For Alec and anyone else interested; my saluki litter...

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Llanali

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.....have nearly matured! They are three now, and finally looking nearly there. We have one show champion, one who does well lure coursing and two doi very well showing too. The fifth had a rocky start and I had to remove him from his home, despite all the best checks and place him somewhere more suited. I have also had one pup back to me, last year when they were two, due to his owners getting a divorce, and not through any misdemeanours on their part; just a sad turn of life. So, I have had my fair share of being a responsible breeder with this litter, but have loved every second and look forward to furthering the line from my black bitch in a year or two!







 
Its exactly like that spook! Or several cats in my house.

Thank you all, im really pleased with them. I cried almost as much as when i got that third CC and champion title with their mother as I did when I got the call that the blond fawn (far left in group shot) had got his third. That little scrap! That little boy who was born into my kitchen.

And thank you Ct, the one that is second down is the one I have had back and kept, from the divorce. The magnificent dog in the third picture, the framed one is the one I removed and placed with a specialist rehab owner, whom has worked wonders. I cannot even think back to the day I discovered what was going on in his first home. I will not forgive myself but at least I fixed it immediately.
 
Another who applauds you for being true to yourself and offering homes for life for your pups. I have never owned a sight hound but think that Salukis have the most beautiful "look", truly elegant and graceful, your dogs are very true to that description.
 
Who could fail to admire such dogs? Not I. From a Coursing dog perspective;

The Black bitch is exceedingly handsome with a lovely depth of chest.

The Red dog (dog 2 from the right in the group pic?) has an exceptional front and a good length of bone from his hock to his foot. A handsome dog.

The Fawn dog in the group pic is standing beautifully, to my eye. An elegant dog.

One to pic, but to my untutored eye? The Red dog in the second pic. I'm wondering if he's related to your lovely Red bitch, and I'm so sorry to hear that you lost her.

Thanks for the pics. Salukis really aren't my dogs, as you know, but those which you've put up fill the eye more than most and your now departed Red lady and the Red dog could come and live with me! :)

Right, as I'm likely to be shot at, I'm off to the pub! :) Thanks again.

Alec.
 
all lovely dogs and in fab condition, goes to prove salukis shouldn't look skinny!!!! , so many of them do...... the first picture of the black bitch is my favourite, she is absolutely stunning (IMO)
 
Many thanks to everyone for your kind words and compliments! They aren't for everyone, and indeed I don't want everyone to have them! But they are, to me, perfect. They are genuinely exceptional with children, they are healthy as a breed and they suit my lifestyle. However, they are stubborn, intelligent to a fault and bred to hunt. They will chase anything, and all the training in the world wont call one of my line off a chase before they are done.


brighteyes said:
Against every anti breeding and pure breed manipulation bone in my body, those are beautiful Salukis and I'd love a miniature one!
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This made me chuckle! They curl up tiny- and were designed to fit onto the saddle of an arab horse in the desert. One should never underestimate a saluki's ability to disappear into a tiny prawn ball shape when the bath is turned on, or they are required to go out for pees in the rain! We breed INCREDIBLY rarely- one litter every 4-6 years, we have never used a bitch more than once and we care deeply for our lines. I can also vouch for the other 'main'breeders of saluki lines, certainly in UK, that we hold true to our mantra 'Breeders Care Forever'. Once a pup returns to us, for any reason or no reason at all, then they stay with us for life, unless the right home appears, but I would never sell again- the dog would be placed with a new owner on a 'loan' agreement and remains in my name. No one can breed from mine without my consent, and we have done something unpopular but wise in our opinions in the past- if a pup goes to a pet home, they are neutered as well as remaining registered as ours. I will not tolerate inappropriate breeding, and I will not tolerate my line being abused- we have been working on it every day for 50 years, and wont let anyone ruin that.

Alec Swan said:
Who could fail to admire such dogs? Not I. From a Coursing dog perspective;

The Black bitch is exceedingly handsome with a lovely depth of chest.

The Red dog (dog 2 from the right in the group pic?) has an exceptional front and a good length of bone from his hock to his foot. A handsome dog.

The Fawn dog in the group pic is standing beautifully, to my eye. An elegant dog.

One to pic, but to my untutored eye? The Red dog in the second pic. I'm wondering if he's related to your lovely Red bitch, and I'm so sorry to hear that you lost her.

Thanks for the pics. Salukis really aren't my dogs, as you know, but those which you've put up fill the eye more than most and your now departed Red lady and the Red dog could come and live with me! :)

Right, as I'm likely to be shot at, I'm off to the pub! :) Thanks again.

Alec.
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Thank you! I certainly wouldn't shoot you, or considered your eye to be untrained ;)

The black bitch is mine, and was my bitch pick of the litter ( these are all siblings). She has an exceptional depth of chest and breadth to it, with strong quarters and a nice gentle rise over loin. She's a strong bitch physically and mentally; she has a real hunting drive. Exceptional stamina, Im looking forward to her lure coursing results this year.

The all red dog, handled by my husband, is the one who came back to me. He's a true gentleman, but he is the least mature. He will take another year I think, he has good basic structure but he is RAW.

