Tell me about Saluki/saluki crosses

[PolarSkye]

Just curious . . . .

P

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

LOOOOOOVE Salukis

 

[PolarSkye]

LOOOOOOVE Salukis

Me too . . . but I was hoping for a teensy bit more info . Specifically saluki/whippet or possibly Italian Greyhound crosses (i.e., little, but very definitely lurcher-y/saluki).

Temperament? Character? Things to watch out for? Diet specifics? Recall? Health problems?

That sort of thing.

P

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Me too . . . but I was hoping for a teensy bit more info . Specifically saluki/whippet or possibly Italian Greyhound crosses (i.e., little, but very definitely lurcher-y/saluki).

Temperament? Character? Things to watch out for? Diet specifics? Recall? Health problems?

That sort of thing.

P

I know was bumping as interested myself i think irishdan on here has them..........

 

[Spook]

We used to keep saluki X lurchers in the days before the ban, to course hares and lamp rabbits, endless amounts of stamina and with an insatiable drive to hunt. Great temperament but not the easiest sort to train to be obedient. Once broken to farm stock they were reliable. Very thin skinned and not suitable for rough country, they "tear" easily. Nor are they suitable for outhouse accommodation in cold weather. Can be extraordinarily destructive, ours were fine but some of the litter bros. and sis. were demons...... having said that ours did once jump through the glass in the kitchen window when she saw hares in the front field. Not for the person who is out all day I reckon.

 

[{97702}]

I've only got limited experiences of salukis and saluki lurchers but they have all been beautiful, ditzy, with high prey drive and low recall I've sworn never to have one, much as I love the way they look, because all the ones I have come across seemed to have a screw loose in the nicest possible way

I would say that they are much more energetic and 'on the go' than my lazy greyhounds, hopefully there will be someone on here who can dispel all my misconceptions and tell you what fabulous dogs they are

 

[Alec Swan]

We used to keep saluki X lurchers in the days before the ban, to course hares and lamp rabbits, endless amounts of stamina and with an insatiable drive to hunt. Great temperament but not the easiest sort to train to be obedient. Once broken to farm stock they were reliable. Very thin skinned and not suitable for rough country, they "tear" easily. Nor are they suitable for outhouse accommodation in cold weather. Can be extraordinarily destructive, ours were fine but some of the litter bros. and sis. were demons...... having said that ours did once jump through the glass in the kitchen window when she saw hares in the front field. Not for the person who is out all day I reckon.

An excellent appraisal. Desert dogs and rather aloof and disinterested in what's of no use to them, too. Rather "Arab" in their outlook, perhaps! Regarding your mention of stamina, with sufficient Saluki blood, the coursing crossbreds are serious distance dogs, and there's many a hare which at 600 yards plus has given up. They aren't "my" dog, and to be truthful, I wouldn't really want another, even though the latest pup to arrive has lugs like a helicopter. With luck he'll grow in to them! His skeletal and muscle structure, even at 5 months are very pleasing. We will see!!

Alec.

 

[Clodagh]

I've got one, she is the most fantastic dog but much more cat than dog. When she was young she killed everything up to and including fallow bucks, although she is only 23" high. Her prey drive is second to none. She is compeltey untrainable but has good recall when not running, once she has gone she is gone and there is no point yelling. If you stop her before she has bolted she will come back easily and walks to heel. She will retrieve to hand when so inclined but not so good now she is older. She doesn't kill anything much now anyway as she is old and doddery.
She is brilliant with my chickens and not interested in anything feathered, she used to love chasing the horses but did learn not to eventually. (I think they just started ignoring her).
I goth er as an adult rescue from the dog warden.

 

[Spook]

Yes Clodagh, I was going to say that ours were lethal with roe deer, especially if going together....... no matter how far they went..... they usually pulled them down eventually. And yes very cat like..... but I do love cats.

Actually, now, I dare not have one...... probably get done for coursing illegally..... but they will take themselves naturally, that's what they were bred for. Plenty of acreage needed for this sort of breed, they do need masses of exercise.

OP unless you are fantastically dedicated I'd go for a retired greyhound....... they generally are very easy by comparison and do have a sight hound/long dog glamourous look too, unless there is a specific reason for wanting the saluki. It's sad but there just is no job for them in this country anymore.

 

[{97702}]

Agree with Spook - if you want a loving, faithful dog go for a greyhound dog Bitches are more cat-like and aloof, but nowhere near as bad as salukis

 

[twiggy2]

out of all the lurchers those with saluki in them are generally more aloof and lack recall, as dessert dogs they are built to cover great distances and think/hunt without direction so are often far ranging which is not always a good idea depending on where you live, lovely elegant dogs generally a bit to lightly built for my tastes, the bitch above is unusual in that she is heavier than is often seen in the saluki lurcher-often have pretty facial markings too.

