Create Your Saluki's Shop
Saluki Breed Summary
Loyal, Reserved, Intelligent and Devoted
These dogs are known for their extremely elegant and graceful looks, so it's no surprise that they are highly-prized over in the Middle East! Additionally, they are fantastic at canine sports and have gained themselves great respect in many countries.
They are a highly-strung breed and therefore don't make the best pets for first time owners. Instead, they need to be handled and trained by someone who has knowledge and experience dealing with similar breeds. They also have a very strong prey drive, which is deeply embedded within their psyche, so shouldn't be let off their leads in public spaces!
Fun Fact: They are referred to as The Royal Dogs of Egypt!
Kennel Club Group | Hound |
Lifespan | 12 - 14 Years |
Height (at the withers) | Males and Females 58cm - 71cm |
Weight | Males and Females 18kg - 27kg |
Coat | Can Either be a Rough or Smooth Coat. Rough Coats are Dense and Lie Close to the Skin. Smooth Coats However are a lot more Hound-Like. |
Colour | Black & Silver, Black & Tan, Black & Tan Particolour, Black & Tan Tricolour, Black & White Particolour, Black Fringed Fawn, Black Fringed Fawn & White, Black Fringed Gold, Black Fringed Red, Black Fringed Red with White, Black Grizzle, Black Particolour, Chocolate & Tan, Chocolate & White Particolour, Chocolate Grizzle, Cream, Cream & White, Deer Grizzle, Fawn, Fawn & White, Fawn Grizzle, Gold, Golden & White Particolour, Grizzle & White Particolour, Red, Red & White, Red & White Particolour, Red Grizzle, Silver Grizzle, White |
Eye colour | Dark |
Common health issues | Congenital deafness, Heart issues, Persistent pupillary membrane (PPM), Hip Dysplasia, Lymphoma – a type of cancer, Bloat, Sunburn |
Other Names | Gaze hound, Gazelle hound, Slugi, Shami, Tazi. |
These dogs are extremely loyal to their families but tend to be quite weary and distant towards new people and strangers. They are more 'one-person' dogs and will more than likely become attached to a key member within the family. This can mean that Salukis are more at risk of developing separation anxiety, so really, they need to be in a home where someone is around for most of the day. Without this, it may result in them developing destructive behaviours. They are an incredibly reserved breed and potentially quite shy in new environments although they do normally get on very well with other dogs. As their appearances may suggest, they are very high maintenance and love to live the life of luxury, with constant pampering. However, for the right family, these pooches will make fantastic pets.
These sleek beauties are considered to be one of the oldest breeds of dogs in the world. In fact, depictions of similar dogs have been found in Egyptian tombs that date back to 2100 B.C.E (over 4,000 years ago!) and also from the Sumerian Empire in 7,000 B.C.E. (9,000 years ago!). It's thought that Pharaohs once used the dogs to hunt gazelles and when they died, they were also mummified – a little bit creepy… Nomadic Muslims also believe that these doggies were a gift from Allah and were referred to as 'The Noble'. During this time, the breed was prevalent across most of the Middle East, but it wasn't until after WW1 that the Salukis really made their presence known in the UK. They were eventually registered by the Kennel Club in 1929.