Good and clean and fresh...

The Saluki's coat is smooth, silky and odourless. Saluki require very little grooming, and seldom need a bath since they never smell doggy. Day-to-day grooming merely involves keeping the coat smooth by brushing out dead hairs from time to time with a rubber curry comb and keeping the knots out of the feathering. 

For regular grooming, you will need 
* a good quality slicker brush
* a soft rubber curry comb
* good quality dog or human shampoo

Bath your Saluki in a bath, preferably with a hand-held shower. Wet  the dog thoroughly then work in the shampoo. Rinse carefully, taking care not to get water in the ear cavity.

Nails should be clipped regularly  with a special pet nail trimmer. Ensure that you take off just the tip - if you cut the quick, apply a little Conde's Crystals on a damp cotton bud with some pressure. Some Saluki will keep their nails short naturally if they have access to hard ground.

* How much time do I need to spend exercising my Saluki?
A walk on a lead allows him to explore his neighbourhood and socialise with other dogs and people in a controlled way. From time to time your Saluki will need to burn off energy in a fast, free run in a safe, open place such as the beach, an open plot, or the local sports field - far away from cars and other dangers. A Saluki moves very far, very fast - if a field adjoins a busy road, say goodbye to your Saluki.

* Can a Saluki be trained to be obedient?
They can, and must be trained, otherwise you will have an unruly monster on your hands. A Saluki responds best to discipline tempered with love and patience, not force. He will never be as competitively obedient as a German Shepherd, for example, but can learn commands like "sit", "stand", "stay", and "come" with positive reinforcement methods.

Lead training

You can put a lightweight collar on your puppy and let her play around for a while. It is not a good idea to let a Saluki wear a collar all the time, because of the possibility of it getting caught and strangling the puppy. Turn the business of putting on a collar into a game, and after a few days, you can attach a light lead as well.

When you feel that your puppy is accustomed to the experience, you can begin by taking the other end of the lead and calling her to you while gently tugging the lead. She will probably buck at the new sensation - go with it, avoid tight pressure on the other side or it will frighten her. With patience and understanding you will be able to hold the lead without her panicking, then you can encourage her to respond to the lead, always using exciting call noises and treats. Eventually, she will be able to walk next to you on the lead - not very straight at first - but if she comes with you, half the battle is won.

Play

Saluki puppies start to play with their litter mates as soon as they become more aware of their surroundings. Romping around the whelping box on legs that won't stay underneath them, they practise their fiercest growls and sharpen their newly-emerging teeth on each other. At this point, the dam frequently decides that enough is enough, and jumps out of the whelping box to observe the shenanigans from a safer vantage point. As they grow older, the games become positively violent in their frenetic energy. Every action, every move, is part of the learning and developing process as they acquire new life skills and establish themselves in the hierarchy. Just as suddenly as the gaming starts, it will abruptly end, as every youngster collapses in the communal heap to recharge their batteries for the next burst.

Young Saluki are naturally inquisitive, boisterous and full of mischief. Play is an essential part of the learning experience. A range of toys are essential so that the puppy has something with which to amuse itself during its play period.  Although there are many commercial toys on the market, Saluki are also rather fond of shredding newspaper or cardboard tubes, or even plastic bottles (with the tops removed).

Because the hunting instinct is very strong in Saluki, you may want to tie a piece of sheepskin to a thin rope. This you can drag around the garden - at great speed, of course - and encourage the little one to chase it. (Probably won't need much encouragement)

A Saluki's favourite toy is a fluffy wotsit. Unfortunately they don't last long because they're generally disembowelled within the hour, but do take care to remove the fluffy toy's plastic eyes before handing it over. Some Saluki like playing with a Buster Cube, which allows bits of kibble to fall out of a tunnel-like hole, encouraging the pup to keep rolling it around, trying to empty it of all its titbits.

Making the short-list

Let's assume that you've already chosen or short-listed a Saluki as your kind of dog. What made you choose the breed? Perhaps you saw a picture of one, or perhaps you saw one in the flesh. It's elegance, grace and drop-dead gorgeous looks might have helped you make up your mind. Well, I suppose we all get caught up that way initially, but there's more to a Saluki than just good looks.

The truth is, there are just as many good reasons to take a Saluki into your home as there are bad reasons. The articles in this section will set out to expose the down side as well as the good times. If you can survive the warnings herein and you can meet the requirements for keeping your Saluki safe and healthy, you are probably a very suitable candidate for a Saluki in your home.

And if you already have a Saluki or two, or had one in the past, you will know that there really is no other canine to match the Saluki's charming appeal.

Mealtimes

There are many varied and valid opinions on the most suitable diet for sighthounds. Some owners prefer to follow a natural diet of raw meat, cereals and vegetables, while others prefer to use premium-quality dog foods. Do remember that your Saluki puppy will have special nutritional requirements for the first year of her life while she is growing up, so a balanced diet with the correct nutrients in the correct amounts is essential. You should follow the breeder's recommendations and feed your puppy the same type of food in the same quantities to which she has been accustomed. Should you later decide to change the diet, you should do so very gradually to prevent upsetting the puppy's digestive system.