Hi,

I have no experience of Salukis however .....a dog with high prey drive as you suggest not being interested in a ball or toy I find difficult to grasp. A toy can be great for channelling that prey drive ....the key I suppose maybe is to interest them whilst young, but like I say - I have no experience of this breed.

Magic

I have a friend with a Saluki who has similar issues..she is not food or toy interested and also starves herself occassionally(my friend freaked the first time it happened)
- salukis are odd dogs but very tainable if you can find the on switch.

I often find that hand feeding can help - also a NILIF programme.

I would very much be looking to teach the dog to stand behind me, so she is learning you will protect her (if as you say it is a fear reaction) making sure that no dogs are allowed in her personal space - some dogs just don;t like it (I have one) it took me about 5 years to recognise that she did not want to be a social dog - like yours - she is fine with dogs she knows and will even play occassionally but she is very much her own person. (My friend Saluki is obbsessed with her!!)

Good for you for promoting muzzles - I wish more people cold understand how useful they can be without making the assumption that the dog is aggressive.

Would love to see some pics of your girl

Oh! THANK YOU! I'm so glad someone understands what I mean- for me it's part of being a resposible hound owner.

Yes, Catrin, we have proved them wrong LOL It's so rare for a saluki to have Gold citizen award, it was even in Dog World and Our Dogs!!

Thanks so much for all your help. Actually, Tassie, I think you may be on the right track...she has had a lot of show training and stands perfectly, so perhaps that might be a way to keep her attention focussed, as she never breaks concentration from her stand, even when other dogs are barking in the rings next door etc. Hmm......good plan, definitely one to try- thanks tassie!

Here, some pictures of the mutt in question
She's the red, the cream is her best friend, and the cream is 9.







Thanks all very much! I'll let you know how we do.

Wow she is Stunning - good luck

Tassle and her best friend....(Tassle is the black Collie X)

Oh, yours are both divine....I love collie types but my disabled Mother, I think would find them too energetic. Salukis sleep ALL day! Thanks.

again would suggest clicker training with her, you say she stops for a moment or two so (and you need to be good with your timing) you can click when she isn't growing. also when she see's another dog maybe put her in a stand and stand in front of her like her mother would so she feels re-assured. apart from that i can't really help, i hope you get it sorted but it will take time hun x

Quick reply 'cos I'm off to bed

Please ditch the macho trainer and spend some time finding one who understands salukis. Forget the idea of making her submit - it's a rubbish idea at the best of times and especially for salukis.

There are some good articles on the net about how you can act to protect your dog when meeting others. http://www.flyingdogpress.com/sayhi.html

You have to work on being the source of her protection and make her feel safe. Pinning her and forcing her down when other dogs approach will only make her feel more insecure. Imagine you are a child and a scary person enters your house - would you want your parent to step in front of you and protect you, or tell you off and make you lie down? Look at it from her point of view: she's nervous, she's trying to tell you she isn't comfortable, she is scolded and made to submit and remain in a vulnerable position while other dogs pass ...

How much exercise does she have each day? I picked up on the fact that you said they sleep all day. I know you were joking, but a tired dog is more chilled out so have a think about the amount of exercise she gets.

Hi- I'm actually not joking. they are reknowned for being very chilled out during the day, that's why my disabled mother can cope with them whilst Im out during the day.

They get roughly 7 miles running with my father, cross country running this is, at a spanking trot pace, 4 days a week, and 4 miles the other 2/3 days. They run off the lead for twenty minutes in the morning in a 1.5 acre paddock, and again in the paddock in the late afternoon fr another twenty minutes or so. They will often go out again in the afternoon for a 45 minute jog with me., that's say 4 days a week.
They also get a few minutes basic obedience each day, and a few minutes show practice in the evenings.

I don't really see how they can get any more exercise.

Sleep well! lol

no, that's a good lot of exercise!

I misunderstood your previous post about sleeping all day because I thought you meant they got the '20 mins exercise twice a day' which is what a lot of rescues and breeders assure prospective owners is all a sighthound needs.

Apologies for misunderstanding.

None needed, but thank you all the same- it's a genuine concern of mine too. I often think dogs are naughty because they don't get enough sheer exercise, not 'work', just physical labour and cardiovascular exercise.
You can always tell the ones in the show ring who don't do enough- awfully weak, adn not in true keeping with standard.

Obvioulsy there's always the occasional day when they get a lot less than that, but on the whole that's their average. They have the run of the yard all day as well.