SOCIETY FOR THE PERPETUATION OF THE DESERT BRED SALUKI WINTER 2007 www.desertbred.org

©2007 photo by V. Beregovoy

1

Officers - Chairman- Julia Holder Vice- Chr- Linda Fowler Treasurer- Ken Stahli Sec-y- Denise Como Board of Directors- Carolyn Brown Dr. John Burchard Sir Terence Clark Elizabeth Dawsari- Registrar Dr. Gertrude Hinsch- Newsletter Editor Lois Kincaid- Internet list Jonneth Santschi Susan Schroeder Monica Stoner- Archivist Herb Wells Elaine Yerty Carla Wykoff- web master

TABLE OF CONTENTS…………………………………………………………………………...2 Color, Coat types Revisited G. W. Hinsch……………………..……………………………………….. ..3 Hunting Hounds along the Silk Road- which way did they go? Sir Terence Clark………………………..5 Caravan Hound- Rashmin Khandekar & Neil Trilokekar………………………………………………..13 Eastern Greyhounds- H.W. Bush………………………………………………………………………….17 Book Review- Exploring Iran:The Photography of Erich F. Schmidt, 1930-1940- A.Gursan-Salzman…..21 Critique History: 1974-1986, and a little beyond. A 2006 trip down memory lane. Elizabeth Al-Hazam Dawsari……………………………………….21 New CNRs…………………………………………………………………………………………………26 COO hounds- Uzbekistan- photos by M. Ratcliffe………………………………………………………..27 SPDBS Business………………………………………………………………………………………….28 This Newsletter is a member benefit for the Society’s support group. The opinions expressed by authors in the Newsletter of The Society for the Perpetuation of Desert Bred Salukis do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Society or the opinions of the officers, directors or membership.

Copyright © 2007, The Society for the Perpetuation of Desert Bred Salukis.

Copyright to content herein contained is retained by the content contributors. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission from the Society and/or authors and/or photographers and/or contributors is prohibited.

2

Society for the Perpetuation of t h e

March 2007

Officers:Chairman -- Julia Holder6110 W. 750 S.Jamestown, IN 46147H: 765/676-5834indianajh@earthlink.net

Vice Chairman --Linda K. Fowler, CPA 227 East Mano DriveNew River ,AZ 85087-7915Voice: 623.465.9711Fax: 623.465.7566Either of these email addresses:Linda@LKFCPA.comLKFcpa@fastQ.com (alt)

Treasurer -- Ken Stahli 3527 W. Bluefield AvenueGlendale, AZ 85308H: (602) 439-2008KENNETH.STAHLI@gte.net

Secretary --Denise Como Wolfwind Farm381 Elwood RdFort Plain NY 13339(518) 993-3724 home/voicemail(518) 993-3743 fax (732) 513-4633 cell (which I only use onweekends)wolfwindbz@frontiernet.net

Board of Directors:Carolyn M BrownPO Box 187Washburn TN 37888muyamman@earthlink.net

Carolyn.M.Brown@state.tn.us

Dr John BurchardPO Box 96Alpaugh, CA93201559 949.8061saluqi@ix.netcom.com

Sir Terence Clark 29 Westleigh AvenueLondon SW15 6RQ , UKtel. 0044 20 8788 4021fax 0044 20 8788 4021Sirterenceclark@aol.com

Elizabeth Dawsari, Registrar 1313 E. Circle Mountain RoadNew River, Arizona 85087H: 623 / 465-0568ARABHORSES@aol.com

Dr. Gertrude Hinsch,Newsletter Editor 12005 Knights-Griffin Rd.Thonotosassa, Fl. 33592 Phone (813) 986-2175 ghinsch@tampabay.rr.com

Lois Kincaid, Internet ListManager 433 Mansfield Rd.Hollister, Calif. 95023H. 831 636-1737grasslnd@razzolink.com

Jonneth E Santschi444 Washington AveCape Girardeau, MO 63701573 335-0916HyeKatuSlqi@sbcglobal.net

Susan SchroederPO Box 40Carbondale, KS66414785 836-9371ashshira@siriusenterprises.com

Monica Stoner, Archivist PO Box 1708Edgewood, NM87015505 286-2797tsent@ix.netcom.com

Herb WellsP.O. Box 345Alpaugh, CA 93201H: 559/949-8558herbwells@wildblue.net

Carla Wykoff, Web Master17696 Corazon PlaceSan Diego, CA 92127Phone 858 613-1146FAX 858 673-7274cangelawykoff@sbcglobal.net

Elaine Yerty 28471 Waller Gladish RdWaller TX 77484springmeadowarab@pdq.net

COLOR, COAT TYPES REVISITED Gertrude W. Hinsch ©

In earlier issues (2004-5) coat type and patterns were discussed. In salukis, two coat types are present- the feathered and the smooth. The smooth is caused by a dominant gene while the recessive feathered condition needs two recessive genes for type to be expressed. Even in smooth salukis there is a variation in the length and density of body hairs. These characteristics are determined by additional genes. Coat color is often a determining in influencing the length and density of hair growth. Smooth salukis from heavily feathered lines are more likely to shown some brush on their tails.

