At a glance the quick version
The FCI standard sets no weight; range from Wikipedia, with females generally lighter.
Coat and looks how to spot one
smooth or feathered
A fine, soft, silky coat. The feathered variety carries longer silky hair on the ears, the backs of the legs and thighs and sometimes the throat; the smooth variety has no feathering. The body is lean, graceful and built for speed and endurance.32
Personality what they are like
A gentle, dignified and independent hound that is quietly devoted to its people. It tends to be reserved with strangers without being nervous or unfriendly, and has a strong instinct to chase anything that moves.352
Daily activity how busy a day looks
High: the Royal Kennel Club suggests more than two hours of exercise a day, ideally including safe off-lead running in a secure area.42
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Weekly brushing is enough for most Salukis; feathered dogs need a little extra care on the ears and leg feathering.43
Home where they are happiest
Calm and quiet indoors, so it can adapt to flat living provided it gets long daily exercise and a securely fenced space to run.24
Company who they like around
Enjoys company and does not like being left alone for long periods. Its chase instinct means care is needed around small pets.2
The story where it all began
Sighthounds of Saluki type have hunted alongside people in the Middle East for thousands of years, with dogs like them shown in ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian art. Bedouin tribes prized them with their horses and falcons for hunting gazelle, hare and fox. The breed reached England in the 19th century and was formally recognised there in 1923.342
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
By tradition Salukis were not sold but given as gifts of honour.3
- 2
A Saluki was listed in the 1996 Guinness Book of Records as the fastest dog, clocked at about 68.8 km/h.2
- 3
Bedouin hunters sometimes worked Salukis together with falcons.4
- 4
Although dogs were widely seen as unclean in traditional Muslim culture, the Saluki was treated as an honoured exception.2
- 5
Because each tribe bred for its own terrain and game, the breed shows natural variety in type, and the standard accepts almost any colour.3
Recognised by the official bits
- FCI
- Standard no. 269, Group 10 (Sighthounds), Section 1 long-haired or fringed sighthounds; definitively accepted 8 April 1966, current standard published 25 October 2000; fringed and smooth varieties.1
- The Royal Kennel Club
- Hound group; recognised in 1923 per Wikipedia; not a vulnerable native breed.4
- AKC
- Hound Group; recognised in 1929.2
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Saluki. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Brushingevery week
- Bathevery 8 weeks
- Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery month
- Ear checkevery 2 weeks
- Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
- ExerciseDaily walks and playevery day
- Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 7every year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FCI nomenclature: Saluki (269) fci.beused for recognition, origin
- Wikipedia: Saluki en.wikipedia.orgused for other names, weight, lifespan, AKC/KC years, facts (secondary)
- FCI Standard No. 269 Saluki fci.beused for height, coat, colours, temperament, history
- The Royal Kennel Club: Saluki royalkennelclub.comused for exercise, grooming, lifespan, history
- AKC: Saluki breed page akc.orgused for temperament summary
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.