Editing Saluki

{{About|the dog breed|the passenger train service|Illini and Saluki|the college sports program that uses this animal as a symbol|Southern Illinois Salukis}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox Dogbreed
| country = [[Fertile Crescent]]<ref name=freedman2013/>
| fcistd = http://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/SALUKI-269.html
| image = Red Smooth Saluki.jpg
| image_caption =
| name = Saluki
| coat = Smooth and "feathered"
| color = White, cream, fawn, red, grizzle/tan, black/tan, and tri-color (white, black and tan)
| weight = {{convert|40|-|60|lb|kg|order=flip|abbr=on}}
| height = {{convert|23|-|28|in|cm|order=flip|abbr=on}}
| litter_size =
| life_span  = 12–14
}}
The '''Saluki''' or '''Persian hound''' ([[Persian language|Persian]]:سگ تازی، [[Arabic]]: سلوقي) is a [[Breed standard|standardised breed]] developed from [[sighthound]]s – dogs that hunt primarily by sight rather than strong scent – that was once used by nomadic tribes to run down [[Game (animal)|game animals]].<ref name=behavior /> The dog was originally bred in the [[Fertile Crescent]].<ref name=freedman2013/> The modern breed is typically deep-chested and long-legged,<ref name="behavior"/> and similar dogs appear in medieval and ancient art. The breed is most closely related to the [[Afghan hound]], a [[Dog breed#Basal breeds|basal breed]] that predates the emergence of modern breeds in the 19th century,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Parker |first=Heidi G. |date=2004 |title=Genetic structure of the purebred domestic dog |journal=Science |volume=304 |issue=5674 |pages=1160–1164, page 1161 and figure 2 |doi=10.1126/science.1097406 |display-authors=etal |pmid=15155949|bibcode=2004Sci...304.1160P |s2cid=43772173 }}</ref> and the Saluki has been [[purebred]] both in the Middle East, including by royalty, since at least that era, and in the West (especially in Britain and Germany) since the 1840s (with breed standards established in the West and the Middle East around the 1920s–1930s), though as a free-breeding [[landrace]], similar dogs are common as [[Feral dog|feral animals]] in the Middle East. A related standardised breed is the north African [[Sloughi]].
The saluki is known as one possible explanation for the mythical [[Set animal]].

[[File:Cream saluki on grass.jpg|thumb|200px|Saluki Dog]]

==Name==
The origins of the name of the breed are not clear.<ref>Smith, G. Rex. "The Arabian hound, the salūqī–further consideration of the word and other observations on the breed." Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 43.3 (1980): 459-465.</ref><ref name=mee21>{{cite news|first=Harun|last=Al Aswad|title=Meet Syria's 'loyal, affectionate and very intelligent' Saluki dogs|url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/syria-saluki-dogs-loyal-affectionate-intelligent-meet-pictures|access-date=29 August 2021|work=Middle East Eye|date=23 August 2021|archive-date=29 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829104308/https://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/syria-saluki-dogs-loyal-affectionate-intelligent-meet-pictures|url-status=live}}</ref> The Saluki has also been called the gazelle hound, Arabian hound, and the Persian greyhound.<ref name=behavior/> One suggested origin of the breed's name is ancient [[Sumerian language|Sumerian]] {{lang|sux-Latn|salu-ki}} translating to 'plunge-earth'.<ref>{{cite web|title=International World History Project|url=http://history-world.org/sumerianwords2.htm|access-date=30 September 2015|archive-date=18 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160618214931/http://history-world.org/sumerianwords2.htm|url-status=usurped}}</ref> However, there is no evidence a breed existed then or was referred to by the Sumerians with this name, nor is it certain what "plunge [to/into] earth" might have meant in reference to dogs. It is suggestive of digging for burrowing prey animals, but there is also a story {{crossreference printworthy|([[Saluki#Swiftness and physical capacity|see below]])}} of dogs being thrown toward quarry animals by a camel-mounted hunter.

The name used for the modern breed could be derived from {{Transliteration|ar|Saluqiyyah}} (Arabic for "[[Seleucia]]", a city of [[Mesopotamia]] now in [[Iraq]]), appearing in [[Pre-Islamic Arabia|pre-Islamic]] [[Arabic poetry]]. However, this is disputed.<ref name="royalhunt"/>{{rp|56}} British diplomat [[Terence Clark]] wrote that the Arabic word {{Transliteration|ar|saluqi}} indicates 'person or thing from a place named Saluq'. Arab tradition states that Saluq was an ancient town in [[Yemen]] not far from modern [[Ta'izz]], and the Arabs associate this town with the origin of the breed. However, the word {{Transliteration|ar|saluqi}} might have been derived from reference to several other places: Saluq in [[Armenia]], and three towns called Saluqiyah. One has become modern [[Silifke]], [[Turkey]]; another is near [[Antioch]] (modern [[Antakya]]), Turkey; and third is located near [[Baghdad]], Iraq. Baghdad eclipsed [[Ctesiphon]], the capital of the [[Persian Empire]], which was located some {{cvt|30|km|mi|-1}} to the southeast. Ctesiphon itself had replaced and absorbed Seleucia, the first capital of the [[Seleucid Empire]] (312 BC – 65 AD).<ref name="Clark's website"/>