Coat colors are also seen to form a continuum of patterns grading from the solid colored salukis with little to no white to one which ultimately could be all white in color. When a saluki has a great deal of white on its legs, a blaze and some semblance of a collar it is said to be Irish-marked. As the white becomes more apparent the body blanket with progressively become broken into patches of color surrounded by white = particolor. A particolor may have almost a solid blanket with a few small white patches within it at the top of the scale to one with a single patch surrounding one of the eyes and perhaps one ear. In the Society registration process, we are fortunate in that we require four pictures of each salukis for registration purposes. With digital and color pictures we have practical evidence of the color of each saluki. Owners can/have been very creative in describing the colors of their salukis. As a result of this, a great many of the colors listed in the AKC stud are of little or not value to a person who is interested in the inheritance of coat color. There is a great deal of information on the specific genes associated with this. However, I will not go into that detail here. From time to time people question how they should register the color of their saluki. In addition to the pictures which we use, there are some simple ways to do so. We should keep in mind that CRN gen-3s are eligible for AKC registration and so I will keep that in mind here. In color registration for the AKC, individuals are asked to chose in two main categories. The first is pattern- solid, Irish-marked, particolor, grizzle, sable. Only one can be checked. The second is color, A number of colors are listed and it is here that problems arise. When possible keep it simple. If you list something the clerk at AKC does not like, think right, he/she is very likely to write asking for pictures and then will be the person making the determination. This can be a disaster.

So what do you do with the list of colors? Black- until the recent import of a black saluki, we did not have a solid black. Even these dogs have some bit of white when born. White toes, spots, narrow blazes on the newborn have a way of disappearing as the pup get older. Black and tan- to date almost all of the salukis who are born with a black coat are genetically black and tan. This then is what owners should check for color. If there is sufficient white for the start of a collar, Black and tan coupled with the pattern Irish-marked would cover the white parts of the body. Black and tan particolor means a dog with black patches….you do not need to state black and white particolor. Many owners get hung up on the tan part of the description. That tan can mean anything from rust red to pale cream/silver as some would call it. We don’t know enough about the number of dilution factors that might be present for it to be of value. Reds, golds, creams to almost white. Again dilution factors are involved. Some reds fade as the saluki grows older, some creams darken with age. As a result, the time at which a saluki is registered may determine it registered color. Some reds for

3

instance go through what might be called the “dirty browns” at two-three months of age. Indeed, the AKC stud book is filled with the designation of brown dogs. Early fanciers unfortunately coined the term grizzle for dogs who have a lighter face mask and extremities visible with a darker overlay. Grizzle by definition is a grey color not a pattern. Grizzles as such are genetically the color of their face and extremities. So the color checked should be of that part of the body not of the overlay. In general, puppies which are to be what we call grizzles are born with the face mask and lighter feet and legs. For years fanciers have called many reds black fringed. The term sable has now been chosen to identify these salukis. Sable saluki puppies look black when they are born. Their faces and legs appear black to dark gray at birth. As they grow older most of them will lose most of the black overlay while retaining the black fringes on the ears and often black down the sides of the neck. Some of them will not lose this black overlay at all, will retain the black muzzle as well. Their upper ear fringes will be the color of the dog genetically…..generally red or tan. Any trace of black fringes on the ears indicates the sable condition. Registering pattern and color tells us a great deal about the saluki. On SPDBS registration papers we also indicate coat type, something not considered important by the AKC. One further point which we might consider it listing the color of the pigment of the nose and eye liner- black or liver. The importance of this is that currently when a person states red or fawn sable they are giving the coat color but not the color of the overlay. If a saluki has a liver nose, the overlay with be liver/chocolate. If the nose is black so will be the overlay. With this simple color registration, one can attempt to predict the color of puppies expected in a litter. We cannot predict how much white an individual pup might exhibit, we cannot predict the shade of red, gold, cream. These are in a continuum. We cannot truly predict whether we will have “bittersweet chocolate, mocha, latte, etc” simply because we do know how many dilution factors are present. The chocolate is a recessive of the black which can then be diluted to produce several different shades. Can we predict color expected? Yes we can with some degree of accuracy as to main colors. The red sables are the dominant form and are the most likely to produce the rainbow litters. Black and tans are the next step down in the series. The reds grade down to the pale creams. The creams and grizzles are at the recessive end of the scale. People who breed creams to creams will only have creams and grizzles. Grizzle to grizzle produces grizzles with occasional creams or solid colored dogs who are as dark as the darkest face of the grizzle parent. So try to keep things simple. That way you provide the greatest amount of information of some accuracy. Don’t do as fanciers for years did, create bambi-deer-lion, etc. grizzles. Leave your creams and golds that and don’t be creative with peanut butter, etc. For individuals wanting more details of color at this time, you can visit the SCOA color committee report on the SCOA website.

