Saluki - Feathered vs Normal Coat

[DRP 3]

I've noticed that the vast majority, if not all the Salukis I've seen in the UK are of the feathered variety.

 

Why is that??

 

Is it that people in the UK prefer the feathered dog? If yes, why? Is it form or function? Or is it that there are only feathered specimens available?

 

I'd like to hear from our Saluki fans on the board!

 

Please post pics as well, of both the feathered and the normal coat (if there are any out there???)

 

Cheers,

 

DRP

[riohog 5,701]

its purly based on , assthetics mate the westerners prefer the feathered saluki, although smooth is the dominant gean, because feathered is breed to feathered in the uk it will produce feathered offspring ,

 

 

 

youll notice very rarely do you get feathered 1st crosses but it will show itself on 3/4 crosses and so on'

 

 

 

functionally there is no difference between smooths and feathered ,pures that is

 

feathered sal...

[riohog 5,701]

smooth saluki

[DRP 3]

Cheers Riohog!!

 

Do you think maybe the west has gone down the route of the feathered Sal due to these dogs being able to cope a bit better with the cold? Especially having the extra fur on the ears, surely thats gotta help when it gets a bit nippy. And comparing some feathered with some smooth, the feathered variety seem to have slightly longer hair over the entire body.

 

Maybe the feathered coped better in the UK, hence thats what people bred for and in turn thats what people got used to seeing? Similar to the breeds eg the Rottweiler which have traditionally been docked, most people like to see them docked, now with the ban, they look a bit wrong having a tail.

 

I understand that genetically they are the same ie, prey drive, but do you think that the feathered Saluki may loose the edge over the smooth (perfomance wise) due to its extra fur (not as streamline)?? Negligible as it may be, but still there??

 

I'm just thinking that maybe its weighing the pros and cons for the feathered coping better in the cold but performing very slightly under the smooth. I'm thinking maybe people opted for the dog that will cope better throughout the rest of the day, for the sacrifice of a few milliseconds during the hunt.

 

Or maybe I'm looking too into this Maybe it's as you said, purely asthetics for no other reason than the westerners liking the look of the feathered dog.

 

I would appreciate any further insight you may be willing to give on the subject Riohog or anybody else to that matter.

 

Anybody here got any pics of smooth coated Sals in the UK?

 

Cheers,

 

DRP

[DRP 3]

What?? Nobody else got anything to add??

 

Also, I was wondering what coat is shown? If you had two equal dogs in the ring but different coats, would the feathered win over the normal coat?

[firstrike 21]

its purly based on , assthetics mate the westerners prefer the feathered saluki, although smooth is the dominant gean, because feathered is breed to feathered in the uk it will produce feathered offspring ,

 

 

 

youll notice very rarely do you get feathered 1st crosses but it will show itself on 3/4 crosses and so on'

 

 

 

functionally there is no difference between smooths and feathered ,pures that is

 

feathered sal...

Doesnt the feathered types have protecting fur around their toes to aid while running over rocky surfaces.??

[jimlampit 7]

ive got a featherd saluki x and has great feet..

 

i can run him on more rougher terain than some of my freinds are able to, as he has alot of fur between his toes that gives him more protection........ but iv got to clean his feet if its been a while between runs as it clogs up and forms a hard ball of muck in the middle of his feet were as the smooth coat rarly gets clogged up so it what you prefer

[riohog 5,701]

its purly based on , assthetics mate the westerners prefer the feathered saluki, although smooth is the dominant gean, because feathered is breed to feathered in the uk it will produce feathered offspring ,

 

 

 

youll notice very rarely do you get feathered 1st crosses but it will show itself on 3/4 crosses and so on'

 

 

 

functionally there is no difference between smooths and feathered ,pures that is

 

feathered sal...

Doesnt the feathered types have protecting fur around their toes to aid while running over rocky surfaces.??

 

it may offer some protection ,traddisionally the beduin use henna on the sals feet to harden them off ,asfar as offering protection against cold well more fir would be beneficial against cold ...but all sals only have a one layer coat no underfur

[Meerihunter 7]

Functionally the feathered are of course far better suited colder climates but of course there is varying degrees of feathering within the feathered types with the most coat typically found in the northern regions of salukidom, the mountains of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and China.

It is not strictly true that all Salukis lack undercoat as many of the northern types grow an undercoat and/or outer fuzz over shoulders flanks and thighs. These are the type I am sourcing for my own hunting in Scotland.

 

From my experience of both clean legged/footed dogs and those with feathering, The more profusely feathered dogs do get a degree protection to the underside the feet between there pads, the backs of their pasterns, stompers and their hocked when over dry abrasive surfaces, the down side is they suffer (as said) from mud clogging up between the pads and toes in wet clay type ground and also from suffer from collecting plant matter, burrs etc.

Edited November 29, 2009 by Meerihunter

[lurchian 1]

hi all i have 2 smooths i dont think having less fur makes them any faster it does make it alot easyer to find and treat cuts and scrapes they still have plenty of fur between there toes for protection my friends old dog was feathered much thicker coat all over still got cuts and scrapes. when there traveling at the speed they do i dont think it matters how thick the coat is they hit something its gonna hurt

[haynes 1]

hi all my mate d britt breed alitter last year there was some smooth and some feathered the dog was feathered

the bitch was smooth there was only 2 feathered 4 was smooth iv got the 2 that was featherd he,s kept a smooth

there all running well,

[snoopdog 1,256]

smooth saluki

that smooth dog is a cracker ,,..look at the length of its neck...

surperb looking animal....