Regardless, the adjective {{Transliteration|ar|saluqi}} may have been derived by the [[Arabs]] of the [[Arabian Peninsula]] from the similar-sounding word for Seleucid used in the [[Aramaic language|Aramaic]] and [[Syriac language|Syriac]] languages spoken there by the [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]] of that part of [[Mesopotamia]], but there is no irrefutable evidence.<ref name="Clark's website">[http://www.saluqi.net/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619022453/http://saluqi.net/|date=19 June 2013}} Saluqi.net</ref>

[[File:Kurdish Saluki.jpg|thumb|200px|Kurdish Saluki from the west of Iran]]

==Description==
[[File:Long-haired Saluki from Qatar.jpg|thumb|150px|"Feathered" Saluki from Qatar.|alt=]]
[[File:Saluki dog breed.jpg|thumb|150px|Saluki with a dark colored coat.]]

Salukis are sighthounds – hunting by sight more than scent or sound – and run their quarry down to kill or retrieve it. The normal size range for the modern breed is {{convert|23|-|28|in|cm|order=flip}} high at the [[withers]] and {{convert|35|-|70|lb|kg|order=flip}} in weight.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=The dog encyclopedia|publisher=DK Publishing, Inc.|others=Dennis-Bryan, Kim, Baggaley, Ann, John, Katie|isbn=9781465421166|edition= First American |location=New York|oclc=859155647|date = 2013-10-01}}</ref> Female Salukis are slightly smaller than males.<ref name="palika342">[[#Palika2007|Palika (2007)]]: p. 342</ref> The head is long and narrow with large eyes and drop ears.<ref name="palika342"/> The tail of the breed is long and curved.<ref name="palika342"/> It has the typical deep-chested, long-legged body of sighthounds.<ref name="behavior">{{cite book|last=Case|first=Linda P.|title=The Dog: Its Behavior, Nutrition, and Health |date=2005 |publisher=Wiley-Blackwell |isbn=978-0-8138-1254-0|page=24|url={{Google books|plainurl=yes|id=FQijE4uIGGoC|page=24}}}}</ref> The coat comes in a variety of colors including white, cream, fawn, red, grizzle/tan, black/tan, and tri-color (white, black and tan).<ref>{{cite book|last=Hale|first=Rachel|title=Dogs: 101 Adorable Breeds|date=2008|publisher=Andrews McMeel|isbn=978-0-7407-7342-6|url=https://archive.org/details/dogs101adorableb0000mcke}}</ref>

The overall appearance of the Saluki is grace and symmetry. Two coat types – smooth and "feathered" – are evident in the breed's gene pool. The latter variety has light fluffing on the back of the legs, thighs, ears, and sometimes the throat.<ref name=behavior /> The fur on both types is silky<ref name=toptotail /> and is low-shedding when compared to other breeds.<ref name=meetsalukis /> Salukis bred in the Middle East most commonly have short hair.

There is a type called "desert Saluki" or "Sinai Saluki" or "Hijazi Saluki", which descends from bloodlines brought directly from the original region of the breed. It exists in the entire Middle Eastern region but the origin is West of the Arabian Peninsula. In Israel the type is known as the "Negev Saluki".<ref name="israel">{{cite web |url=http://www.qashani.com/as_israel.html |title=Aavikkosalukit Israelissa |publisher=Qashani Saluqis |access-date=8 December 2018 |archive-date=14 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414084245/http://qashani.com/as_israel.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The desert Saluki does not have influence of western lines and it tends to have a more primitive appearance. It often has a broader skull, shorter muzzle, shorter and more compact body, broader chest, less angulations, and shorter tail than the western equivalent. Some desert Salukis imported from the original region have cropped ears because of the common tradition in countries such as Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Syria. However, it is difficult to strictly determine what desert Salukis originated from due to the "original" bloodlines being bred in the Western world for 4 to 5 generations.<ref name="desert">{{cite web |url=http://www.qashani.com/aavikkosaluki.html |title=Aavikkosaluki: Mikä ja miksi |publisher=Qashani Saluqis |access-date=8 December 2018 |archive-date=9 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181209124706/http://www.qashani.com/aavikkosaluki.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The breed existed in the US by the 1980s and there has been breeding in France since the 1990s. The first desert Salukis in Finland were imported from Israel in February 2000.<ref name="finland">{{cite web |url=http://www.qashani.com/findex.html |title=Suomen ensimmäiset aavikkosalukit |publisher=Qashani Saluqis |access-date=8 December 2018 |archive-date=14 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814211738/http://qashani.com/findex.html |url-status=live }}</ref> After that, more have been imported from countries such as Syria, Oman, Qatar, and Turkey. In addition to their countries of birth, they have for example Iranian, Moroccan, Bahraini, and Saudi Arabian "Bedouin Saluki" dogs in their background.