4

Hunting hounds along the Silk Road – which way did they go? By Sir Terence Clark

In 2001 I journeyed for the first time along part of the Silk Road from Khiva to Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent, Bishkek, Lake Issykul and Almaty to realise an ambition I had nurtured since studying Russian at Cambridge years before. The following year I journeyed along another part from Bishkek over the Tien Shan to Kashgar, then through the oasis towns on the southern side of the Taklimakan before crossing the desert to the northern oases and on to Dun Huang, finally leaving via Urumchi to Almaty. During these journeys I came across various hunting hounds peculiar to Central Asia but similar in many aspects to the Saluki, the hunting hound of the Middle East, where I had spent much of my professional career. I was curious to know whether there was indeed a relationship between them and, if so, whether these hounds owed their origins to Western or Central Asia.

Hunting hounds of the Saluki family, characterised by their long limbs, deep chest, tucked up waist, wedge-shaped head on a long neck, pendulous ears and whippy tail, have been known to exist in Western Asia since at least the fourth millennium BC. Archaeological evidence from this period in the shape of seal impressions from Tepe Gawra

Fig.1 Smooth haired Saluki from Iraq

in northern Iraq shows representations of such hounds in pursuit of cervidae.1 Similar hounds, though with distinctive pricked ears and a tail curled over the back and generally known as Tesem also occur in Ancient Egypt from c. 3,750-3,400 BC.2 In the absence of evidence elsewhere to the contrary it would seem likely that the Saluki type of hunting hound emerged first on the great plains of Mesopotamia, where they were used for hunting mainly by sight the whole range of the abundant game then to be found there, as well as predators such as fox, jackal and wolf. However it cannot be excluded that among the nomadic tribes of Central Asia, who may have left few tangible clues, similar requirements for a hunting hound on the steppes and semi-deserts there may have shaped a similar kind of hound, possibly with a denser coat to protect it from the colder climate.

1 Clark, T, in the Saluqi: Coursing Hound of the East, ed. G Goodman, Midbar Inc., Apache Junction, AZ, USA, 1995, p.132. 2 Brewer, D, in Dogs in Antiquity by D Brewer, T Clark and A Phillips, Aris & Phillips, Warminster, UK, 2001, p.32.

5

Fig.2 – Central Asian Tazy from Kazakhstan It has been shown in recently

published research that the dog was first domesticated from the wolf in Eastern Asia and spread outwards from there across the world probably about 15,000 years ago or possibly 40,000 years ago.3 According to the Russian cynologist V A Gorodtsov (1940) hunting and other types of specialised dogs emerged in Central Asia in the Neolithic period (8-10,000 BC).4 This accords with archaeological evidence in Western Asia and leaves a considerable period of millennia for distinctive breeds of hunting hounds to have developed before the advent of the Arabian Saluki to Central Asia, which Russian cynologists, such L P Sabaneev (1895), A A Sludsky (1939, 1965) and E I Shereshevsky (1953), generally agree came in the wake of the Muslim conquests in the 7th and 8th centuries and was crossed with local breeds to produce the Central Asian Tazy.5 Sabaneev says that the admixture of blood from these local breeds brought about a change in the smooth-haired Saluki’s appearance to a longer coat, fringes, pendulous ears and a generally coarser build. He does not specify what these local breeds were but only that they were longhaired mountain dogs with pendulous ears.6

However this attribution of the origin of the Tazy to the eastward movement of Salukis with the conquering Arabs seems to overlook other evidence that suggests the presence of very similar smooth-haired hunting hounds in the region at much earlier dates, which might equally have contributed to the development of the Tazy. There are for example petroglyphs from the 1st and 2nd millennium in

Fig. 3 Petroglyph from Kazakhstan. © Renato Sala.

3 Savolainen, P & others, Genetic evidence for an East Asian origin of domestic dogs, Science, 298, 1610-1613. 4 Plahov K N & Shelestova, AC, Borzye Tazy i ohota s nimi(in Russian), awaiting publication in Almaty, Kazakhstan. 5 Plahov, ibid. 6 Sabaneev, LP, Sobaki ohotnich’i (in Russian), Terra, Moscow, ed. of 1993. p.13.

