Saluki
Exercise
The Salukis’ nicknames, Gazelle Hound and Persian Greyhound, can help explain how much exercise a saluki needs to remain fit and healthy. Salukis love to run long distances, and must be allowed to do so weekly to remain in optimal shape (Saluki Club of America). They can run more than two miles at a time and reach speeds of 30-35 MPH, making free running areas such as dog parks, isolated beaches, baseball diamonds or any other well-fenced in land in or outside city limits a saluki’s ideal habitat (Saluki Club of America; Taylor et al.). Daily walking of salukis would be ideal, especially if regular free running is not given to the dog. Weekly free running, biweekly long walks or jogs are recommended (Saluki Club of America). The more exercise and stimulation, the better trained and obedient the saluki will be. Pent up energy in a dog will often lead to destructive behaviour or barking, this can easily be avoided by adequate exercise. Activities to keep your saluki well exercised in both the body and mind are listed below.
Lure Coursing
A favourite of both the greyhound and saluki is lure coursing, where a plastic lure attached to a motorized line is chased for approximately 600 to 1200 yards (Saluki Club of America). The path is often irregular and zigzag patterned, and can be played alone or against other hounds (Saluki Club of America). This is both a competitive sport and fun activity for the dog and owner. The dogs are graded on their agility, speed and other physical attributes (Saluki Club of America). Competitive dogs must be trained as puppies to run off leashed and on varied turf (Saluki Club of America). This sort of experience increases obedience in the dogs and teaches them to understand the rules of the game.
Agility
Salukis respond very positively to agility training, flourishing their natural athletic abilities. In a typical agility course there are approximately 15 obstacles, which include: single jumps, triple jumps, oxers, weave poles, chutes, A-frames, high catwalks, teeter-totter, and more (Saluki Club of America). Again, agility training can become a very competitive sport or just another activity for your saluki to enjoy. Not only is it great exercise for the dog's body and mind, but it also is an excellent way to work on obedience, trust and the relationship between the owner and the dog. Salukis do not respond well to “corrections” when trained, rather they need constant praise and positive reinforcement, one of the reasons why agility is the perfect activity for them (Saluki Club of America).
Tracking
Tracking is a great way for salukis to express the hound in them. It is a very simple and cheap activity that can be done anywhere and anytime. All that is needed is a harness, lead, track markers, and articles which are usually leather gloves or wallets (Saluki Club of America). The owner lays a track with articles for the dog to find. There is plenty of information and books available on how to get your hound started. Starting in small areas and keeping it simple is recommended, then work up to complex longer tracks with obstacles when your dog is ready for the challenge (Saluki Club of America). Tracking is an easy way to give your saluki exercise and stimulate their mind. Their keen sense of smell make them excellent trackers, and the low competition and lack of “corrections” make this activity ideal for salukis (Saluki Club of America). It also is a great way to build on trust and confidence between the dog and owner.