==Swiftness and physical capacity==
While the [[Greyhound]] is credited as being the fastest dog breed up to distances of around {{convert|800|m|ft}}, the Saluki is thought to be faster over longer distances. In 1996, The [[Guinness Book of Records]] listed a Saluki as being the fastest dog, capable of reaching a speed of {{cvt|68.8|km/h}}.<ref>{{cite book |last=Murgai |first=R. P. |title=Hand Book of Dogs |date=1996 |publisher=New Age International |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cPPTZvzNNHMC&q=saluki&pg=PA108 |page=108 |isbn=9788122408935 |access-date=20 October 2020 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107232957/https://books.google.com/books?id=cPPTZvzNNHMC&q=saluki&pg=PA108 |url-status=live }}</ref> Due to its heavily padded feet being able to absorb the impact on its body, the Saluki has remarkable stamina when running.<ref name="toptotail">{{cite book |last=Alderton |first=David |title=Top to Tail: The 360 Degrees Guide to Picking Your Perfect Pet |date=2006 |publisher=David & Charles |isbn=978-0-7153-2589-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1KOVN40Y0-0C&q=saluki&pg=PA71 |page=71 |access-date=20 October 2020 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107233012/https://books.google.com/books?id=1KOVN40Y0-0C&q=saluki&pg=PA71 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Historically, the ancestors of the modern Saluki breed were used for hunting by nomadic tribes. Typical quarry included the gazelle, hare, fox and [[jackal]].<ref name=behavior /> While hunting hares, Bedouin hunters would sometimes ride close to their quarry on a [[camel]] holding such a dog, which would be thrown towards the prey while at speed to give the dog a running start.<ref>{{cite book |last=Vine |first=Peter |title=Natural Emirates: Wild Life and Environment of the United Arab Emirates |date=1997 |publisher=Trident Press |isbn=978-1-900724-02-9 |page=233 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6PTl3wUEJtgC&q=saluki&pg=PA233 |access-date=20 October 2020 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107232958/https://books.google.com/books?id=6PTl3wUEJtgC&q=saluki&pg=PA233 |url-status=live }}</ref> Gazelle hunters have also used hawks or falcons to attack the head of the prey so that the dogs could then bring down the distracted animal.

==Temperament==
The modern Saluki has retained qualities of hunting hounds and may seem reserved to strangers. The often independent and aloof breed may be difficult to train, and they generally cannot be trusted to return to their owner when off-leash. Training methods have been recommended to be always gentle and patient.<ref name="whatdog">{{cite book |last=O'Neil |first=Amanda |title=What Dog? |date=2006 |publisher=Interpet Publishing |isbn=978-1-84286-117-2 |pages=162–163 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t65Fl6AdgfkC&q=saluki&pg=PA162 |access-date=20 October 2020 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107232958/https://books.google.com/books?id=t65Fl6AdgfkC&q=saluki&pg=PA162 |url-status=live }}</ref> Salukis may bore easily and are not an ideal breed to leave unattended for long periods; however, they are well-suited to life in apartments, since they are generally quiet and calm as adults.<ref>{{cite web|title=Saluki |url= http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/services/public/breeds/display.aspx?id=1027 |publisher=The Kennel Club |access-date=6 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101129085918/http://the-kennel-club.org.uk/services/public/breeds/display.aspx?id=1027 |archive-date=29 November 2010 }}</ref> The saluki does not typically enjoy rough games or activities such as retrieving balls, but does enjoy soft toys. Early socialisation will help prevent timidity and shyness in later life.<ref name="whatdog"/> Given its hunting instincts, the dog is prone to chasing moving objects, such as cats, birds, squirrels, and bugs.<ref name=meetsalukis />

==Health==
A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 13.3 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for [[Mongrel|crossbreeds]].<ref>{{cite journal | last=McMillan | first=Kirsten M. | last2=Bielby | first2=Jon | last3=Williams | first3=Carys L. | last4=Upjohn | first4=Melissa M. | last5=Casey | first5=Rachel A. | last6=Christley | first6=Robert M. | title=Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death | journal=Scientific Reports | publisher=Springer Science and Business Media LLC | volume=14 | issue=1 | date=2024-02-01 | issn=2045-2322 | doi=10.1038/s41598-023-50458-w | page=| pmc=10834484 }}</ref>