6

Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan that show stylised dogs in hunting scenes, though in general they appear to have pricked ears and an upward curling tail more like the Tesem of Ancient Egypt (see petroglyph of c. 1100 BC from Tamgaly in the Chu-Ili mountains northwest of Almaty, Kazakhstan). In the 4th century BC Alexander the Great and his Seleucid successors had established an empire from the Mediterranean to Afghanistan and the Indus. It is known that the Greeks used Saluki-like hounds for hunting. Indeed there are grounds for believing that the very name Saluki comes from the Arabic word Saluqi for Fig.4 – Tang dynasty figurine Seleucid.7 The Greeks traded with western Central Asia and their influence can be seen in some of the Scythians’ splendid examples of the goldsmith’s art, including the famous pectoral from the Tolstaya Mogila, showing smooth-haired hounds with either pricked or cropped ears in pursuit of hare.8 The Seleucids’ capital at Seleucia in contemporary Iraq was retained by their successors – the Parthians, though the following Sasanians built a new town at Ctesiphon on the opposite side of the Tigris in 226 AD – and was the great hub controlling international trade from Rome to China that became known as the Silk Road.9 Much of this trade for some 500 years was in the hands of the Sogdians, based around Bukhara, Samarkand and the Ferghana valley, who were for long exposed to Hellenistic influence, not least since Alexander’s wife Roxanne was a Sogdian.10 So it is entirely possible that Saluki hounds were being conveyed eastwards along China in the Qin Period (221-207 BC) we find funerary bricks from noble tombs with graphic examples of smooth-haired hunting hounds with cropped or pricked ears in hunting scenes.11 Similar hounds appear on stamped bricks12 and in stone reliefs13 later in the Han Period (206-220 AD).

Be that as it may, it is clear that by the 7th century hounds looking remarkably like contemporary Salukis were being represented in art across Central Asia and China. In a remarkable exhibition at the British Library on the Silk Road in 2004 there were two 7th century Tang dynasty terra cotta figurines of such hounds in unmistakable poses: one sitting upright and the other crouching on the crupper of a horse behind its huntsman master (see Fig. 5). A magnificent mural in an imperial 7th century Tang tomb near Chang’an shows a falconer with a Sparrowhawk on his arm accompanied by a beautifully represented feathered Saluki.14 A painted scroll in the British Museum of the Paradise of 7 Smith, GR, Bulletin of the School of Oriental & African Studies, Univ. of London, vol. XLIII, part 3, 1980. 8 Przezdziecki, X, Our Levriers, Les Amis de xavier Przezdziecki, Nice, 2001, p.67. 9 Valtz Fino, E, in The Looting of the Iraq Museum in Baghdad, ed. Mpolk & AMH Schuster, Abrams Inc., New York, Chapt. VIII, p.149. 10 The Cambridge History of Early Inner Asia, ed. D Sinor, CUP, Cambridge, 1990, p.175. 11 Przezdziecki, p.98. 12 Ibid, p.98. 13 Schafer, EH, The Golden Peaches of Samarkand, University of California Press, Berkeley, paperback edition, 1985, p.77. 14 Whitfield, S, Life along the Silk Road, John Murray, London, 1999, p.89.

7

. Bhasajyagure from Dun Huang of the 9th century Tang dynasty shows a smooth-haired hound Saluki reaching for a piece of meat. Another Tang painting shows two Salukis in a butcher’s shop, while a Song dynasty colour and ink on silk painting from the 10th century shows three mounted hunters carrying unmistakable Salukis on their horses.15 Much later a Jesuit painter resident in Beijing in the mid-18th century painted several Salukis for a presentation album to the Qianlong Emperor, though it is suggested that foreign dignitaries may have given them as tribute.16

Against this academic evidence I set off to explore for facts on the ground today. The start in the walled oasis town of Khiva in western Uzbekistan appeared auspicious as I spotted a Berkut or Golden Eagle sitting on a stand. The Berkut is traditionally used for hunting right across Central Asia and is often used in tandem with Tazys. My hopes were soon dashed however as it turned out to be a mere tourist attraction. We

Fig. 5 Mounted Berkkkkutchis and Tazys in Kyrgyzstan crossed the Oxus or Amur Darya as it is now called and drove parallel with it along the southern side of the Kyzyl Kum in ideal hunting country but without success, apart from some information about an oasis town far from our road that was described as the centre for hunting with Tazys. However I noticed on the map an area outside Bukhara that was designated as a gazelle nature reserve. I reasoned that if gazelle were indigenous there hunting hounds might also be found there. We stopped at the entrance to the reserve and I went in with our guide to speak to the Director in charge, but bounding to meet us came the familiar form of what I supposed to be a smooth fawn Saluki. On closer inspection it proved to have turned back ears, which are more commonly associated with Greyhounds, though it definitely was not a Greyhound; yet it was not a Saluki either. All their keeper could tell us was that this hound and all the others we saw there had come originally from Russia and that he used them for seeking out fallen gazelle in the reserve. During a visit to Russia in 2004 I saw many similar hounds, which were called Hortaya. Some Russians believe that this breed may have descended from those smooth-haired hunting hounds shown in the early Scythian representations mentioned above.

