Grooming 

Grooming a saluki is easy—most of the time.  However, as befitting the breed’s overall diversity, individual differences in grooming needs abound. 

Smoothes
First, the easy ones: the smoothes. Smooth salukis have short, sleek hair that requires little but occasional bathing along with brushing to dislodge loose hair.  A rubber brush is good for pulling out dead hair, and a hound glove is good for polishing the coat for a final touch. The shampoo should be one formulated for dogs, and it can be followed by a crème rinse. Some smoothes have slightly longer brush on the tail; most people leave it but some carefully scissor off the longer hairs to match the rest of the coat. 

Feathered
Next, the sort of easy ones: the feathered. You can take care of their body coat the same way you do the smoothes body coat, although it is common for the hair to be slightly longer. Carefully brush the longer feathering at least once a week, preferably more, to dislodge tangles and avoid mats. Mats develop most often under the ears and between the toes.  First spraying with a de-tangle can help you split the mats apart lengthwise. 

The key to long feathering (besides genetics and nutrition) is cleanliness. Clean hair is less likely to mat, and thus more likely to live a long, unbroken existence. Some people spray the ears with a light conditioning oil, especially in dry climate. This can help keep the ear feathering in good shape and prevent matting, as long as it is washed out a couple of times a week. Most saluki people find their dogs grow sufficiently luxuriant feathering without oiling and conditioning, however. 

When washing feathering, keep in mind that some salukis (for example, many creams) tend to have a fluffier texture, whereas others (for example, many black & tans) tend to have a silkier texture. What works for one dog may not work for another. But in general, you can wash the feathering with the same dog shampoo you used on the rest of the body (which is the same as the one you used for the smooth saluki). A crème rinse will help keep the feathering from tangling, but if you wish your dog to look her best—for instance, for a dog show or photo session—experiment with using no crème rinse. Use a pin brush to blow dry the feathering to give it more body. 

Most salukis need no clipping or scissoring. The feathering should not be cut or shaped in any way. The long hair between the toes is a natural and desirable breed trait; however, it can be cut from the bottom of the foot if it causes the dog to slip on slick flooring.  Sometimes the hair under the tuck up can be long or messy, in which case it is acceptable to cut or subtly clip the hair to accentuate the natural underline. This does not mean shaving it with a surgical blade. It is customary to leave the vibrissae (whiskers) in place; they are never cut off for the show ring, as they are in many breeds. 

Puppies
Some, but not all, feathered saluki puppies grow a fuzzy puppy coat on their thighs, upper arms, chest, sides, and even the top of their heads. Most people enjoy the puppy fuzz stage, knowing it will eventually fall out when the adult coat comes in, and they will never get to see it again. It can, however, be frustrating to show a puppy with a lot of fuzz, so that you may wish to use a grooming stone to remove some or all of it. Be forewarned that if you elect to clip the fuzzy area, the hair will look clipped and dull, and unless you are very skilled, you may be unhappy with the end result. 

As the puppy ages, most of the fuzz will usually start to fall out, until what is left begins to look scraggly. This is when most people get out the grooming stone and remove the remaining fuzz. Be sure it’s not left between the front legs, where it will make the chest look very narrow. Some salukis grow some fuzz on their chest and lower thighs throughout their lives. For purposes of showing, most people will use a stone, stripping comb, or clipper to carefully neaten the area. 

Spayed and Neutered Dogs
Many feathered salukis, both male and female, grow a thick, fuzzy coat after they are neutered or spayed.  Some people enjoy combing and caring for their dog’s new found coat, and seem eager to meet the challenge of imitating an Afghan hound. But unless you can take good care of the longer coat, it can look scraggly. Besides, a saluki with long hair all over may not be the look you had in mind when you chose the breed. 

You can try to remove the fuzz as it comes in, either plucking by hand, or by using a stripping knife, grooming stone, or shedding blade. For dogs with profuse fuzz, this can be a daunting task. If you want to restore your saluki to svelte coatedness, you may have to use a clipper.  Use a 7F blade to clip the areas on the head, legs, and body that are not normally long. Use a 10 blade to clip the area under the tuck-up.  It will take a lot of practice before you achieve a natural look, but your saluki will probably enjoy the experience. 

Whatever you do, rest assured that your saluki will put the finishing touches on by digging in the mud or flopping in a puddle.  But she’ll still be beautiful. 

Materials are from: http://www.floridasaluki.org

Caroline Coile

Looking one's best!

Good and clean and fresh...

The Saluki's coat is smooth, silky and odourless. Saluki require very little grooming, and seldom need a bath since they never smell doggy. Day-to-day grooming merely involves keeping the coat smooth by brushing out dead hairs from time to time with a rubber curry comb and keeping the knots out of the feathering. 

For regular grooming, you will need 

* a good quality slicker brush

* a soft rubber curry comb

* good quality dog or human shampoo

Bath your Saluki in a bath, preferably with a hand-held shower. Wet  the dog thoroughly then work in the shampoo. Rinse carefully, taking care not to get water in the ear cavity.

Nails should be clipped regularly  with a special pet nail trimmer. Ensure that you take off just the tip - if you cut the quick, apply a little Conde's Crystals on a damp cotton bud with some pressure. Some Saluki will keep their nails short naturally if they have access to hard ground. 

Show grooming

Preparing your Saluki for a show is another story - now you can pull out all the stops to make our Saluki look and smell absolutely fabulous.  You might want to keep your Saluki's feathering well conditioned to encourage growth. The dull, fluffy hair growth on the body and outer legs is not feathering and should be stripped out if you are planning to show your dog. Some Saluki grow feathering on the underside of their necks - it is up to the individual to decide whether to strip this frill or leave it "au naturel' for the showring. Fluffy coats can sometimes benefit from regular brushing rather than plucking.  Plucking requires patience, daily work and strong fingers. Remember to pluck with the lie of the coat. Fluffy bits can highlight a bad point that doesn't exist. For example, excessive feathering at the elbow can make the Saluki look as though it is elbowing-in (or out), while heavy feathering at the points of the hock can make it look cow-hocked.  Stand your Saluki in front of a mirror and, if necessary, pluck small tufts out from the inner elbow or hock.

* Use a stripper block (a pumice stone - also called a "Bot block" that removes Botfly eggs from horses' legs) to remove all unwanted fluff (usually found under the tummy and on the sides of the thighs and shoulders) by dragging the rough corners of the block repeatedly over the area.  The block snags the hair and pulls it out - no, it is not sore!

* Give the coat a good rub down with the rubber pad, working in all directions, to remove dead hair.

* Follow this with a smooth brush down, using a soft brush  to remove the last few loose hairs.

* Bath, condition, and rinse the dog and dry thoroughly.

* Gently brush through the feathering, using an anti-static rinse (about 1cm baby oil in a spray bottle, an equal amount of Sta-Soft, then fill the bottle with water) if desired.

* Check nails, teeth and ears.

* Last minute grooming - brush down again with the rubber comb or mitten followed by a soft brush. Brush through feathering with slicker brush. Apply sheen spray and stroke the coat flat with a piece of sheepskin or silk.

And now go into the ring with the BEST Saluki and strut your stuff......

Materials are from: http://www.salukiforum.homestead.com

Author Copyright: Joy McFarlane

fleetwind@yebo.co.za

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