In a 2006 breed-specific survey conducted by The Kennel Club and the British Small Animal Veterinary Association Scientific Committee, responses highlighted several health issues. The primary cause of death identified was cancer, being responsible for 35.6% of deaths, with the most common forms being [[Liver cancer in cats and dogs|liver cancer]] or [[Lymphoma in animals|lymphoma]]. The second most common cause was related to cardiac conditions, including heart failure and unspecified heart defects. [[Cardiomyopathy]], [[heart murmur]], and other cardiac issues were present in 17.2% of responses while [[Dermatology|dermatolic]] conditions such as [[dermatitis]] or [[alopecia]] were reported by 10.8% of responses.<ref name="kennelsurvey"/> Old age is listed as the third most frequent cause of death.<ref name="kennelsurvey">{{cite web |title=Summary Results of the Purebred Dog Health Survey for the Saluki Breed |url= http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/download/1619/hssaluki.pdf |publisher=The Kennel Club |access-date=7 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110810142403/http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/download/1619/hssaluki.pdf |archive-date=10 August 2011}}</ref>

[[Hip dysplasia (canine)|Hip dysplasia]] is uncommon in Salukis, with the breed ranking joint lowest in a survey by the [[British Veterinary Association]] in 2003. The breed scored an average of 5 points, with a score of 0 being low, while 106 is high.<ref>{{cite web |title=Breed Average Hip Scores |url= http://www.vetrica.com/care/dog/hdscore.shtml |work=British Veterinary Association |publisher=Vetrica |access-date=7 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111228022950/http://www.vetrica.com/care/dog/hdscore.shtml |archive-date=28 December 2011}}</ref>

{{Clear}}

==History==
[[image:Xuande-salukis-092x0507 01lg.jpg|thumb|''Two Salukis'' [modern title], painted by the [[Xuande Emperor]] of China (1399–1435).]]
[[image:Saluki-like hound horseback falconer.JPG|thumb|[[Golpayegan]] petroglyph of 10,000–12,000 years ago shows a dog, a hunter and a hawk.]]
The Saluki's ancestors were historically bred in the Fertile Crescent, where agriculture originated.<ref name=freedman2013/> Images of running dogs with long, narrow bodies adorn pottery found in [[Susa]], southwest [[Iran]] that dates back to 6,000 years ago,<ref name="Susa Bushnell">[http://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/bushel-ibex-motifs] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421091516/http://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/bushel-ibex-motifs|date=21 April 2017}}, Susa: Bushnell, Ibex, and hounds at Louvre.</ref> despite the depictions bearing erect, pointed ears.<ref name="Susa Beaker">[http://faculty.etsu.edu/kortumr/01prehistory/htmdescriptionpages/11beaker.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100624190325/http://faculty.etsu.edu/kortumr/01prehistory/htmdescriptionpages/11beaker.htm|date=24 June 2010}}, Susa Beaker: Bushnell, Ibex, and hounds at Louvre</ref> Dogs looking similar to Salukis are shown on wall carvings of the Sumerian empire (now Iraq), dating from 6,000 to 7,000 BC.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The dog encyclopedia|publisher=DK Publishing, Inc.|others=Dennis-Bryan, Kim, Baggaley, Ann, John, Katie|year=2013|isbn=9781465421166|edition= First American |location=New York|oclc=859155647|page=131}}</ref> The ancient skeletal remains of a dog identified as being of the greyhound/saluki form was excavated at [[Tell Brak]] in modern Syria, and dated to approximately 4,000 years before present.<ref>Clutton-Brock, J., 1989. A dog and a donkey excavated at Tell Brak. ''Iraq'', 51, pp.217-224.</ref><ref>Structured Deposition of Animal Remains in the Fertile Crescent during the Bronze Age, José Luis Ramos Soldado, Archaeopress, 2016, p12, {{ISBN|9781784912697}}</ref> Dogs that look similar to Salukis and [[Greyhound]]s were increasingly depicted on Egyptian tombs from the [[Middle Kingdom of Egypt|Middle Kingdom]] (2134 BC–1785 BC) onward,<ref name="royalhunt">{{cite book |author-link1=Thomas T. Allsen |last=Allsen |first=Thomas T. |title=The Royal Hunt in Eurasian History |date=2006 |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |isbn=978-0-8122-3926-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6V9MtZT6go0C&q=saluki&pg=PA55 |access-date=20 October 2020 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107232958/https://books.google.com/books?id=6V9MtZT6go0C&q=saluki&pg=PA55 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|55}} however it was during the [[Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt]] that Saluki-like dogs rose to prominence,<ref name="goldwasser106">[[#Goldwasser2002|Goldwasser (2002)]]: p. 106</ref> replacing hunting dogs called ''[[tesem]]'' (thought to be similar to modern [[pariah dogs]]<ref name="goldwasser93">[[#Goldwasser2002|Goldwasser (2002)]]: p. 93</ref> or a generic term for a dog) in ancient Egyptian art.<ref name="goldwasser109">[[#Goldwasser2002|Goldwasser (2002)]]: p. 109</ref> The variety spread southward into the [[Sudan]].<ref>{{cite book |title=General History of Africa: Methodology and African Prehistory |date=1981 |publisher=University of California Press |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VgmE8bf134YC&q=saluki&pg=PA603 |editor-last=Ki-Zerbo |editor-first=J. |page=603 |isbn=9780435948085 |access-date=20 October 2020 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107233046/https://books.google.com/books?id=VgmE8bf134YC&q=saluki&pg=PA603 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[image:Lucas Cranach d. Ä. 042.jpg|thumb|100px|left|The painting of [[Henry IV, Duke of Saxony]], by [[Lucas Cranach the Elder|Lucas Cranach]] pictures a dog that resembles a Saluki]]

