The Saluki is a gentle, graceful sighthound built for speed. At home it’s calm, quiet and loving. Outside, it can run faster than almost any dog. Caring for a Saluki means giving it safe space to run, lean and healthy meals, a soft place to rest and patient, kind training. Here’s what your Saluki needs every day, and how to keep its care going when you’re busy or away.
What Does a Saluki Need Every Day?
A Saluki needs daily exercise, including a chance to run safely, two measured meals, a soft bed, gentle company and a calm routine.
A simple daily routine:
- Morning: a walk on the lead and breakfast
- Daytime: rest on a soft bed, with fresh water
- Evening: a run in a secure, fenced area or a longer walk, then dinner after it has calmed down
- Night: a short toilet walk, then bed
Salukis are sensitive dogs, so a steady routine helps them feel safe and settled.
How Much Exercise Does a Saluki Need?
Most adult Salukis need at least an hour of exercise a day, with a chance to sprint in a safe, fully fenced space a few times a week.
- Daily walks on the lead keep them fit and calm
- Free running should only happen in a secure, high-fenced area
- Play, fetch or lure games give them a safe outlet for their chasing instinct
- Puppies need short, gentle sessions while their joints grow
A Saluki that doesn’t get enough exercise can become restless, bored or destructive. If work keeps you busy, a dog walker can make sure your Saluki gets its daily walks.
Can a Saluki Be Off the Lead?
Most Salukis should not be off the lead in open areas. They are sighthounds, so if they see something move, they may chase it at high speed and not hear you call.
- Keep your Saluki on a lead near roads, parks and open land
- Only let it run free in a fully fenced, secure space
- Check fences, as Salukis can jump and squeeze through small gaps
- Use a well-fitted collar or harness, because their narrow head can slip out of a loose collar
What Should You Feed a Saluki?
Feed your Saluki a complete, high-quality dog food in two measured meals a day, matched to its age, size and activity.
- Puppies: three or four small meals of puppy food
- Adults: two measured meals a day
- Seniors: food made for older dogs, as your vet advises
A healthy Saluki looks lean. You can often see the outline of its hip bones and a few ribs. This is normal for the breed, so don’t overfeed to “fill it out”. Ask your vet if you’re unsure about its weight.
If you’re thinking about a raw diet, this guide on how much raw food to feed your dog can help you plan portions.
Avoid bloat: Salukis have deep chests, which raises the risk of a dangerous stomach twist. Feed smaller meals and wait at least an hour after eating before exercise.
How Do You Keep a Saluki Healthy?
You keep a Saluki healthy with yearly vet checks, up-to-date vaccines and parasite treatments, good dental care and a close watch for changes.
Health problems to watch for:
- Heart problems: ask your vet about regular heart checks
- Bloat: a swollen belly, retching without bringing anything up, or restlessness is an emergency
- Thyroid problems: weight changes, tiredness or coat changes
- Dental disease: bad breath, red gums or trouble eating
- Cuts and scrapes: their thin skin tears easily during play
Tell your vet your dog is a sighthound before any surgery. Lean dogs like Salukis can react differently to anaesthesia.
Salukis often live 12 to 14 years. As your dog gets older, this guide on how to care for a senior dog explains what changes.
How Do You Keep a Saluki Warm and Comfortable?
Salukis have very little body fat, so they feel cold and hard floors more than most dogs.
- Give it a thick, soft bed, as bony joints get sore on hard floors
- Use a dog coat in cold or wet weather
- In hot weather, walk early in the morning or after sunset, and carry water
Even though Salukis come from hot regions, they can still overheat. Learn the signs and how to prevent heat stroke in dogs.
How Do You Groom a Saluki?
Salukis are easy to groom and shed lightly.
- Smooth coats: brush once a week with a soft brush or mitt
- Feathered coats: comb the ears, legs and tail two or three times a week to stop tangles
- Bathing: only when dirty, with a gentle dog shampoo
- Nails: trim every few weeks
- Ears: check the feathered ears weekly for dirt or tangles
- Teeth: brush a few times a week to protect against dental disease
How Do You Train a Saluki?
Train your Saluki with short, gentle, reward-based sessions. Salukis are clever but sensitive and independent, so harsh words or force make them shut down.
- Use treats, praise and play as rewards
- Keep sessions to 5 or 10 minutes
- Practise recall in a fenced area, but never rely on it near open spaces
- Start socialising early with calm people, dogs and places
Salukis are often reserved with strangers. Let your dog meet new people at its own pace.
Can a Saluki Be Left Alone?
An adult Saluki can be left alone for a few hours, but it bonds closely with its family and may get anxious or bored on long days alone.
- Exercise your Saluki before you leave
- Leave it a chew toy and a soft bed in a quiet room
- Build up time alone slowly
On long workdays, a midday walk or sitter visit breaks up the day and gives your dog company.
Who Cares for Your Saluki When You Travel?
When you travel, your Saluki needs someone who will keep it on the lead, feed it carefully and keep its calm routine.
Many Salukis feel safest at home. With dog sitting at home, a sitter keeps your dog’s meals, walks and bedtime on schedule. At Pawland, sitters follow your care notes, including lead rules and feeding times.
If your Saluki is happy around new people, dog boarding in a home setting gives it company and care in a calm home rather than a kennel.
Before you go, tell the sitter:
- Your dog must stay on the lead outside
- Meal times, portions and the no-exercise-after-meals rule
- Signs of bloat to watch for
- Where its coat and soft bed are kept
- Your vet’s phone number
Frequently Asked Questions
At least an hour a day, plus a chance to run in a fully fenced space a few times a week.
Salukis are naturally lean. Seeing its hip bones and a few ribs is normal, but ask your vet if it's losing weight.
Only in a secure, fenced area. Salukis chase moving things at high speed and may not come back when called.
They can be, if you can give daily exercise, safe running space and patient, gentle training.
A dog sitter can keep your Saluki at home on its usual routine, or it can stay with a sitter through home boarding. Pawland offers both.
