The Saluki originated in the Middle East and was bred to hunt jackal, gazelle, hare and fox. The name itself derives from the Middle Eastern city called Saluki which does not exist anymore. This breed has a sacred sentimentality because people of the Muslim faith thought that they were a present from their God and would never sell them only give them to friends as gifts. The exact whereabouts this dog actually began to be bred is thought to be near the region of Turkey.

This breed is a very slim and athletic dog that has incredible speed and agility. They have a very skinny face with a long muzzle and large droopy ears. The legs of this dog are elongated and strong helping them with their speed and gait. The Saluki has long hair streaming off their ears, tail, and they have tufts of hair on their paws to prevent damage to them when running.

This breed has a non stop mind set of a hunter. They should not be around any small pets such as cats, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters, etc. as their instinct to hunt will kick in. When running, this dog will have all legs in the air giving them incredible stride and saving them crucial energy when on an actual hunt.

Breed Group

Hound

Size

Males: 23-28 inches high

Females: 23-28 inches high

Weight

Males: 29-66 lbs

Females: 29-66 lbs

Color(s)

The Saluki comes in red, blonde, cream, black & tan, white and fawn. There can be mixtures of these colours in patches throughout the dogs body. Every dog of this breed has a white patch on their forehead, which the people of Bedouin faith tribe believe to be a kiss from their God!

Coat

The Saluki has a thin coat that is shorter yet has longer fringe on their ears and tail. There is also a variation of the Saluki with no fringe at all. The entire coat itself is hard but has a smooth texture to it while the fringe is silky.

Life Expectancy

10-12 years.

Personality

The Saluki is a sweet and affectionate breed that doubles both as a working dog and a companion. They will make a great pet for a family with older children because they are too frail for younger children roughhousing with them. If your planning to own a Saluki, it would be best to not own any smaller animals such as mice, rabbits, birds, guinea pigs etc because their hunting instinct will never be completely gone as this cannot be bred out of this dog. This breed is notorious for its obscure bark that is described more as “singing”.

This dog will bond to one or two people more than the rest and can be reserved with others including family members. It is said that Saluki’s get along well with each other as they can keep themselves entertained.

Care

The Saluki has a short coat with longer fringe on their ears and tail making this breed quite easy to groom. They should be brushed about once every week just to remove some of the dead fur. Bathing is up to the owner as to how much they would like it done. This breed is prone to cancer, sensitivity to medical treatment drugs (anesthetics) and may be prone to some eye problems. On the whole, the Saluki is a healthy breed but as always if deciding to own this dog, check the parents medical history.

Training

This breed will need very gentle training methods as negative methods will inflict more damage then good on their confidence. Although sensitive training is a must, the owner must be firm and consistent as like all other breeds they need to have repetition. The Saluki is a hound and owners should not have high expectations on perfecting their obedience because they have a free spirited mentality that is not focused on training methods.

Activity

The Saluki will need at least 1 hour per day of exercise whether that be a walk, jog, or time in a dog park spent playing with other dogs or chasing a ball. This breed should not be walked off leash as they tend to have poor response skills especially when on the chase. This breed will do well in a household environment because they need as much space as possible. A backyard or even acreage will be best because these dogs need outside space to run around in.

The Pharaoh Hound originated in the small island of Malta which is one of the seven islands in the Mediterranean Sea. On the island, they call this dog the Kelb Tal-Fenek which translates to “rabbit dog”. The Pharaoh Hound was thought to have been linked to ancient Egypt because historians found paintings of similar looking dogs inside pyramids. In reality, this dog is of no relation to any Egyptian breed but is actually a descendant from African hunting dogs.

This breed is a slick sight hound mainly hunting game and rabbit but was cherished as a pet more than it was as a hunter. They are thought to be one of the oldest dogs in the world dating back to 4000 BC! Their excellent sense of hearing and smell are what this dog relies on to hunt its prey.