From [[Iran]], such dogs are mentioned in the poetry of [[Khaqani|Khaghani]] (1121&ndash;1190), depicted in miniature paintings of hunting scenes along with horseback archers by Master [[Kamāl ud-Dīn Behzād]] (1450–1535), depicted in book illustrations by 'Abd al-Wahhab ibn 'Abd al-Fattah ibn 'Ali (1516).<ref>{{cite web|title=Khamsa (Quintet) of Nizami|url=http://art.thewalters.org/detail/21272/five-poems-quintet-4/|access-date=1 October 2015|archive-date=2 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002013345/http://art.thewalters.org/detail/21272/five-poems-quintet-4/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Silk Road#Mongol age|Silk Road]] was a trading route that stretched from ancient Iran to China. Examples of dogs that look like Salukis were painted by the Chinese, fifth [[List of emperors of the Ming Dynasty|Ming Emperor]] Zhū Zhānjī, known more commonly as the [[Xuande Emperor]] during the [[Ming Dynasty]] (1368–1644). The inscription on the painting reads "playfully painted [by the] imperial brush" in 1427; additional red seals were added in later years by owners of the painting, which also reveals that the painting was in the Imperial Chinese collection in the 18th century.<ref>{{cite web |title=Imperial Salukis |url=http://harvardmagazine.com/2007/05/imperial-salukis.html |work=Harvard Magazine |date=May 2007 |access-date=6 January 2011 |archive-date=28 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728075609/http://harvardmagazine.com/2007/05/imperial-salukis.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
Other earlier artifacts place similar Saluki-like dogs further back in Chinese history to the 7th Century Tang dynasty or even before that.<ref>{{cite journal|first1=Terence|last1=Clark|title=Hunting Hounds along the Silk Road – Which Way Did They Go?|url=https://edspace.american.edu/silkroadjournal/wp-content/uploads/sites/984/2017/09/Hunting-Hounds-along-the-Silk-Road.pdf|journal=The Silk Road|volume=4|issue=2|pages=60–65|access-date=10 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|first1=Kelsey|last1=Granger|title=Three curious dogs in a Dunhuang manuscript: re-evaluating the identification of "yaks" in Pelliot chinois 2598|journal=Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies|date=June 2021|volume=84|issue=2|pages=341–354|doi=10.1017/S0041977X21000409|doi-access=free}}</ref> The contemporary Chinese sighthound, the Xigou, is considered to have an ancient history which may be linked to historic Silk Road Saluki imports, but it is notable that in a recent genomic comparison of existing dogs, the Xigou was separated from both groups of sighthounds, the Western, as well Eastern (which includes the Saluki).<ref>{{cite journal| first1=Heidi G. |last1=Parker |first2=Dayna L. |last2=Dreger |first3=Maud |last3=Rimbault |first4=Brian W. |last4=Davis |first5=Alexandra B. |last5=Mullen |first6=Gretchen |last6=Carpintero-Ramirez |first7=Elaine A. |last7=Ostrander|title=Genomic analyses reveal the influence of geographic origin, migration, and hybridization on modern dog breed development |journal=Cell Reports |date=25 April 2017 |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=697–708 |doi=10.1016/j.celrep.2017.03.079 |pmid=28445722 |pmc=5492993 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

From Europe, the legend maintains that the returning crusaders brought Saluki-type dogs from the Middle East.<ref name="leighton478">[[#Leighton1907|Leighton (1907)]], p. 478</ref> The painting of [[Henry IV, Duke of Saxony]] with his hunting dog, painted by [[Lucas Cranach the Elder]] in 1514, shows a dog thought by some to represent an ancestral Saluki. The dog wears a collar decorated with a scallop shell, which is the badge of a pilgrim who has traveled the [[Camino de Santiago#Scallop symbol|Way of Saint James]] in Spain.<ref>''Pilgrimage: From the Ganges to Graceland – An Encyclopedia'', Vol. 1. Linda Kay Davidson and David Martin Gitlitz, 2002, p. 479.</ref> Saluki-type dogs appear in [[Paolo Veronese]]'s 1573 work ''The Adoration of the Magi'' (also known as the ''Adoration of the Kings''), currently located at the [[National Gallery]], London.<ref>{{cite book |last=Branigan |first=Cynthia A. |title=The Reign of the Greyhound |date=2004 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-0-7645-4445-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mgsMZg8A0zIC&q=saluki&pg=PA105 |page=105 |access-date=20 October 2020 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107233045/https://books.google.com/books?id=mgsMZg8A0zIC&q=saluki&pg=PA105 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Adoration of the Kings |url=http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/paolo-veronese-the-adoration-of-the-kings |publisher=The National Gallery |access-date=6 January 2011 |archive-date=20 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120005706/http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/paolo-veronese-the-adoration-of-the-kings |url-status=live }}</ref> Veronese painted such dogs in another two of his religious paintings: ''The Marriage at Cana'' and ''The Finding of Moses''.<ref name="leighton478"/>

