THE SALUKI STANDARD
idea of how similar these types actually are (both in historical and in more recent times) and, thus, what to look for in the ring. For those of us who hunted live game for many years with our Salukis, watching great athletes perform from a hundred different bloodlines is an education. It gives one insight into why many Salu- kis perform exceptionally well at this type of hunting and some do not. Though this breed has been called “elegant,” this term can also be associated with the excessively thin or fragile—and these words absolutely do not describe a correct Saluki. No Saluki (or any Sight- hound) that hunts successfully for most of its life is fragile. Salukis need to be a lean and muscular, hunting at high speeds over difficult terrain for very long distances, type of dog. The standard specifical- ly calls this the “…impression of grace and symmetry and of great speed and endurance coupled with strength and activity to enable it to kill gazelle or other quarry over deep sand or rocky mountains.” Combining a physique equipped to do its job for a lifetime, with a natural instinct and great desire, you have the Saluki breed—suc- cessful for well over 5,000 years! This is the Saluki to preserve.
Diane Divin is currently Vice President of the Saluki Club of America, an AKC judge, an international business consultant, and an adjunct professor at the University of Texas at Dallas in their global supply chain master’s program. Diane has authored articles in the American Saluki Association newsletter, The Classic Saluki, Saluki International, and other canine publications.
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JANUARY 2021 | 219
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