- Breed name: Persian Greyhound – Saluki
- Original breed name: Saluki (Gazelle Hound)
- AKC list of most popular dogs: 123
- FCI classification: Group 10 – Greyhounds
- Origin: Middle East
- Size: Large dog
- Average life expectancy: 10-17 years
The Persian Greyhound is one of the oldest and purest breeds of dogs in the world. According to the Guinness Book of Records, they are officially the fastest dogs in the world with a speed of 69km/s. They are excellent pets, with a very gentle and mild character as well as an elegant appearance. They are in excellent health, easily get used to life in the apartment and are good pets for people with children. They are endowed with great intelligence, speed and agility, which makes them excellent hunters, so today, in addition to being kept as a classic pet, they are also used a lot in hunting. The breed is also known as saluki, Persian gazelle and hazi.
ORIGIN
The Persian greyhound or gazelle hunter as it is still called, is one of the oldest dog breeds about which there are writings from the time of the pharaohs, thousands of years before the new era. Pharaohs hunted rabbits and gazelles with them, some of the specimens of this breed were honored by mummification and burial with their owners. It was forbidden to cross this breed with other breeds, so it is still considered one of the purest breeds of dogs. This breed was valued in ancient times by members of the Islamic religion, who consider all dogs except this to be unclean animals. According to some sources, nomadic Muslims considered Saluki a gift from Allah and gave him a nickname which means “noble”. There are various theories about the origin of the name of this breed, according to one, the breed was named after the ancient city of Saluka (Yemen) or after the city of Seleukia (Syria). Another theory indicates that the name of this breed is a translation of an Arabic word meaning hunting. They were widespread in Persia, Syria, Egypt, Palestine, Anatolia, Arabia and Mesopotamia. According to some records, the first Saluki arrived in Great Britain in 1840. In the USA, the interest came later, it was only around 1927 that they became popular, and then “The Saluki club from America” was founded. The AKC recognized and registered the first specimen of this breed in 1929.
APPEARANCE
Saluki belongs to the family of greyhounds and has a very elongated head with a wide skull of medium size. The eyes are dark or hazel, the nose is mostly black with small nostrils. The jaw is extremely strong with also extremely strong teeth that have a regular scissor bite. The neck is muscular, long and slender, the chest is narrow and deep. The legs are straight with strong paws and pronounced thighs on the hind legs. The tail is worn low, slightly bent. The average height of a male is from 59 to 71 cm, while his average weight is from 13 to 30 kg. Females are slightly lower and lighter than males.
In relation to the coat, there are two types of Persian greyhounds, feathered and smooth. The feathered greyhound has lighter hair on the back of its legs and thighs, and its hair is thicker and longer in those places. The smooth greyhound has a much shorter coat that is evenly distributed throughout the body and very soft to the touch. They can be seen in various colors, and the most sought after are cream, gold-red, white, gold and black with a fiery reflection.
CHARACTER
The Saluki is a dog of a wonderful and gentle character who will be tied to only one person within his human family from the first arrival in the home. They are considered to be very sensitive, gentle, resourceful and calm dogs. If he is properly socialized, you can leave him with small children who will adore him. He is wary and restrained towards strangers, especially if they are in large numbers. Also, it is not recommended to leave him near hamsters, rabbits and similar small animals because they are prey for this dog.
HEALTH AND CARE
Saluki has excellent immunity, in addition to being officially the fastest breed in the world, they are also one of the healthiest. No disease that often affects the breed has been observed. Due to poor care for this dog, diseases are possible, and cardiomypathy and low levels of thyroid hormones can also occur very rarely. This breed needs to be provided with a varied diet with quality ingredients, because this dog is not an excessive food lover and often happens to eat very little. It may look lean or even malnourished, but by no means force this dog to eat larger amounts of food than he himself wants. It is recommended to stay in an apartment or preferably a house with a yard because they need a large amount of physical activity, as well as regular running. If you take him for a walk, a leash is required outside the fenced yard because this dog has not forgotten his hunting ancestors, and if he chases after his prey, you will hardly be able to match him in speed. Their hair is not demanding to maintain, periodic brushing is enough. In the case of feathered Saluki, it is necessary to take a little more care of the longer parts of the hair so that it does not get tangled. It is not recommended to bathe them more than 4 times a year. Due to their intelligence, they are quite easy to train and are considered a great guard dog. They are generally not expensive to maintain, but keep in mind that purchasing a specimen of this breed is still a considerable financial investment.
Statistics
- Energy level: Low level
- Playfulness level: Moderately playful
- Attitude towards other dogs: Friendly
- Relationship to other pets: Friendly
- Attitude towards strangers: Restrained
- Ease of training: Moderately easy to train
- Protection: High level of protection
- Maintenance required: Easy to maintain
- Heat tolerance: Moderate tolerance
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