 

[Alec Swan]

I've got one, .......
I goth er as an adult rescue from the dog warden.

Clodagh, that is actually a very smart bitch with what appears to be a lovely front, just enough depth and super quarters, with just enough proportion of pastern. I really don't care for pasterns that are too long as they'll lead all so often, to poorly shaped hocks. She has a decent (and for my taste, a vital) amount of substance to her, and at a guess, I'd think that the Saluki influence is a couple of generations back, one parent or the other being a half-bred.

If I was going to nit pic, from the photo, she looks to be a bit short coupled, and again, for my taste, but from what you say, that's hardly held her back, though that could be the photo! Very smart indeed. Did you ever have pups from her, and how old was she when the pic was taken?

Alec.

 

[Clodagh]

She was about 3 or 4 there. She did well showing, but hated it with a passion so I stopped making her go, which was a shame as she usually won! Is it a back like a drake, head like a snake? There is more to that rhyme. She is longer than she looks in that pic, apart from broken toes she has never had a days lameness until now when the back end is a bit gimpy if, like yesterday, she vanished after a herd of deer.
She has got a bit of something else in her, possibly terrier or collie? She is a proper mutley really, something gave her the broken coat.
No puppies, she was spayed as soon as she came home!

 

[Spook]

Indeed....

Head like a snake,
Neck like a drake,
Back like a beam,
Side like a bream,
'N' tail like a rat!

That's what I remember anyway .... there is more but without looking it up I cannot be sure....... Fabulous, I bemourn the demise of all such things beautiful.....

 

[Alec Swan]

......

No puppies, she was spayed as soon as she came home!

Philistine!

I'm not surprised that she won when you showed her. I'm not really in to showing dogs, as I sometimes look at the judges and wonder which end of the lead they're looking at. If a dog doesn't enjoy it, then we don't do it, do we?

Alec.

 

[Leo Walker]

if you have a look at some youtube videos of them hunting you see why they dont make easy pets. Beautiful, beautiful dogs! but bred for a purpose, and if you take that purpose away you need to replace it with something. I have a working bred whippet and hes the love of my life but hes not easy as a pet dog. I dont work him traditionally, so I work really hard at making him think hes working when hes not! A saluki would be in a whole different league!

 

[Leo Walker]

Alec if I post a pic of mine would you tell me what you think of him? A lot of old whippet/lurcher men really, really rated him as a pup but hes 2 yr old now and I'd be interested to know if hes matured into the dog they thought he would, and I'm clueless!

 

[PolarSkye]

In the interest of not being cryptic . . . I am asking because there is a little pup at the yard - she's a Saluki crossed with something (and that something is very small - which is why I mentioned Italian greyhound) who is just tugging at my heartstrings. I don't want to go into too much detail . . . she is quite young (I would guess about five months or so - her paws aren't huge/are in proportion) and she is a skitty little bubba . . . skinny, nervous, wormy . . . and I am thinking (somewhat foolishly) about making an offer for her (no, I'm not being presumptuous . . . if you want further info on why I think I can do this, PM me).

I might be opening a huge can of worms . . . but this little girl has won my heart - she's unbelievably sweet (practically glues herself to my chest every time I pick her up) . . . and she needs some decent food in her belly and some TLC. However, heart is most definitely ruling head at the minute . . . and I'm trying to engage brain.

Given how tiny she is (and the fact that she's coloured), the only thing that gives her Saluki-ness away is the telltale mask and her ears . . .

HELP - either talk sense into me or tell me I should scoop her up and bring her home.

P

 

[{97702}]

Well if you scoop her up and bring her home, be prepared for a whole bundle of fun as a pet dog - ignore all that Spook and AlecSwan have said about working dogs, as pet dogs they are a whole different ball game

But of course I would do it in an instant

 

[Alec Swan]

By all means, but assessing dogs from pics is difficult, unless they are standing correctly. Clodagh's for instance appears to be a bit short coupled, but then she's not really standing square. It will though, only be my opinion, and we all know about opinions, don't we?!!

To photograph a dog, or any animal for that matter, stand the animal so that it's slightly uphill, as in, it's front feet are higher that its rear. If you post any pics, give some sort of indicator of the dog's height, stand beside him, or stand him beside a bicycle, anything to offer as a comparison. Clodagh's delightful bitch looks taller than 23", to me, but a better indicator will be pics with something which is known, even a brick wall will do!

Alec.

 

[PolarSkye]

I've had a lurcher before - Tilly was a whippet/staffy cross and talk about aloof. She was nobody's dog, was definitely part cat (used to jump onto the kitchen counters and eat the butter) and was virtually untrainable. Loved her though, and she made a lovely family pet once we learned her "ways" and made allowances for her (no walking off lead was a big one).

