Saluki — size comparison

The Saluki is a slender sighthound with long legs, a deep chest, a narrow head and an elongated muzzle. Large eyes give it a calm, attentive expression. Feathering decorates the ears, tail and legs in one variety; a smooth-coated variety also exists. Its light frame carries the muscles needed for fast running across open ground.

The breed comes from a broad area of the Middle East, where local communities used sighthounds for hunting. Different populations developed in different climates and terrain and hunted different prey. Dogs arriving in Europe therefore varied in type. The British standard of 1923 allowed for this diversity, which remains part of the breed.

At home, a Saluki may be quiet and understated in showing affection, with strong attachments to particular people. It is often reserved with strangers and may find repeated commands less interesting than its surroundings. A fast-moving animal can immediately trigger pursuit, revealing the concentration and speed beneath its calm manner.

Measurement sources

• Wzorzec rasy
• Waga i charakter — Hill’s
• AKC — długość życia, pielęgnacja i historia
• Saluki Club of America — zarejestrowana prędkość