The Pharaoh hound has a slender noble appearance with a toned body. They are agile and light footed making them accurate sophisticated hunters. They have straight legs, a flat skull, and a sharp thin tail. The Pharaoh Hound is an elegant dog both for show purposes and for accomplishing work objectives.

Breed Group

Hound

Size

Males: 23-25 inches high

Females: 21-24 inches high

Weight

Males: 45-55 lbs

Females: 45-55 lbs

Color(s)

The Pharaoh Hound comes in a red and tan colouring. White markings are allowed on the face, chest, toes and tail, but any other colours or markings are not permitted for purebred show dogs.

Coat

The Pharaoh Hound has a very short coat almost having the appearance of none at all. It is smooth and glossy with a silky feel and an elegant look. This coat will need virtually no grooming effort, just a “hounds glove” which is a brush type object used to make the coat shiny. Bathes every 2-3 months will be perfect as this dog does not have a dog smell to them.

Life Expectancy

About 11-14 years .

Personality

The Pharaoh Hound is mature, calm and happy both enjoying his privacy and affection from their families. They will make great family dogs because they love children but should be monitored around smaller family pets such as cats, mice, guinea pigs etc as they consider these prey. When meeting new people the Pharaoh Hound can be aloof but will warm up quickly. After this breed considers you a friend, they will “blush” when they are excited to see you. Their ears and nose will turn pink!

The Pharaoh Hound will make a very good watch dog because they like to bark. If you are planning on leaving this dog alone often, then this isn’t the dog for you. They like to be included in family events because they thrive on affection.

Care

This breed has an extremely short coat so grooming will only need to be done about once every 2-3 weeks. A hound brush is suggested just to bring out the shine of their coat. Bathing is up to the discretion of how often the owner would like it done. This breed is prone to hip dysplasia, some eye problems, luxating patella’s, and can be overly sensitive to veterinary medications such as anesthetics. When colder seasons are here, the Pharaoh hound will need a doggie coat or extra layers as they have nothing to protect them from the cold.

Training

This breed will need to be trained in a positive manner as they can be sensitive to harsh methods. They should be trained firmly and as always, consistency is the key to succeed in obedience. Pharaoh Hounds will need to be socialized as puppies especially around people to ensure they do not become timid as adults. They also need to be socialized around dogs, in particular those of the same sex because males can become aggressive towards other males and the same with females towards other females.

Activity

The Pharaoh Hound will need at least one long walk per day or at least one hour per day in a dog park so they can burn off their energy. This breed should always be walked on leash because they have been known to chase small animals at a seconds notice. They will do well in an apartment as long as they get their regular exercise. A backyard would be excellent so they have an outside area to run around in.

The Ibizian hound is thought to have been originated in Egypt and there after were distributed throughout Spain in early 700 BC. This breed is a very rapid hunter and was used mostly to hunt game and rabbit. As well as finding and catching their prey, the Ibizian Hound retrieves it and “points” out the find to their master, which are more characteristics of Retrievers or Pointers.

This ancient breed of dog is elegant, agile, and very clever making them perfect working dogs for the sport of hunting. They are a sight hunter, and are very efficient in doing so. Today the Ibizian Hound is more used for racing or lure hunting or coursing. Their speed and agility make them great competitors among the lure racing sport.

Slender and athletic, the Ibizian Hound has the body of a hunter. They have a long muscular neck and a thin face. Their body is compact yet light, giving this dog steadfast speed. The Ibizian Hound has large ears that are pricked upward to enhance their already acute hearing. This breed has 3 coat types, smooth, wire and long haired with smooth being the most popular among breeders and fanciers alike.

Breed Group

Hound

Size

Males: 24-29 inches high

Females: 22-29 inches high

Weight

Males: 45-55 lbs

Females: 42-55 lbs

Color(s)

The Ibizian Hound comes in a variety of 2 colour patterns. Tan and white, solid white, solid red, red with white patches or a mixture of red and white. Their nose is always a light pink colour.