The fawn is the show champion already. Exceptionally elegant, he is in good show condition, but that is not necessarily coursing condition- I think his musculature would be a little light for most coursing folk, but indeed he doesn't course and therefore isn't required to be coursing fit. He is certainly capable, but its not his owners choice of career for him. He will spearhead my breed line moving forward I think- I am considering importing a bitch to use on him in a few years- I don't breed litter siblings to each other.
I prefer the conformation of the fawn to my all red dog, though as I said, my red dog has yet to finish, but I do not plan to use him at stud. He is not the best of the litter dogs, much as I adore Casper, I try to be objective.

The red dog with the white chest and black fringing, Alec, your pick- he was my dog pick from the litter! But events transpired against me, as you may recall, my mother died after a six week cancer nightmare, when the pups were 10 weeks. So, I had to take on the mother/dam of this lot, who is indeed my red bitch Seabreeze that you admired so, plus our older bitch, and my black pup. I couldn't have four at that time, and we had what we thought was a good home offered for him. So I let my beloved Percy go, because I had to keep a bitch if I wanted to keep my line, which my mother would have wanted more than anything. Percy is the spitting image of his mother, and I cry a little inside everytime I look at him, for what could have been.

As it is, since being with his rehab home- I retrieved him three days before my daughter was born, and I wasn't in a position to deal with the massssssive issue, so I found the best handler in the world to do it, and to him I am forever greatful. As you can see, he has transformed the dog physically back into the picture of glorious pride and ability, but the mental battle is long. I may well choose him to breed from instead of the fawn, if his temperament will handle it. The concerns there is that a) he is not proven in the show ring, which matters not to me but does have an impact on the pups, whilst his brother the fawn is widely renowned now and b) he is VERY nervous. I am confident, that since the others are not, that this is nurture not nature and due entirely to his previous situation BUT there are no guarantees, perhaps he would always have been skittish and nervy.

One thing is for certain, I am really enjoying this litter and what it means for me and my husband; I have a lot of weight on my shoulders, as the line I have inherited is known throughout the world in the breed, but I have excellent mentors and am growing in confidence to stand by my decisions to take the line forward as I see fit, whilst taking on the advice of those whose opinions I admire. I have to say, from a coursing perspective- and this is a fit for function breed and line- Alec, I do value your input.
 
'Proper' breeder. There's a Saluki that turned up at our yard many years ago, emaciated, cigarette burns all over :( He's 12 now, a beautiful fawn dog.

I think I'd go for the Black and Tan, utterly gorgeous!
 
Llanali, for me what shines through is that despite your difficulties and those which have impacted on your plans, you will not give up. Added to that is the responsibility which you carry and with a certain passion!

Well done you.

Alec.
 
cinnamontoast said:
'Proper' breeder. There's a Saluki that turned up at our yard many years ago, emaciated, cigarette burns all over :( He's 12 now, a beautiful fawn dog.

I think I'd go for the Black and Tan, utterly gorgeous!
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Alec Swan said:
Llanali, for me what shines through is that despite your difficulties and those which have impacted on your plans, you will not give up. Added to that is the responsibility which you carry and with a certain passion!

Well done you.

Alec.
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Proper breeder is the number one thing I have always wanted to be. Those two posts have really made my night! Thank you.

Indeed, I will not give up. Plans are fluid, things evolve, but we will endure. I really want to get this right, it is a legacy for us.

What I feel most amused about though is that my poor husband hadn't even owned a goldfish before he met me, and now we have a plethora of dogs with a future plan, a couple of equines and a cat! Whoops.
 
Lovely dogs! The black in particular is stunning. We have a tricolour, lovely nature though the running shot definitely captures their true love in life. OH, who like yours was pretty much animal free before we met, would like to breed a litter eventually but I am not keen, only because I would be concerned about where they would end up. We'd keep one, but as I have no plans to make a hobby of it I don't think its a good idea. Great to see that you've got a handle on your pups though and have been able to ensure they have a good future. Pity more breeders aren't like that.
 
Ha, not yet Fiona! Give me 2 years ;)

Exactly nudibranch; it's always a worry, finding good homes. ***** ones are easily found! I have a real soapbox issue about breeding ad lib in any breed : or species! Hence why I wouldn't breed my red dog. He isnt *it* and hence his testicles will not be required to have any practical function :p

Pups are gorgeous though ;) I have go say, most of the hard core saluki breeders do on the whole provide excellent after care, and will always be pups back no matter what age. Most of us also offer holiday cover for our owners too, again irrespective of age etc.

Is yours registered? I'm not a snob about unregistered (indeed we have had truly suspect lurchers in my time ;) ), I'm only a snob about breeding if the stock isn't right lol

Some breeders are funny about anyone outside of their cronies breeding litters, whereas I don't give a monkeys as long as the decision to breed is made for the right reason!
 
Ours isn't kc sadly, though to my untrained eye she looks fairly true to type! I was originally looking for a pup, and was contacted by a nice family who basically bought her and found suburban life plus working family didn't suit a saluki. There was a back story about parents being registered but not the litter as the people they got her from were a bit...well... hmmm. So that's another good reason not to breed from her I think. I actually had her booked in for speying after I got her, but OH dissuaded me. She's no bother in season so I've let it lie for now!
 
Fair enough: I dont imagine having a posh name or not has any bearing on her personality or the joy she brings you! If you like, post a picture and I'll have a see if I can guess which lines she night be.... Some are pretty distinctive !!

Salukis generally arent a fuss in season I have found, though we had on speyed for medical reasons and her coat was ruined. Not just for show, but she was always hot and itchy and lost the ability to self oil.
 
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