Thursday, July 11, 2013

A Saluki Dog Is An Interesting Breed

By Carmella Watts


A Saluki dog belongs to the hound category. Within the latter group, such dogs are classified as either gazehounds or sighthounds. This is because they do not use a sense of smell to locate and capture their prey, but rather use their keen eyesight. Such dogs initially made their appearance in America in eighteen sixty-one, when the first Saluki was owned in Boston. In nineteen twenty-nine, the American Kennel Club recognized the canine as its own classification within the hound category.

Such dogs have a long and interesting history. Carvings of such dogs were found in ancient Egypt, and DNA tests have proved that these animals were one of the fourteen ancient breeds resulting from the earliest crossbreeding with wolves. The breeding of such dogs began in Europe in 1895, and by 1923 they were recognized by the Kennel Club of England.

Like all gazehounds, the Saluki is a highly independent dog because of its bloodline. Their natural instinct motivates them to chase moving creatures. They can be challenging to train because of their independent nature and they often have characteristics that are quite similar to felines. With patience, however, they can be properly trained, similar to any other canine breed.

Such dogs are quite tall. They typically measure 24 to 28 inches high, but their build is lean. Females are usually a bit shorter than males, and the average weight of each dog is 13 to 29 kilograms.

According to animal experts, the eyes of such dogs should be brown or hazel. The nose of this dog breed is almost always light brown or black. Their tails often have a drooping appearance because they are low to ground, although they are not very long. Their coats are somewhat feathery, and a thinning of the fur is usually noticed around the underside of the tail and legs.

The color fur Salukis have will vary significantly from one animal to another. The coat may be a solid shade, such as black, brown, white, cream, fawn, or gold. It may also be white, black and tan. The dogs also typically have unique markings that are very different from one Saluki to the next, depending on the animal's lineage. The markings may appear to be swirls, spots, or the dog may have a white collar. In some cases, the dog's feet are different color then the rest of his or her fur.

A healthy, well bred Saluki hound often has a lifespan of approximately 15 years. However, heart conditions and autoimmune disorders are common health issues among dogs of this breed. In their later years, they are sometimes prone to malignancies as well. Additionally, because they do not carry as much body fat as most canines, they may have a negative reaction to anesthesia. One should discuss this with his or her veterinarian if the Saluki ever needs surgery.

A Saluki dog should only be purchased from a reputable breeder. It is always wise to check the reputation of any individual from whom one is planning to purchase such a dog. Is also a good idea to visit the area where the dog was bred to ensure that one is not making a purchase from a puppy mill. Regardless of an individual's reason for wanting to acquire this type of pet, he or she will likely find that such dogs are fun and interesting to own.




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