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AKC: Saluki breed overview

Hound group · Middle East (Fertile Crescent)

Saluki

Also called Persian Greyhound, Gazelle Hound

Bred for thousands of years to course gazelle across open desert, the Saluki brings a sprinter's heart to your sofa.

Salukis are among the oldest recognizable types of sighthound, prized by desert peoples across the Middle East as hunting partners and companions. Graceful, reserved and very fast, they are gentle and quiet at home but driven by a chase instinct that shapes every walk.

Original AI-generated breed illustration

Weight

16 to 29 kg

35 to 64 lb

Height

53 to 71 cm

at the shoulder

Life expectancy

12 to 14 yrs

Activity estimate

90 to 120 min

editorial daily planning range

Adult-size estimate

18 months

approximate model input

Life with a Saluki

Long before kennel clubs existed, tribes across a vast area from Arabia to Persia bred hounds that could run down gazelle and hares over open ground, sometimes working alongside trained falcons. These dogs were valued so highly that they were given as gifts between leaders, and they are said to have been exempted from the general disdain for dogs in parts of the region. Similar long-legged hounds appear on ancient artifacts, and the Saluki is often described as one of the oldest recognizable dog types in the world.

Because different tribes bred them across thousands of kilometers, Salukis vary widely in size, coat and color, and breed standards deliberately allow for that. Some are feathered, some are smooth; some stand 58 cm at the shoulder, others 71 cm. Western breeders began importing them in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and the modern breed grew from those dogs and later imports.

At home a Saluki is quiet, clean and gentle. Most are affectionate with their family but independent, preferring to lie near you rather than on top of you. They are reserved with strangers and tend to dislike loud, chaotic households. Outdoors, the urge to chase anything that moves fast switches on instantly and completely.

Owners often call them cat-like: dignified, fond of comfort, fussy about the best spot on the sofa and perfectly able to ignore a request when something more interesting catches their eye.

A great match for

calm adult households
owners with access to safe, fenced areas for running
people who value a quiet, gentle companion
experienced sighthound owners

Think twice if

very strong chase instinct and unreliable recall
can clear low fences
feels the cold and needs soft bedding
reserved or aloof with strangers
dislikes rough handling and noisy homes

Personality and needs at a glance

Living together

Good with children

Good with other dogs

Open with strangers

Apartment friendly

Copes with alone time

Energy and character

Energy level

Playfulness

Easy to train

Barking

5 means very vocal

Care and climate

Grooming needs

Shedding

Drooling

Handles cold

Handles heat

How much a Saluki eats

Illustrative calculations for neutered adults at midpoint breed weights, with food at 370 kcal per 100 g and 100 g per cup. These are not measured breed requirements. Use actual weight, the food label and veterinary body-condition advice.

Dog	Weight	Calories	Dry food
Female, relaxed lifestyle	20 kg	910 kcal	245 g (2.5 cups)
Female, typical pet	20 kg	1040 kcal	280 g (2.8 cups)
Male, typical pet	25 kg	1230 kcal	335 g (3.3 cups)
Male, very active	25 kg	1540 kcal	415 g (4.3 cups)

Full Saluki feeding guide Calculate for my dog

Care guides for the Saluki

FeedingSalukis are lean by design and often picky eaters. 5 cups, depending on activity and metabolism.Read more Puppy growthSaluki puppies grow rapidly, reach most of their adult height by about 12 months and then fill out slowly until around 2 years. Along the way they often look all legs, with a narrow chest and a gait that seems to need more coordination than they have.Read more ExerciseSalukis need around an hour of walking a day plus regular chances to gallop in a securely fenced area. Lure coursing, where dogs chase a plastic lure pulled along a line across a field, is ideal and runs through clubs in many countries.Read more GroomingGrooming is refreshingly simple. Brush the silky coat once a week and comb through the feathering on the ears, tail and legs to stop tangles.Read more TrainingSalukis are intelligent but independent. They were bred to hunt at a distance from people and make their own decisions, so doing what you ask is not their top priority.Read more HealthSalukis are generally healthy, but known issues include heart conditions such as dilated cardiomyopathy, certain cancers including hemangiosarcoma, an underactive thyroid and some eye problems. Like other sighthounds, they carry little body fat and can respond differently to anesthesia and to some blood test reference ranges, so a vet familiar with sighthounds is valuable.Read more

Things owners are often surprised by

1Bedouin tradition is often credited with calling the Saluki el hor, the noble one, and treating it differently from ordinary dogs
2Hounds resembling Salukis appear in ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian art, although a direct line of descent is hard to prove
3Often credited with top speeds around 65 km/h (40 mph), and admired even more for stamina over long distances
4The UK Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1923, after imports from the Middle East in the early 1900s
5Healthy Salukis naturally show hip bones and a few ribs, which often alarms people new to sighthounds

Saluki questions

Can a Saluki ever be trusted off lead?

Some can in specific, fully fenced spaces, but very few are reliable in open country. The chase instinct is powerful, and a Saluki may run after a hare or deer for kilometers without looking back. Most owners use enclosed fields, dog parks with high fences or lure coursing events for off-lead exercise, and a long line elsewhere.

Why does my Saluki look so thin?

Salukis are naturally lean, and visible hip bones plus the last two or three ribs are normal for the breed. A Saluki at a healthy weight often looks thin to people used to Labradors. Ask your vet to assess body condition with sighthound norms in mind. Sudden weight loss, a change in appetite or low energy should always be checked.

Are Salukis good with cats?

Some live happily with cats they were raised with, especially calm indoor cats. Their chase instinct is strong, though, so introductions must be gradual and supervised, and a cat that runs may still trigger a chase. Many Salukis that accept the family cat indoors will still pursue unfamiliar cats outside. Small pets such as rabbits are best kept fully separate.

What is the difference between a feathered and a smooth Saluki?

Only the coat. Feathered Salukis have longer, silky hair on the ears, tail and backs of the legs, while smooth Salukis have short hair all over. Both varieties share the same body, temperament and history, can appear in the same litter and are judged against the same breed standard.

Do Salukis get cold easily?

Yes. With little body fat and a thin coat, Salukis feel the cold and are often seen wearing coats in winter. Provide a fitted coat for walks in cold or wet weather, soft, raised bedding indoors and a draft-free spot to sleep. Shivering or reluctance to walk in cold weather are signs your dog needs more warmth.

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