Group: Hounds
Breed Family: Saluki |
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The Saluki was in its homeland of the Middle East a great hunter. As the Hon. Florence Amherst wrote around the turn of the century:
"Eastern records show that these swift hounds of the desert have been prized for remote ages. Salukis are most carefully pedigree bred by the great Sheikhs of the Bedouin tribes, and they are very refined, with splendid attributes. They are principally used for hunting gazelle, and the fact of them a valuable addition to the study of heredity and dog lore."
The breed was evidently first imported into Britain during the eighteenth century, but it was only at the end of the nineteenth century that it attracted the interest of the Florence Amherst who had been given a brace of Salukis in 1895 by W. Jennings-Bramley. It was largely a result of her efforts as well as those of Brigadier and Mrs. F.F. Lance that the breed was officially recognized by The Kennel Club and the breed club founded in England in 1923. Today, it is in England used to course hares and regular coursing meets are held. The dogs are judged on their ability to turn quickly and overtake the hare in the best possible time. |