15 Waters, H&D, The Saluki in History, Art and Sport, Hoflin, Wheat Ridge, Colorado, USA, 2nd edition 1984, pp. 92 & 40. 16 The Royal Academy of Arts’ s catalogue of China: The Three Emperors 1662-1795, London, 2005, pp.188-91& 410-11.

8

After taking in the many delights of Bukhara, Shakhrisabz and Samarkand, we drove on via Tashkent and Bishkek deep into Kyrgyzstan. Our destination was a yurt in the Tien Shan Mountains near the former Fig. 6. Russian Hortaya in Uzbekistan Silk Road caravanserai at Tash Rabat. All along our route I had been told about the decline in hunting with hounds, particularly since the departure of many of the ethnic Russian population, and I had given up all thought of seeing any more hunting hounds. It was therefore a pleasant surprise to be greeted on arrival in Tash Rabat by a hound with a dense black coat that the local Kyrgyz called a Taigan (Fig. 8). This breed is particular to the high mountains where it has developed the ability to hunt all manner of animals in the rare atmosphere above 2,500 m even in the depths of winter. It appears to be related to the Saluki but with a broader head, a stockier build and a dense coat. [Fig. 7- Taigan] It proved to be the first of a number of such hounds that we were to see. We took a walk up into the mountains hoping to see into China and on the way came across a yurt that was protected by a red and white Taigan. A woman emerged from the yurt and she turned out to be someone to whom we had given a lift earlier. She welcomed us into her yurt and Fig. 7 Taigan at Tash Rabat showed us a tiny black Taigan puppy. Her husband appeared and said that he hunted marmot and mountain goat for the pot and the hounds were very affective even when the temperature fell to –30 degrees C. As we explored further in the area we passed near another yurt from which a man hailed us, offering us hospitality. We declined but asked if there were any Taigans nearby. He indicated a valley where we would find some. We splashed through icy mountain stream up the valley and around a bend came on another yurt and a mud-brick house under construction. As we approached three Taigans rushed out to greet us. They were very friendly and looked in good condition: one of them was heavily pregnant and was due to give birth within a few days. All, we were told, were excellent hunters. A little further on I saw another Taigan on the other side of a stream by a small house. As soon as we stopped to get a better look, the door of the house flew open and some young lads rushed out, jumped onto horses and raced across the stream towards us, followed by a very lively Taigan puppy. It was only with difficulty that we managed to extricate ourselves from their pressing invitations to their house. We did relent further on where a woman appeared from a small house with a plate of different dairy products: kaimak (a sweet thick cream), curds and cheese with delicious fresh bread. As we descended from the mountains the next day we passed many yurts and great herds of horses, sheep and cattle – and even a few yaks. We stopped at one where a woman was making little round cheeses that she was setting out to dry and harden in the sun. She

9

showed us round her beautifully decorated yurt, from the roof of which hung a fur from a fox caught by her Taigan. Further on we came across a young lad walking by the roadside with a beautiful black and tan hound that had something of the old-fashioned Bell-Murray type of Afghan Hound about it [Fig.8). Nearby I spotted out of the corner of my eye a familiar shape gliding along the base of a farmhouse wall. We made a little detour and were warmly welcomed by the farmer’s wife and her small bright-eyed daughter, who proudly showed us the black and white Taigan bitch, rather strangely called Tarzan, and her five tiny puppies. The bitch gave a warning growl when I stepped too near to take a picture of the puppies and the next thing I knew was that she had bitten me in the ankle, to the mortification of her owner! No serious harm was done and I was assured that the bitch had been vaccinated against rabies, but it was a warning not to mess with a Taigan with puppies. It was clear from all these encounters that the Taigan, like the Saluki in the Middle East, is held in a position of high esteem both as a pot-filler and as a companion. However, as in other parts of the region, the pressures of modern life on the habitat of the hunting hound’s prey is leading to a decline in the numbers of the Taigan and, according to local sources, the carelessness of some of the hunters has resulted in some crossing with other breeds. Nevertheless in my short exploration I had

seen enough of the breed to form the impression that it is still hanging on successfully in this area of Kyrgyzstan. By the time of my next trip along the Silk Road a year later I had established via the Internet contact with people in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan so that my search for Central Asian hunting hounds was less haphazard. This time my earlier impression of the situation of these hounds was reinforced both factually and visually. Our guide, Almaz Kurmankulov, was a founder of the Kyrgyz Taigan