[[Sheikh|Sheik]] [[Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa (1872–1942)|Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa]], [[King of Bahrain]] during the 1930s, was known for a pack of Salukis that accompanied him throughout the Arab world on hunting trips. Following his death, his son [[Salman ibn Hamad Al Khalifa (1894–1961)|Salman ibn Hamad Al Khalifa]] attempted to keep the lines pure-bred but they became interbred with other breeds. However, the pure-bred lines of the royal kennel were saved by the efforts of Dana Al Khalifa who was given two pure-bred puppies by the King, and about a decade later had pure-bred Salukis registered with the Kennel Club of Bahrain.<ref name="whelanbahrein"/> Today, the breed is still held in high regard throughout the Middle East and were hunting dogs for nobles and rulers around the region. Although Muslims traditionally regarded dogs as unclean, they made an exception for the Saluki to live in the family tent.<ref name=":0" /> Salukis were typically never sold, but could be presented as a mark of honor to people.<ref name=":0" /> They are considered clean by the [[Bedouin]]s, and are allowed to be in women's quarters, while other dogs must be kept outside.<ref name="whelanbahrein">{{cite book |last=Whelan |first=John |title=Bahrein: A MEED Practical Guide |date=1983 |publisher=Lynne Rienner Pub |isbn=978-0-9505211-7-6 |page=49 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZoQOAAAAQAAJ&q=saluki&pg=PT53 |access-date=20 October 2020 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107233050/https://books.google.com/books?id=ZoQOAAAAQAAJ&q=saluki&pg=PT53 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2014, a DNA study compared dogs and wolves for [[AMY2B]] (alpha amylase 2B), which is a gene and enzyme that assists with the first step in the digestion of dietary starch and glycogen. An expansion of this gene in dogs would enable early dogs to exploit a starch-rich diet as they fed on refuse from agriculture. Data indicated that the wolves and dingo had just two copies of the gene and the Siberian husky that is associated with hunter-gatherers had just 3–4 copies, "whereas the saluki, which was historically bred in the Fertile Crescent where agriculture originated, has 29 copies".<ref name=freedman2013>{{Cite journal |last=Freedman |first=A. |date=2014 |title=Genome Sequencing Highlights the Dynamic Early History of Dogs|doi=10.1371/journal.pgen.1004016|pmid=24453982|pmc=3894170|volume=10|issue=1 |journal=PLOS Genetics |pages=e1004016 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

===Breeding in the West===
{{Globalize|section|date=December 2023}}
[[File:Gazelle Hound from 1915.JPG|thumb|A Gazelle Hound from ''Dogs of All Nations'' (1915), its country of origin listed as [[India]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Mason |first=W. E. |title=Dogs of All Nations |date=1915 |publisher=Panama-Pacific International Exposition |page=36}}</ref>]]
[[File:IMGP0988 Vasilissa060423.jpg|thumb|150px|The popularity of the Saluki in the United States, according to the American Kennel Club, has remained relatively stable over the past decade]]

It was not until 1840 that Salukis were first brought to England. Referred to as a "slughi shami", they and the modern [[Sloughi]] were treated as the same breed;<ref name="leighton478"/> however, recent genetic tests have shown that the two breeds are genetically separate.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Crapon de Caprona |first1=Dominique |title=Sloughi, Saluki, Saluqi... Genetic Data Help Separate Semantics From Evidence |url=http://sloughi.tripod.com/SFAA/MitochondrialDNA.html |work=Dogs in Review |publisher=Sloughi Fanciers Association |access-date=7 January 2011 |last2=Fritzsch |first2=Bernd |archive-date=21 August 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040821014424/http://sloughi.tripod.com/SFAA/MitochondrialDNA.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The first successful modern breeding line of Salukis began in 1895, with Florence Amherst (daughter of the [[William Tyssen-Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst of Hackney|1st Baron Amherst of Hackney]]). Having seen salukis on a [[Nile]] tour in that year, she imported a breeding pair from the Al Salihah area of [[Lower Egypt]]. A champion of breed purity, she struggled alone for nearly three decades, and real popularity of the Saluki in Europe did not take hold until the early 1920s, when officers returning from the [[Middle Eastern theatre of World War I]] and from the [[Arab Revolt]] brought their pet Salukis home with them.<ref name="duggan36">[[#Duggan2009|Duggan (2009)]]: p. 36</ref>

