Traditionally, you could not buy a Saluki in the breed’s homeland. According to the FCI standard, these Middle Eastern dogs were never sold, only presented as gifts of honour. That is precisely how they reached Europe, explaining why Salukis still do not all look alike.
| FCI | Group 10 (Sighthounds), Section 1 Long-haired or fringed Sighthounds, Standard No. 269, without working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Middle East (patronage FCI) |
| Size (height at the withers) | averaging 58 to 71 cm, females proportionately smaller |
| Weight | not specified in the FCI standard |
| Life expectancy | median 13.3 years in a UK analysis of 584,734 dogs, including 428 Salukis (McMillan et al. 2024) |
| Coat | smooth, soft and silky, feathering on legs, ears and tail; smooth variety without any feathering |
| Colours in the standard | all colours and colour combinations permitted; brindle undesirable |
A gift rather than a commodity
Salukis have hunted by sight in the Middle East for thousands of years. According to the standard, each tribe kept the dogs best suited to local quarry. Since the region is vast and terrain and climate vary greatly, diversity of type is expressly desired. The British standard of 1923 was Europe’s first, intended to cover all these types. The same FCI section includes the Afghan Hound and the Borzoi.
Dignity with distance
Reserved towards strangers but neither shy nor aggressive, dignified, intelligent and independent: that is the standard’s portrait. These dogs bond closely with their people but show it quietly. You will not get enthusiastic obedience to every command. Patience, short exercises and rewards achieve much; pressure makes them withdraw.
Speed and endurance
The standard’s overall impression includes grace, great speed and endurance. Regular galloping exercise is therefore needed, most safely in fenced areas or at lure coursing and racing with a sighthound club. If a hare appears outdoors, calling is usually pointless; off-lead running in open terrain remains risky. Afterwards, these dogs doze for a long time somewhere soft.
Little coat work
The smooth, silky hair rarely mats. Comb feathering on ears, tail and legs once or twice a week; the smooth variety manages with a grooming mitt. With little body fat, these dogs quickly feel cold in wet or chilly weather, so a winter coat is no luxury.
Health: different normal values
In McMillan and colleagues’ UK analysis, Salukis lived a median of 13.3 years, compared with 12.0 for crossbreeds. The difference was not conclusively statistically established. Another point matters for veterinary visits: in 283 healthy Salukis, several thyroid values fell well outside usual reference ranges. In the same study, hypothyroidism diagnoses in 76.1 percent of 398 sighthounds rested solely on low hormone values (Shiel et al. 2010). The authors therefore recommend breed-specific thresholds. Saluki-specific heart ultrasound reference values also exist, established in 75 healthy dogs (Giraut et al. 2019). Feel free to discuss this with your practice.
A good home with
Calm, patient people who appreciate an independent companion, can reach secure running areas and enjoy sighthound sports. Older children who respect the dog’s resting places fit well.
Difficulties arise if
you want reliable off-lead freedom, expect cats and rabbits to live together without checking compatibility or value obedience on demand. You would both want something the other cannot provide.
The breed quiz helps you assess whether an independent sighthound fits your life; our book “Which Dog REALLY Suits You?” (book in German) provides more background. If a puppy is joining you, try the free Puppy Starter Pack. Capture your Saluki as wall art through our dog portraits, for example as a poster in a wooden frame.
Further reading
- Is my dog overweight? How to assess body condition and ideal weight
- Dog pulling on the lead: 5 mistakes almost everyone makes
- Older dog, new rules: how to give your senior their best years
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI Standard No. 269 Saluki (fci.be, German version dated 02.02.2001, valid publication date 25.10.2000); Shiel RE et al., Assessment of criteria used by veterinary practitioners to diagnose hypothyroidism in sighthounds and investigation of serum thyroid hormone concentrations in healthy Salukis, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 2010; Giraut S et al., Breed-specific reference ranges for standard echocardiographic measurements in salukis, Journal of Small Animal Practice 2019; McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024.
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