Fig. 8 Afghan Hound? Society, which had recorded about 200 purebred Taigans and was encouraging breeders to preserve the breed as part of the nation’s heritage. Starting in Bishkek he we took us first to meet a well-known horse and Taigan breeder on his farm. Here we saw a number of his breeding stock, all of them black and white, with the distinctive ring at the end of the tail where the last two vertebrae are fused together. One bitch was surrounded by a litter of lively puppies, two of which were due to be presented later to King Juan Carlos of Spain. We had intended to see one of the kennels on Lake Issyk-kul but all the hounds were away in the mountains where they spend the summer months with the flocks and herds. As we were to see later this is the bountiful time for Taigans when marmots are abundant, which they catch to feed their puppies. Instead we made a diversion high into the mountains to visit Zarnai Sagenbai, one of the few remaining Berkutchis in Kyrgyzstan. We found him and his wife at their yurt outside of which sat a screaming Berkut. Zarnai put on a demonstration of his skill, flying the Berkut from his horse to a

10

lure in the valley below. He and his sons still flew their eagles to hunt mainly hare for food and fox for fur but also for wolf to protect their livestock. In the past they used to fly them in tandem with Tazys, as an old photograph in the Cholpan-Ata Museum illustrated.

As on our last trip we made for Tash Rabat from where we planned to drive over the Torugart Pass into the Uighur Region of China. As we arrived at our yurts we were greeted with the news that there was a Kyrgyz community some 30 km away with Taigans that Almaz was keen to register. So he and I and a local Russian driver set off to find them. Before long we found ourselves at a military checkpoint before the border with China and the prospects of passing it did not look too good as neither of my companions had passports with them. However a friendly officer pointed to a white house a few hundred metres away where he said we would find many Taigans Fig. 9. Kyrgyz Berkutchi and allowed us to pass. Sure enough we found several mature hounds there, some with young puppies that kept popping out of deep holes in the ground where they lived, protected from the biting wind and predators. Almaz duly measured them and recorded their details. A young lad came up and asked if we would like to see some more. So under his guidance we set off in our ancient car across country where there was not so much as a dirt track. After some while we stopped at the top of a bluff from where we could see below a yurt belching smoke from its chimney: we had arrived. Scrambling down we were met by several Taigans of different ages and sizes and in no time Almaz was submerged in a heap of playful puppies, grown fat on regurgitated marmot meat from their parents. The lady of the yurt dragged out from her underground den a very reluctant bitch to show us her recently born puppies. There could be no doubt that in these remote parts Taigans still formed an essential part of the Kyrgyz nomads’ way of life. [Insert #10 – Mural in Khotan Museum] Fascinating though the journey along the Silk Road through the Uighur Region proved to be, in terms of hunting hounds it was totally unrewarding. Contact by foreigners with the local Kyrgyz is forbidden, so I could not make enquiries there and among the Uighur and Han Chinese I met only blank looks when I showed them photographs of the hounds. Yet a contemporary mural in the Khotan Museum illustrating medieval travellers on the Silk Road showed in the central foreground an unmistakable Tazy. How different was the reception at our final destination in Kazakhstan! In Almaty Konstantin Plahov, a biologist at the Institute of Zoology and a champion of Kazakhstan’s native breeds, came to the hotel and took me to call on Askar Raibayev, President of the Dog Breeding Federation of Kazakhstan. As I entered his house I almost fell over Roshan, a beautiful Tazy that occupied much of the centre of the room with her eight puppies. Askar described the considerable efforts being made to preserve not only the Tazy but also the Tobet (photo # 11), a huge shepherd guard dog, of which I was shortly to see some specimens at my next stop – the Sunkar Breeding Centre in a beautiful setting outside the town. The Centre

11

contains a large number of raptors of different kinds, some of which are there for breeding and some for rehabilitation after being found injured and release into the wild. Running loose were several mature Tazys and puppies, while in well-designed kennels some Tobets padded massively up and down. Both the Tazy and the Tobet has suffered from a decline in numbers and in quality and the Centre is endeavouring to preserve the breeds and to encourage their wider distribution. It is hard to judge its success. Certainly I heard of some Kazakhs who maintained quite large kennels of Tazys for hunting on their estates and on the steppe and I met some Tazy breeders in Almaty, but the problem is also one of changing lifestyles. There is no longer the same need to hunt for food or for fur and younger people are more interested in computer games than hunting in the often harsh conditions of the steppe.

Throughout my tours I was collecting here and there from the various hunting hounds both mtDNA and DNA samples to send to Dr Peter Savolainen in Sweden, who is undertaking research into the origins of dogs. The research, which has of course important

Fig. 10 Kazakh Tobet implications for the history of mankind in this region, continues and in due course it may lead to an answer to my initial question about the western or central Asian origins of these hunting hounds along the Silk Road. [This article was first published in the Silk Road Foundation Newsletter, Vol.4, No.2, Winter 2006-2007]

12

Caravan Hound: Sighthound of the Deccan by Rashmin Khandekar & Neil Trilokekar ©

The exact origins of the Caravan remain largely unknown, and the vast majority of information available in this regard is mere speculation. It has been suggested that the Caravan is a direct descendant of the Saluki; his appearance, in combination with the proximity of the Middle East to India, seem to give some validity to this claim. He may also just be a variation of the Saluki, as the habitat of the Saluki includes the entire region stretching from North Africa to, reportedly, China. Naturally, the characteristics of the dog vary somewhat throughout this incredibly wide range.