One of these was Brigadier General Frederick Lance of the [[19th Lancers (Fane's Horse)|19th Lancers]], and his wife, Gladys, who returned to Britain with two Salukis from [[Sarona, Palestine]], where he had been stationed during the post-war occupation. The Lances were both keen hunters, and rode with their pack of dogs, including both Salukis and [[terriers]], to course [[jackal]] and [[Dorcas gazelle]] whilst stationed in the desert. They imported a male, named Sarona Kelb, who became an influence on the breed in the West.<ref name="duggan127">[[#Duggan2009|Duggan (2009)]]: p. 127–128</ref>

Together, the Lances with Florence Amherst mounted a campaign for recognition of the Middle Eastern breed, that coincided with the phenomenon of "Tutmania" caused by [[Howard Carter (archaeologist)|Howard Carter's]] discovery of [[Tutankhamun|Tutankhamun's tomb]] in late 1922. In 1923, the Saluki or Gazelle Hound Club was formed, and the [[Kennel Club (UK)|Kennel Club]] granted official recognition to the breed. The first [[Breed registry|registered]] Salukis in the [[Western world|Western]] studbook were Cyrus and Slongha Peri, imported from Iran and registered with the German [[kennel club]] Deutscher Windhundzucht- und Rennverband (DWZRV).<ref name="DWZRV - Deutscher Windhundzucht- und Rennverband e.V.">[http://www.dwzrv.de/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115074721/http://www.dwzrv.de/|date=15 January 2013}}, Der DWZRV ist der älteste Windhundzuchtverein in Deutschland.</ref> DWZRV also recorded the first litter born in the West in 1922.<ref name="DWZRV First registered litter">[http://www.dwzrv.de/212-0-Beschreibung--Bilder.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120711111743/http://www.dwzrv.de/212-0-Beschreibung--Bilder.html|date=11 July 2012}}, First litter in Germany, 1922</ref>

Imports to England during the [[Interwar era|interwar]] years were chiefly from areas of British military influence and commerce: [[Bahrain]], [[Egypt]], [[Jordan|Transjordan]], and [[Iraq]]. Both Florence Amherst and the Lances imported breeding stock from the latter two countries. Despite substantial populations of Salukis in Germany, the [[Netherlands]], and [[Sweden]], none of these were imported to England.<ref name="duggan154">[[#Duggan2009|Duggan (2009)]]: p. 154</ref>

English Salukis (chiefly descendants of Sarona Kelb) were exported to many countries,<ref name="duggan181">[[#Duggan2009|Duggan (2009)]]: p. 181</ref> but by the mid-1930s, interest slackened, and with the outbreak of [[World War II]], breeding and show activities almost entirely stopped. The number of litters was minimal – just enough to keep the breed alive. [[Home front during World War II#Rationing|Food rationing]] reserved all edible meat for humans, and to prevent the Salukis from dying from starvation or being killed by [[The Blitz|bombs]], some owners [[animal euthanasia|euthanised]] entire kennels.<ref name="duggan242">[[#Duggan2009|Duggan (2009)]]: p. 242</ref> A small number of Saluki kennels in the West survived the war, and along with fresh imports belonging to a second wave of soldiers returning from the Middle East, the slow process of re-establishing the breed began.<ref name="duggan242"/>

Popularity of Salukis dramatically increased, and the Saluki Club of America was founded in 1927. Salukis were recognised by [[the Kennel Club]] (UK) in 1923, and by the [[American Kennel Club]] in 1929.<ref name="meetsalukis">{{cite web|title=AKC Meet the Breeds: Saluki|url=http://www.akc.org/breeds/saluki/|work=American Kennel Club|access-date=7 January 2011|archive-date=30 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230072118/http://www.akc.org/breeds/saluki/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="duggan150">[[#Duggan2009|Duggan (2009)]]: p. 150</ref> The breed is also the [[Southern Illinois Salukis|mascot]] of [[Southern Illinois University Carbondale]].