Coat

The smooth haired variety of Ibizian has a very short, glossy coat that is smooth to the touch. The wire haired has a tougher wiry coat that is coarsely dense, and the last variety is the long haired which is very uncommon but is thought to be a type of wire haired Ibizian. During colder temperature the short coated variety will need to be indoors at all time and have some layering when going outside as they have no protection against the cold.

Life Expectancy

About 10 – 12 years.

Personality

The Ibizian Hound is a well mannered, sweet and energetic dog. Good with people, children, dogs and even cats if they are raised with them, this stable breed is a great worker and family pet. Smaller pocket pets, such as mice, hamsters, rabbits, guinea pigs etc, should be monitored around the Ibizian as they consider these prey.

They enjoy the company of the family but can be independent as well. They are protective of their domain, and are more reserved around people they don’t know but will warm up to that individual quickly after the first meeting.

Ibizian Hounds are dogs that need to be included in the family. They will not do well left alone often as they thrive greatly on being part of your pack. They can become very comfortable in daily routines, so when introducing new people or animals to the household, this breed will have a harder time adjusting. This is a very clean dog often being compared to the cleanliness of a cat.

Care

The Ibizian Hound is a low maintenance breed to groom. Although there are 3 variations of their coat textures, the smooth, long, and wire haired will need to be brushed about once per week just to remove dead fur. This breed is prone to seizures and sensitivity to drugs which makes it medically harder to give treatment. They are also known to have muscle and nerve diseases.

Training

The Ibizian Hound will need firm yet positive training methods when practicing basic obedience. Negative methods will not help this dog excel so patience will be needed. They are a swift breed that will excel in agility trials or lure coursing as this would be fun exercise for them and great practice!

Activity

The Ibizian Hound will need a large amount of exercise daily. Daily walks or jogs will needed at least 3 times per day or trips to the off-leash dog park so they can run and socialize with other dogs. This breed needs to run and they enjoy chasing after a ball or running alongside their owner.

The Ibizian should not be kept off leash as they are a hound after all that could potentially chase after any small animal at a moments notice. This breed will do well in an apartment as long as they are exercised daily. A yard would be preferable but a very high fence will be needed as they can jump high from a standing position and have been known to clear fences!

The Greyhound is a breed whose origin is somewhat unknown. There are theories stating that the Greyhound is from Egypt. Historians have found different relief’s of a breed of dog with the same body shape as that of an early Greyhound.

Other theories state the Greyhound is from England as they believe the breed was introduced to this area in around the 5th century. It is thought that they were owned by the English nobility for entertainment purposes as sporting dogs.

The Greyhound has a slender and lean build. They have a strong neck and small floppy ears. Their legs are muscular and straight making them by far the fastest dog of all, topping out at a staggering 45 mph. They use their speed to their advantage when hunting as they can out run most if not all their prey. This breeds coat colors also aid in their hunting ability as they have a camouflage type coloring. Their main types of prey were boar, deer and geese. Today this dog is used mainly for racing.

Due to the Greyhounds intensity for their work, it is more difficult to own them as pets as they have a constant hunt instinct. Most commonly after a Greyhound reaches the age of 6 or 7, they are euthanized, but many organizations see to it that this routine is put to a stop. This dog will make an excellent hunter, watchdog and racer and pet.

Breed Group

Hound

Size

Males: 28-30 inches high
Females: 27-28 inches high

Weight

Males: 65-70 lbs
Females: 60-65 lbs

Color(s)

The Greyhound can come in any possible color, as there are 30 approved coat color combinations for this breed. Tan, gray, black, red, brindle, white, blue or fawn. Usually they will be a mixture of two or more of these colors with patches.

Coat

The Greyhound has a very short, hard coat. This can be perfect for racing but when it comes to the colder seasons, this dog will need to be inside at all times as they are wearing a very light coat!

Life Expectancy

About 10 – 12 years.

