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Hound Handbook
Insurance guide
Breed profile

Saluki

Ancient desert sighthound: graceful, gentle and reserved, with a chase instinct that overrides everything.

Fawn feathered Saluki galloping across dry, sunlit ground
A Saluki at full stretch, the way it was bred to move.Photo: Ali Golshan / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Weight
18–29 kg40–64 lb
Height
58–71 cm23–28 in
Lifespan
11–15 yrs
Group
Hound
Origin
Middle East
Popularity
#135 US#124 UK · 2025

Known for: Running partnersQuietWarm climatesLow grooming

Energy
Shedding
Trainability
Barking
Good with kids
Flat-friendly

Temperament

Gentle, Reserved, Independent, Dignified.

Health problems to know about

  • Heart disease (valve disease, cardiomyopathy)
  • Cancers (haemangiosarcoma, lymphoma)
  • Bloat (GDV)
  • Skin problems (dermatitis, hair loss)

Ask breeders for the parents' health test results, and check what your national breed club recommends screening for.

Daily care

Daily walks plus regular sprints in a securely fenced area; most can't be trusted off lead. Light grooming, with feathering brushed weekly. Soft bedding for bony joints.

A good fit for

Calm adult homes, runners, owners who want a quiet, sensitive companion.

Probably not ideal for

Homes with cats or small pets, people needing reliable recall, and gardens with low fences.

Sources

  1. Saluki Dog Breed Information | American Kennel Club
  2. Saluki | Breeds A to Z | The Royal Kennel Club
  3. Saluki | Wikipedia

Popularity: AKC 2025 registration rankings (US); Royal Kennel Club 2025 registrations (UK, ranked by us). Breed traits are tendencies, not guarantees. Individual dogs vary, and mixed breeds and rescues can be wonderful fits too.

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Sloughi

Smooth-coated North African sighthound: sensitive, reserved and quietly devoted to its family.

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Rhodesian Ridgeback

Athletic African hound with a ridge of backward-growing hair along the spine. Dignified, loyal and quietly protective, with a will of its own.

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A fast, tricolour American coonhound descended from foxhounds. Friendly and mellow at home, tireless on a scent, with a ringing bay.

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