A graceful, athletic, medium-sized sighthound, the Saluki has a soft, smooth coat, often with feathering (longer hair) on the legs and ears, and sometimes the throat. The smooth type of Saluki lacks this feathering.
| Lifespan: | 12–14 years |
| Weight: | Fully grown, they weigh approximately 13-30kg. |
| Height: | Adult dogs stand at 58-71cm, with females slightly smaller |
| Colours: | The coat comes in any colour or combination of colours, except brindle |
| Size: | Medium |
| Kennel Club group: | Hound |
| Family-friendly: | 4/5 |
| Exercise needs: | 5/5 |
| Easy to train: | 4/5 |
| Tolerates being alone: | 1/5 |
| Likes other pets: | 4/5 |
| Energy level: | 5/5 |
| Grooming needs: | 3/5 |
| Shedding: | 2/5 |
The Saluki is an intriguing mixture of independent and intelligent, loyal and aloof - and affectionate but not demonstrative. They also have never forgotten their royal ancestry! They are generally disinterested in people they don’t know and somewhat standoffish but they are bond closely to their families, are quietly affectionate and dislike being left alone.
Country of Origin: Persia/Middle East
The Saluki, also sometimes known as the Persian Greyhound or the Gazelle Hound, is one of the oldest breeds in the world - and some even claim that it predates ancient Egypt (hence why its precise origins are largely unknown). In ancient Egypt, the Saluki was known as the Royal Dog and was used to hunt hare, fox and gazelle by working in small packs to pursue their prey at incredible speeds before catching and holding it down until their masters caught up with them on either horse or camelback. They would also work with birds of prey who would locate gazelle.
Prized by their royal owners in ancient Egypt, their death would be marked by a period of deep mourning and they would often be mummified wearing their ornate hunting collars. The famous boy king Tutankhamun is shown in his tomb with his favourite hounds - which all appear to be Salukis.
