Fast and clever, the distinctive Saluki dog breed has been a hunting and guard dog for the desert people of the Arabian Peninsula for 5,000 years. Indigenous to the region, this dog’s speed, intelligence and loyalty make it a breed much beloved by the UAE people. One of the oldest known breeds of domesticated dog, the Saluki comes in two varieties, smooth or ‘feathered’, with its name coming either from the city of Saluk in the Hadramout region of Yemen, where the dog may have first been domesticated.

Hunting dogs

Bedouins hunt with Salukis in packs of two to six hounds, and they train their dogs to hunt with falcons as part of a team. Falcons usually spot and hover over their prey, while Salukis speed off towards the target - often kilometres away - as the hunters follow on horses or camels.