November 1998

Saluki Movement - An Overview

What constitutes correct Saluki movement? The AKC standard does not mention movement. The 1986 British standard calls for a "long, flat strides"; the current FCI standard says "At the trot, the gait appears effortless, fluent, very supple and lithe, well balanced between front and rear. The strides are even and ground covering. No goose-stepping or hackney action nor plodding; the whole movement without exaggeration." Early students of the breed mentioned a trot that was "neat, dainty and prancing" with "each step a push off for the next one.

So, which one's right? To a degree, all of them - and none.

Salukis work at a gallop. When not galloping, the desert Saluki might have trotted. It might also have walked, slunk, paced, pronked, or crawled. Unique among dogs, the Saluki did not develop in one place, but in many. It was developed for only one purpose - to hunt. Although a good Saluki can hunt well in any terrain, certain gait styles have proven to work better in certain terrains. 

A low stride, long or short, works well enough on flat or gently sloping ground. However, in mountains or around rocks, these dogs have to moderate their stride and bend more at the knee, or risk stumbling. In more broken terrain a higher stepping gait is far more efficient.

If so many variations of gait can be considered correct, where does this leave a concerned student of the breed, particularly when they must judge in an artificial environment at a gait which is artificial for the breed?

To begin with, one can eliminate the extremes. No movement would be efficient which causes the front foot to land behind the chin, whether the knee is bent (hackney) or kept straight (goose-step). The other extreme of the movement spectrum is the flying trot, at times referred to as a reconnaissance gait. One reason given for this gait is that Salukis must travel long distances to find game. When this is the case, it would not be at an energy-depleting exhibition gait. Another reason given is that the length of stride at a trot is proof of how well a dog can run. Actually, trot stride length proves only how well the dog is trained, and how fast the handler can run.

Whatever the gait, the Saluki must always move forward, with efficiency and balance. When balanced at the trot, the legs move in cadence, with diagonal feet landing and lifting at the same time. A Saluki's front legs bend at the knee, lifting to a varying degree. If photographed sequentially from the side, you would find the front legs describing a smooth, rounded look. The rear pushes the Saluki forward, transmitting power through a strong, flexible topline, allowing time for the front to lift and carry forward without rushing.

One cannot judge coursing ability in the show ring. When pressed to judge, coursing specialists tend to pick the dogs which look "pretty" to them. Which is as it should be; the show ring is a venue of beauty. It is the duty of the parent club to ensure the standard correctly reflects our breed, and to educate judges to breed nuances. It is the duty of breeders to follow this standard. It is the duty of judges to study our breed both historically and in the living artwork that is the Saluki. Above all, it is the duty of us all to enjoy the Saluki. 

Monica Henderson Stoner
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