Breeds / Large
Saluki puppies
Reserved with strangers but not nervous, dignified, intelligent and independent, the Saluki is an ancient coursing sighthound. Bitches are considerably smaller than dogs, which the breed standard treats as typical.
The facts
- Size class Large
- Country of origin Middle East
- Adult weight 18.1 to 29.5 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 40 to 65 lb
- Adult height 58 to 71 cm
- Energy level High
- Grooming Low
- Coat type Short smooth
- Shedding Low
- Typical lifespan 10 to 17 years
- Good with children Fine with supervision
- Good with other dogs Fine with supervision
About the Saluki
The Saluki is one of the oldest recognised sighthound types, kept across the Middle East by nomadic peoples to course gazelle and hare over open ground. This is a light framed hound of 18.1 to 29.5 kg and 58 to 71 cm, built long and narrow for speed and endurance, and comes in a feathered variety with fringing on the ears and tail and a smooth variety without. They are quiet, dignified and reserved with strangers, affectionate with their own household on their own terms.
They need regular exercise, daily walks on a lead and a well fenced space where they can run properly. Grooming is a weekly brush, more where the ear and tail feathering is long, and this is a naturally clean dog that rarely smells. Training rewards patience because the breed is independent by nature. Rated three out of five with children and other pets, so supervision and socialisation matter, and small fast animals will be chased. Open ground is no place to trust a Saluki off lead.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Saluki puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and they will need a job to do long before they need long walks. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Heart conditions including valve disease and arrhythmia, screened by a cardiac exam
- Thyroid disease, screened by a thyroid evaluation
- Cancers including haemangiosarcoma, osteosarcoma and lymphoma
- Bloat and gastric torsion, which vigorous running and playing after eating can trigger
- Autoimmune and blood conditions, which have been reported in the breed
Your Saluki puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a Saluki.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 18.1 to 29.5 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Kit sizes: crate 36 inch (36 x 24 x 26 in, 91 x 61 x 66 cm) for an adult of up to 29.5 kg; chew toys made for large breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.
Buying guides for this
Other large breeds
More on the Saluki
Previous: Saarloos Wolfhond · Next: Samoyed
Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.
Sources
- akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
- fci.be for country of origin
- Health notes from Saluki breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/saluki/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Photo: Redgunamo, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.