Dubai: In a harsh desert environment surrounded by wilderness, it is usually hard to find food and that’s where Saluki dogs would come in handy, helping their Bedouin masters catch their prey.
It’s a partnership that has endured thousands of years, until recent past when the desert dwellers found new easier sources of meat, rendering the dogs useless.
However, to many ancient Bedouins, the Salukis were not just their hunting mates, rather the man and the beast would share a genuine companionship that went far beyond finding food.
That is exactly what the new generation of Bedouins is finding out as they try to revive the ancient bond.
Rashid Mohammad Al Katbi |
“This is an age-old practice of our ancestors and not a new hobby. Our forefathers used to treat Saluki dogs as part of their family, accompanying them wherever they (the masters) went. Dogs used to be the Bedouin’s best friend, who would raise the Salukis for hunting as well as for the love of it,” said Rashid Mohammad Al Katbi, a Saluki breeder from the town of Al Dhaid in the emirate of Sharjah.
Hunting by sight
Arabian Salukis are one of the oldest breeds of domesticated dogs in the world and are well-known for their speed, intelligence, stamina and loyalty to their masters.
Salukis, named after the Bani Saluk tribe of Yemen, belong to the sight hound family, which hunt by sight rather than smell. Gazelles and hares are their typical prey.
“Dogs along with the falcons used to play a crucial part in the lives of the ancient Bedouins. Salukis would help guard the Bedouin’s possessions and for shepherds they would help in controlling the herds and on top of all that they were magnificent hunters. They used to be the perfect companions of the Bedouins,” added Al Katbi, who currently owns 30 dogs.
The 40-year-old uses his dogs to take part in many Saluki races that are now gaining in popularity.
“Hunting with Saluki dogs is an ancient traditional sport which has been practised for thousands of years in the Arabian Peninsula, the original home of these desert dogs. However, with hunting banned in many countries, the tradition has now turned into a professional sport. Several Saluki races are held in the GCC countries, including the UAE, throughout the year,” Al Katbi told Gulf News on the sidelines of the 11th Saluki Championship organised by Hamdan Heritage Centre.
Features of Salukis
Deep-chested and long-legged, the Salukis are known to be the fastest breed of dogs over long distances, with their ability to clock a speed of up to 75km/h.
“With their endurance and speed, the Salukis are perfect for racing, females with their stronger bones and muscles proving to be better than males. The dogs begin their training at the age of one and are ideal for racing from 18 months to four years,” said Mohammad Al Suwaidi, a Saluki trainer with one of the shaikhs in Abu Dhabi.
Talking about the breeds of Salukis, Al Suwaidi added: “There are two types of Salukis, smooth hounds called Al Hess and feathered ones called Al Reesh. A full grown animal weighs an average of 26kg.”
Crossbreeding
Interestingly, with the races demanding faster dogs, many breeders across the Arab world are crossbreeding the Salukis with the Greyhound.
“The crossbreeding with Greyhound has yielded better results in terms of speed, endurance, appearance and muscularity compared to the traditional Arabian Saluki. This has helped in hunting as well as racing. Most of the Salukis that are currently used for racing are imported from Turkey. Depending on the strength of the breed, we mostly buy a dog at the age of eight or nine months and then prepare it for racing,” added Al Katbi, who fell in love with the dogs as a teenager and has been practising the sport for 20 years.
Growing interests in racing among the youngsters has helped revive the tradition in the UAE with the HHC playing a leading role.
Musallam Al Ameri |
“This sport was part of the lifestyle of our ancestors, who would use the dogs to hunt for gazelles, rabbits and other animals in search of food. Hamdan Heritage Centre is helping revive the tradition by organising races for Saluki dogs and encouraging young Emiratis to practise the sport, which is the reason why we are seeing so many participants at this race from the UAE and as well as from other GCC countries and, every year, there are more participants, showing the popularity of the event,” said Musallam Al Ameri,” member of the organising committee of the Saluki Championship.
Saluki Championship
The championship involves male and female Salukis racing over distances of 2,500 metres and 1,000 metres in amateur and professional categories.
Preliminary rounds of 11th Saluki Championship were held over two days on March 10 and 11, with three teams each from professional and amateur categories qualifying for the finals to be held on March 25.
Apart from Hamdan Heritage Centre, a number of government as well as private organisations are now involved in promoting the traditional sport across the country.
A number of activities are held year round to promote and preserve the tradition of Saluki hunting. Abu Dhabi is currently building the country’s first purpose-built Saluki racetrack, which will soon stage international Saluki race competitions.