The Saluki first reached India with Arab traders, who brought them across the Arabian Sea along with horses, hawks, and other goods from the Arab world. Salukis also accompanied invaders and mercenaries from Persia and Afghanistan, and were well established in India at the height of the Mogul Empire. It also quite plausible that Salukis were present in India up to five centuries prior to the coming of the Moguls, as trade relations between India and its Middle Eastern neighbours were strong, with much in the way of exchange of gifts and goods ongoing since time immemorial.

It was during Emperor Aurangzeb’s Deccan campaigns against the Marathas, in the latter half of the sixteenth century, that the Caravan came to prominence. The Marathas, experts at the art of guerilla warfare, were not successfully contained by Aurangzeb’s large standing army. Therefore, he had villages set up all along his borders, and the peoples he chose to inhabit these villages were warriors from the North West Frontier and Afghanistan. The dogs were, and continue to be, loyal guardians, pot-fillers par excellence, and true companions. They came to be called ‘Karwani’, meaning ‘of the

caravans’, having followed the caravans down from Afghanistan.

Today they are found throughout the Deccan Plateau of Central India, encompassing the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and to a lesser degree, Andhra Pradesh. The Caravan was officially recognized by the Kennel Club of India (an FCI affiliated registry) in 1972, thanks to the efforts of the Late Nawab Masihuddin, and Nawab Nazeer Yar Jung, members of the famous Paigah family of Hyderabad.

It was then that the breed’s name was anglicized to Caravan Hound. Unfortunately, the breed has not received the patronage and respect it deserves, due to the negative attitude of the majority of Indian dog ‘fanciers’ towards the indigenous breeds. Furthermore, since recognition, the breed has been split into two – the Mudhol Hound and the Caravan – due to a difference of opinion between KCI board members. The feathered variety, the Pashmi, still goes unrecognized, although many are registered as Salukis. The folk who keep this dog have their own theories on its raising and management. Young dogs, those under twelve or eighteen months of age, are not taken for hunting, as it is felt

13

that if severely exercised in its growing stage, the development will be retarded. In some localities, a bitch is not bred from until she reaches seven or eight years of age, the belief being that after having pups, she would be useless for hunting and thus they like to get the best out of her in the field before breeding her. The dogs are often branded with a hot iron on the thighs and brisket, this practice is thought to immunize the dog against disease and make it stronger for the hunt. It is said that a Caravan’s quality and purity can be ascertained if a bangle (bracelet made of glass) can pass from its mouth up to its forehead. Although the Caravan can course game all year round, the prime season for hunting is at the beginning of winter, after the summer rains, when the fields are harvested and the weather is cooler. He is used to pursue both large and small game, from hare to blackbuck, and a slightly different style of dog is required for coursing different game species, The terrain over which the Caravan is called upon to work is rough and perilous, a mixture of scrub, sharp rocks, and uneven ground. When the dog is taken for hunting, he becomes very excited and alert, and seems to know what is in order. The dogs are usually released in pairs or threes, in order to run the game down and dispatch it. If the hunt is indeed a successful venture, it is a hard earned victory. Afterwards the dogs may be taken to a shaded area to rest, and perhaps offered some water or cool milk.

Although an indigenous Indian breed, with the exception of a handful of dedicated breeders, the Caravan is not well cared for. It’s a pity that most Indians, including those who follow the dog scene, have either not heard about this breed or not found it ‘venturesome’ to breed seriously. This eventually leads to the degeneration and the genuine breed therefore might peter out in an alarmingly short time, as the rural lifestyle is fast disappearing. It is unfortunate that this elegant dog has not got the recognition and respect it deserves. Some breeders, to further their dilettantism and to make the dog a ‘show dog’, compromise on several indispensable requisites while the others are hardly bothered about the quality of the dog. The former happens when the breeders are victims of the ‘dog show phenomenon’, where the desire to win ribbons and trophies overtakes any desire to preserve the breed’s original form and function. The latter is due to ignorance, lack of adequate funds and facilities to breed the dog professionally. It is especially in the metropolitan cities of India that people are completely unaware about the existence of this, or any other, exquisite indigenous breed.

