Great and Small, Cats and Dogs (1 artwork per day), Livestock in General, Mans Best Friend's (Dogs only), Moms 4 Art, Our K9 Friend 1 image a day (Dogs only) and Paws n Claws <3 per day><Domestic cats & dogs only> Available for sale as

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