The popularity of the Saluki in the United States, according to the American Kennel Club, has remained relatively stable in the 2000s, with the breed ranked 107th in 1999, had decreased to 118th in 2008, but by 2008 had increased once again to 112th.<ref name="akcdogreg">{{cite web|title=AKC Dog Registration Statistics|url= http://www.akc.org/reg/dogreg_stats.cfm|work=American Kennel Club|access-date=7 January 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120511200854/http://www.akc.org/reg/dogreg_stats.cfm|archive-date=11 May 2012}}</ref> Between 2000 and 2009, 1215 salukis were registered with [[The Kennel Club]] in the UK,<ref name="houndreg">{{cite web|title=Comparative Tables of Registrations for the Years 2000 – 2009 Inclusive (Hound Group)|url= http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/download/5668/10-yearly-Breeds-Stats-hound.pdf|work=The Kennel Club|access-date=7 January 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110810142328/http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/download/5668/10-yearly-Breeds-Stats-hound.pdf|archive-date=10 August 2011}}</ref> while this does not approach the numbers of the more popular breeds,<ref name="gundogreg">{{cite web|title=Comparative Tables of Registrations for the Years 2000 – 2009 Inclusive (Gundog Group) |url= http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/download/5669/10-yearly-Breeds-Stats-gundog.pdf |work=The Kennel Club |access-date=7 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110810142332/http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/download/5669/10-yearly-Breeds-Stats-gundog.pdf |archive-date=10 August 2011 }}</ref> it is in line with similar breeds in the [[hound group]] such as the [[Borzoi]], which had 1399 puppies registered in the same period.<ref name="houndreg"/> In September 2007, the Kennel Club Art Gallery's 12th exhibition, "The Saluki in Art", celebrated the breed, showing a range of exhibits including [[terracotta]] and [[bronze]] works, along with contemporary artists and a range of trophies from Saluki breed clubs.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Kennel Club Art Gallery presents the Saluki in Art|url= http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=1352|access-date=7 January 2011|newspaper=The Kennel Club|date=15 August 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110810142336/http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=1352|archive-date=10 August 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

===Rescue===
Salukis (or [[landrace]] dogs similar to them) are common throughout the Middle East, and are sometimes abandoned.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rescuesalukisme.wixsite.com/rescue-salukis-me/about-the-saluki|title=rescue-salukis-me {{!}} About The Saluki|website=Rescue Salukis Middle East|language=en|access-date=2019-01-06|archive-date=6 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206005845/http://rescuesalukisme.wixsite.com/rescue-salukis-me/about-the-saluki|url-status=live}}</ref> Rescue organisations work with shelters in Qatar, Bahrain, and elsewhere, and directly with a network of rescuers in Kuwait, and Oman, to find the dogs adoptive homes in Europe and North America.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sighthoundunderground.com/http/|title=The Sighthound Underground|website=The Sighthound Underground|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-06|archive-date=21 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171121112755/http://sighthoundunderground.com/http/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wingsoflovekuwait.com/|title=Wings of Love, Kuwait {{!}} Dog Rescue Organization|website=Wings of Love, Kuwait {{!}} Dog Rescue Organization|language=en|access-date=2019-01-06|archive-date=1 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101095612/http://www.wingsoflovekuwait.com/|url-status=usurped}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://worldanimalguardians.com/ |title=Mysite |access-date=7 November 2021 |archive-date=27 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180827105001/https://www.worldanimalguardians.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==References==
'''Citations'''
{{Reflist|30em}}

'''Bibliography'''
{{Refbegin}}
*{{cite book |last=Leighton |first=Robert |title=The New Book of the Dog |publisher=Cassell and Company |date=1907 |url=https://archive.org/stream/newbookofdogcomp00leiguoft#page/n7/mode/2up |ref=Leighton1907 }}
*{{cite book |last=Goldwasser |first=Orly |title=Prophets, Lovers and Giraffes |publisher=Harrassowitz Verlag |date=2002 |isbn=978-3-447-04590-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mv1ZkfnIDBQC&q=tsm&pg=PA106 |ref=Goldwasser2002 |access-date=20 October 2020 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107233048/https://books.google.com/books?id=Mv1ZkfnIDBQC&q=tsm&pg=PA106 |url-status=live }}
*{{cite book |last=Palika |first=Liz |title=The Howell Book of Dogs: The Definitive Reference to 300 Breeds and Varieties |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |date=2007 |isbn=978-0-470-00921-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9z_n9mDY2tcC&q=saluki&pg=PA342 |ref=Palika2007 |access-date=20 October 2020 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107233036/https://books.google.com/books?id=9z_n9mDY2tcC&q=saluki&pg=PA342 |url-status=live }}
*{{cite book |last=Duggan |first=Brian Patrick |title=Saluki: The Desert Hound and the English Travelers Who Brought It to the West |publisher=McFarland & Co. |date=2009 |isbn=978-0-7864-3407-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pkAs3hkQJwYC&q=saluki |ref=Duggan2009 |access-date=20 October 2020 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107233052/https://books.google.com/books?id=pkAs3hkQJwYC&q=saluki |url-status=live }}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
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{{Hounds}}
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[[Category:FCI breeds]]
[[Category:Sighthounds]]
[[Category:Dog breeds originating in Asia]]
[[Category:Arabic words and phrases]]
[[Category:Animal breeds originating in Iran]]
[[Category:Animal breeds originating in Iraq]]
[[Category:Animal breeds originating in Egypt]]