AKC Gazette Articles
May, 2005
THE
VETERAN SALUKI
As a conformation class division, AKC defines a veteran as a dog or bitch over
seven years of age. For many breeds this is a sensible delineation, since physical
maturity is achieved between 3 and five years and old age sets in between seven
and eight years.
Not so the Saluki. Maturity comes
slowly, some might say never. For some Salukis, it seems the body and
legs will never match, and the mind is permanently affixed
in juvenile mode. Though trainable, a young Saluki can seem to be all over
the map while growing up, and it might seem there’s not much between
those mobile ears. At what might in another breed a passing into maturity
- say five
years, many Salukis are still stealing butter and seeing imaginary objects
flying past the ring during obedience exercises.
Even so, eventually all of our hounds begin to show their years, many in a most
endearing fashion. Some come charging into a room and then stop, looking around,
trying to remember why it was they meant to be there. Those who once blithely
lept onto tables or into an upper crate now hesitate, and often appreciate a
helping hand. Teeth and jaws that once seemed indestructible have to work a bit
harder on the entertainment bones, though they still do a good job digesting
literature, in the form of shredded papers..
Those Salukis who have been hard
of listening for so many years are now hard of hearing as well, and need
broad hand signals to figure out where
it is
they’re
supposed to go. Since the need for ever softer surfaces increases in
direct proportion to the age of the Saluki, those who once happily slept
on any
surface now search
for the perfect place to settle themselves, most often your pillow.
The target age for all these indicators
could be as early as ten years but generally Salukis become “old” some time after their thirteenth year. Many
Salukis pick up that one last major as they’re pushing double
digits, and some Salukis have finished their championship past ten
years of age.
Even so,
one day you look around and realize those large lovely eyes have a
bit of a film over them, and under the coat the ribs show just a bit
more
prominently. And
you realize time waits for none of us, human or hound.
Mature Salukis can be so lovely, some owners express dismay at working so hard
to finish their Saluki young. Unfortunately, many judges never have the opportunity
to see a large number of mature Salukis, and have the mistaken belief that the
adolescent, possibly a bit anorectic Saluki is more correct, thereby missing
the beauty of the fully developed Saluki. Much as the more mature actresses are
passed over for the most recent ingenue, but that, of course, is a story for
another time.
Once again, it is my sad duty to
report the loss of a member of the Saluki World. Eugenia Kissinger passed
away in January. Those who have
followed
this column
know something about Eugenia’s contribution to the Saluki World,
since it was her long term efforts that helped create the Society
for the Perpetuation
of the Desert Bred Salukis. She will be missed.
Love your ‘lukis
Monica Henderson Stoner
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