I'm not ignorant to lurcher ways . . . but I am trying to be rational.

P

 

[{97702}]

I've had a lurcher before - Tilly was a whippet/staffy cross and talk about aloof. She was nobody's dog, was definitely part cat (used to jump onto the kitchen counters and eat the butter) and was virtually untrainable. Loved her though, and she made a lovely family pet once we learned her "ways" and made allowances for her (no walking off lead was a big one).

I'm not ignorant to lurcher ways . . . but I am trying to be rational.

P

In that case, DEFINITELY go for it

Rational? Oh, I don't know such a word exists.....

 

[Clodagh]

I would have another lurcher in an instant, but OH says no. The time he reversed his landrover out and she had lined up 5 hares underneath it kind of killed any love he has for them as a type. She is a compulsive hunter, thief and liar but the most wonderful affectionate dog, but always on her terms, which are very amenable. She doesn't like children but that only started after a really horrible one tried to crush her, she bit him and has done so again since. She is very delicate and really feels pain when she isn't running!
I would say go for it with the pup, half our troubles would not have happened if we had a proper fence but we have never been able to keep her in so she has run wild. She jumps out the upstairs windows if shut in the house, and it is a big Victorian high ceilinged farmhouse so that is no mean feat!
She was measured at 23" at a show so I am sure she is no bigger.

The scar on her hindquaters was her first muntjac, I found her virtually bled out in the horse paddock. That was the first of her seriously huge rips and cuts vet bills.

 

[PolarSkye]

In that case, DEFINITELY go for it

Rational? Oh, I don't know such a word exists.....

Well, there's certainly room on the sofa for one more little one - the other two (both collie crosses) don't take up much room and Dinky would certainly share space by the fire . . . and this isn't being RATIONAL!

P

 

[Alec Swan]

.......

HELP - either talk sense into me or tell me I should scoop her up and bring her home.

P

I'm really not sure why you're bothering to ask. You know full well what you're going to do, don't you? :rolleyes3: Get on with it and post some pics!! :wink3:

Alec.

 

[{97702}]

I would have another lurcher in an instant, but OH says no. The time he reversed his landrover out and she had lined up 5 hares underneath it kind of killed any love he has for them as a type

Seriously? Swap your OH, that is an amazing feat

 

[{97702}]

Well, there's certainly room on the sofa for one more little one - the other two (both collie crosses) don't take up much room and Dinky would certainly share space by the fire . . . and this isn't being RATIONAL!

P

Well go on then, don't waste any time What colour is she if she has a mask? I am a sucker for black and tans personally but they are all lovely

 

[PolarSkye]

I would have another lurcher in an instant, but OH says no. The time he reversed his landrover out and she had lined up 5 hares underneath it kind of killed any love he has for them as a type. She is a compulsive hunter, thief and liar but the most wonderful affectionate dog, but always on her terms, which are very amenable. She doesn't like children but that only started after a really horrible one tried to crush her, she bit him and has done so again since. She is very delicate and really feels pain when she isn't running!
I would say go for it with the pup, half our troubles would not have happened if we had a proper fence but we have never been able to keep her in so she has run wild. She jumps out the upstairs windows if shut in the house, and it is a big Victorian high ceilinged farmhouse so that is no mean feat!
She was measured at 23" at a show so I am sure she is no bigger.

The scar on her hindquaters was her first muntjac, I found her virtually bled out in the horse paddock. That was the first of her seriously huge rips and cuts vet bills.

She is beautiful, and that's quite some scar! Lurchers in general (particularly those with a high proportion of sighthound) do tear easily. Oh, and five hares is a real achievement . . . what a huntress.

P

 

[Alliya]

I had the best dog ever Taz my Saluki x boarder collie got her as a puppy for Just the cost of £24 after a lady with a top show collie went to stay at a boarding kennels and when she came home she was expecting a big whoops boarding kennels forgot to tell the owners

she was the best dog I could every ask for she was great with the horses, children and all over animals except squirrels she used to chase them but got very confused when she chased one out side the stable block where it died of shock and she stood over it waiting for it to play chase again and as a puppy she ate the car door but that was a once only we just changed the car

but she was the best she came to my wedding looked after both my kids as babies went to work and pub with hubby and carried his tools at work for him

I so miss her but she was a one off my elegant collie look alike with the slim nose

 

[PolarSkye]

Well go on then, don't waste any time What colour is she if she has a mask? I am a sucker for black and tans personally but they are all lovely

She's the palest fawn and white with a fawn/black and white mask. She has fawn and white on her little body - a fawn blanket with some white markings, white underneath and a white tail and white paws/stockings. Such a dainty little thing.

P