Over the years we have had a few breeds here at Milbrose.  We started years ago in Goldens and Flat Coated Retrievers.  Over time we added Irish Wolfhounds and now we have added a Saluki.  I adore my Irish Wolfhounds but they can be difficult logistically.  That is all fine, get a bigger car, buy bigger beds that is all no problem until one day you have an elderly wolfhound and have trouble moving the giant dog from one room to another, or into the car for a vet visit and they are not able to get outside without you lifting them and all of a sudden the logistics become more difficult.  

 

The problem is that I absolutely love sighthounds.  I love their attitude and sass.  I love how they work with you because they want to and relate so differently.  A friend of mine had Salukis and I had admired them for years.  When Kenna went off to the Summerlands in March.  I thought and thought, do I get another wolfhound knowing what I know or do I add a Saluki to the family, a dog I had admired for years.  You can see here where that went.  

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Beckett (Sarea Treacle Tart at Milbrose) is our first Saluki and I can tell you he is nothing like our Wolfhound.  He is high energy.  Seriously high energy.  I had read that Saluki can jump 5' from standing. The first time I found my 10 week old on the back of the sofa I was astonished.  Yes it is true.  I had heard that they can run a top speed of over 40 mph... well yes he can.  Saluki were bred to hunt in the desserts of Persia, they were long distance runners who would hunt gazelle and hare.  While a greyhound is faster by a mile an hour or so, they are sprinters.  A Saluki is a 42mph distance runner.  I read they can run 2 miles in 4 minutes. 

 

Is he aloof?  sometimes, he really is all about his family but he is very capable of entertaining himself.   While he loves everyone in the house, he is really my dog and he is very connected.  I think where the aloof reputation comes in is because he is not a lab or a golden. They love their people and are devoted to their family and he doesn't really care to much about other people.  

 

He is a thief and I mean a thief... he doesn't just steal food, he steals anything that catches his attention and let me tell you a lot catches his eye, he is sighthound after all.   Beckett has stolen food of course but also.... shoes, socks, shirts, tax forms, airline confirmation emails, mail, money, plants, fish food, yarn, silverwear need I go on.  In talking to my breeder she said that this thievery is built right into the genetics of the breed.  I believe that.... 

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Saluki are clever and he is wiley... and given the opportunity he will run circles around you.  He is at least as smart as I am and he is very sneaky.  He is also fast!  Very fast with. top speed of about 42mph.  This means that if he is running you are not catching him.  If he has grabbed something he doesn't want me to take away and he starts running, my only hope is to use my bigger brain and hopefully I can outsmart him, that sometimes works, sometimes not! 

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He is the first dog I have ever owned that required a wardrobe.  I was very concerned about him living in Northern New England, but that has turned out not to be an issue.  He is very good about letting me know when he is cold.  He does have a coat that he wears when we are going to a place where we might have to hang out outside for a few minutes.  If I think I will need a coat then Beckett wears a coat, but I would say the majority of the time he is naked.  He plays with our goldens outside no problem.  While Saluki may look fragile, they are solid dogs. He is not nearly as delicate as he looks.  As a whole Saluki are a healthy breed avoiding some of the orthopedic issues that plague other breeds with an average life expectancy of 10-17 years.

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I can't tell you everything about Saluki, I know he wants to be chased more than anything.  I know he likes his toys and he does need to have beds because he is bony.  I do know that at night he gets cold in our house here in Northern New England if he doesn't have a blanket and bed, but that could just be him and we do keep the house cold at night.  I know that he is not a heavy shedder, and I know that he can swim and there are Dock Diving Salukis (he is still learning about water).  I had heard Salukis are stubborn and have a mind of their own.  I can't speak to this, Beckett has his moments of being stubborn, but don't we all, as a whole he has been quite biddable but then again he is being brought up by Golden Retrievers.  

 

There is a great deal that I don't know, he is our first Saluki and he is still a wee bairn but I will say that I have loved every minute with him and I thank my lucky stars that my breeder trusted this newbie with him.