Personality

The Greyhound is a determined, intense working dog that loves the sport of hunting. They are independent dogs that are sweet and loving but have a very high prey drive. They make great pets for a family with no other animals.

This breed is a bit reserved around people they don’t know but will become very close to their owners and will build a mutual trust with them. Outside of the race track these dogs can become very lazy.

There are two blood lines of the Greyhound, the racing line and the show line. The show line tends to be heavier and a bit less active where the racing line is lighter with more energy. Show lines tend to be more targeted to families and racing lines targeted to work.

As puppies, these dogs will need to be introduced to other people, dogs, smaller animals (cats) and to busy public areas as this will help them become stable adults.

Care

The Greyhound has a very short coat, making them a low maintenance breed to groom. They will need to be brushed about once every 2 weeks to remove dead fur and should be bathed when the owner feels it is necessary. The Greyhound is prone to esophageal achalasia, osteosarcoma, and bloat as they have a drastically deep chest. Also, drugs can easily affect this breed making them a bit more difficult to treat medically.

Training

The Greyhound will need to be trained as early as possible. They will need to be socialized around every situation because these dogs can become quite shy as adults. Firm training will be needed for basic obedience and this must be done in a positive manor as they will not respond well to negative methods. This breed will become very attached to their family and will demand a certain amount of respect for their breed purpose, which is to hunt.

Activity

This breed will need at least 2 hours of exercise per day. Their bodies were built to race and not allowing them to do so is unfair to the dog. Long walks will not be enough for this dog as they need exercise time spent off-leash, preferably in a dog park so they can play with other dogs as well

Racing as a sport would be a fun way for the Greyhound to exercise as it would keep them in shape as well as to serve their breed purpose. They will do well in an apartment as long as they get their daily exercise, but a house with a yard would be preferable so they can run around even at home.

The Basenji was originally developed in central Africa for hunting purposes in what are now Zaire and the Sudan, but the first traces of a dog similar to the Basenji have been found on the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs of five thousand years ago.

In some African language Basenji can means; “wild and violent”, “dogs from when we were wild”, or “dogs from long ago”. The noble Basenji is a small to medium sized dog with a slim body and long legs.

Muscular, fast and playful he has a strong hunting instinct, so he loves to chase anything, animals as well as … cars! Renowned for the unique properties of not barking, he makes a variety of sounds, including chuckle, squeals and yodel.

Breed Group

Hound

Size

15 – 17 inches tall (at shoulder)

Weight

20 – 26 lbs

Color(s)

The basenji has a smooth shiny coat of copper, Chestnut red, black and tan, tricolor (red/black/white) or brindle all with white feet, chest and tail.

Coat

The smooth coat of the Basenji is short and fine and has an uncommon luster like shiny copper.

Life Expectancy

About 10 – 12 years.

Personality

The proud Basenji is intelligent, affectionate, exigent, energetic and curious (he preferably needs to be controlled by a leash). He loves to play and makes a good family pet that can be good with older considerate children, as long as it is handled regularly from an early age.

Care

The Basenji breed dislike wet weather and can be prone to P.R.A (progressive retinal atrophy), intestinal and kidney problems, allergic skin diseases, hernias can be a problem to.

Extremely clean pet, the Basenji is a good dog for people with allergies, because he tends to wash himself like a cat and has nearly no doggy odor, and sheds little to no hair. The short coat of the Basenji shouldn’t require much grooming, nevertheless an occasional brushing with a firm bristle or wire brush will do ok.

Training

The Basenji is a very alert and sensitive breed that responds well to training, however is not recommended for an inexperienced owner as he can be disobedient from time to time, for him everything must be examined and explored. This breed should have variety, consistency, and firm handling methods to keep his attention, as he tends to bore quickly.

Activity

Prone to obesity the Basenji needs vigorous daily exercise to stay in shape. They like to play, so giving them lots of toys can be a good idea, but they do best with two or three other Basenji. He likes to climb and can be an escape artist, a securely fenced yard is essential.