The conservation of this breed in its authentic form has now become a sine qua non. In northern India, particularly the Punjab, Greyhound racing is practiced on a large scale. Dogs are imported from the United Kingdom and Ireland by individuals and through the strong breed club and competitions are held regularly. Although most of these dogs are racing-line Greyhounds, there are also a few Whippets amongst them. Show Greyhounds are a rarity in India, but not non-existent. Unfortunately, a growing

14

number of these dogs are making their way into the Deccan, where they are bred to Caravans. Let it be known that while we are not against the breeding of Longdogs in general, we are against the breeding of Longdogs when it is done in a dishonest manner, and with a breed already threatened with extinction. It is unfortunate that some owners and breeders, including those who are known in kennel club circles, are unwilling to admit their dogs’ true lineage,

and label Longdogs as ‘Caravans’. Some of these, particularly when crossed with show Greyhounds, have gone on to achieve numerous wins at dog shows, where they are popular for their extreme looks. We believe however that the perpetuation of Longdogs as Caravans is a great disservice to the breed, and that it ruins the original qualities of our beloved hounds. Space is certainly a scarcity in the major cities in India and it is not disputed that this breed needs sufficient space and a tremendous amount of exercise to remain physically and mentally sound. But what must be condemned is the lack of knowledge of its very existence. This breed is extremely sturdy, and can survive on nearly any sustenance. It needs no special grooming or any special attention but, as with any sighthound, one does have to be careful with anesthesia. It can be used as a good guard-dog, working dog and, if treated with kindness and respect, can make a most loyal companion. It is generally a ‘one man/woman/family’ dog, just as many sighthounds, and tends to be aloof. It will not be as affectionate with strangers; indeed, many will not allow strangers to lay hands on them. The Caravan is intelligent, but in a different way. Most people will measure ‘intelligence’ on the basis of how well the dog follows commands – slavish obedience is called ‘intelligence’. But we think this breed is highly adept in its own ways. We believe that one can never compare the intelligence of the working or sporting dogs with the hounds. The Caravan is often immersed in his own self and of course it is gifted with fantastic eyesight. If the mood strikes him, he can take off without a care, but if he is treated well and respected, he will not forsake his master under even the direst of circumstances. In all, the characteristics are very similar to those of other hounds, especially, the Saluki. About the Authors Neil Trilokekar was born and raised in Mumbai, India. The neighbours owned Afghan Hounds – not the Western show dogs, these were real “Tazis”. Neil spent countless hours studying them, captivated by their grace and elegance, their artistic beauty, simple and yet so extreme, delicate yet extraordinarily resilient and immensely powerful. He has since been a committed sighthound fancier, attending his first dog show

15

held by the INKC at the tender age of four. It was there where he first met the Saluki and the Caravan, the two breeds he loves most today. He now lives in Canada, at home in Toronto, and studies at McGill University in Montreal. In 2004 he imported a Caravan Hound, a young female called Rukmani, in order to present this exquisite hound to the world. Neil and “Rukhee” have since been seen at dog events across Southern Ontario. In fact, they made history in June 2005, when they won Reserve Best in Show at the Erie Shores Kennel Club RBCSWO show, the first time any Indian breed had been shown and won outside of India. Neil is dedicated to preserving the breed in its natural state, as a true hunting hound, and believes that it is in the coursing field, not the show ring, where the qualities of the Caravan can best be tested. He may be reached by email at sundarban@gmail.com or by telephone at (514) 262-9844.

Rashmin Khandekar was born in Solapur and raised in Mumbai, India. His fascination for sighthounds dates back to the time when he was 10 years old, when his father bought him a two-and-a-half month old Pashmi from Mr. H. R. Gupte. Thoroughly elated, Rashmin registered the dog as a Saluki and it took a mere three shows for the pup “Sonu”, to become Ch. Inca Gold, with Rashmin also bagging a few Best Junior Handler awards along the way. The beauty of the Pashmi, combined with his love for his own dog, made him curious about the breed. In the process, he also educated himself on other Indian breeds, and realized that he had developed a keen interest in all sighthounds.

While on vacation in England in the late part of ’99/early 2000, Rashmin saw his first Western-bred Salukis at a dog show in Birmingham. He therefore continued his dilettantism, which, before he could realize, became his obsession. In India, Rashmin is well known in the circle of “Caravan Hound” owners. In 2005, he welcomed into his home another Pashmi, a bitch called Rhea. She was also registered with the KCI as a Saluki and was awarded a CC at her first show. Rashmin is a student of law and studies at the Government Law College, Mumbai.

Disclaimer: Please note that all of the above is simply the opinion of the authors, and in no way do the authors suggest that their opinion is the only one. The reader is encouraged to do his/her own research, and form his/her own conclusions. We are more than happy to help you in any way we can. Please do not reproduce any of the text or images presented here without the prior, written, expressed permission of both the authors. Thank You, Sincerely, Neil Trilokekar & Rashmin Khandekar.

16

From our Archivist.

This is from Volume 2 of "The Kennel Encyclopedia" published 1908. Edited by J.Sidney Turner MRCS, FLS, FZS, etc

From the chapter Greyhounds (Eastern) written by H. W. Bush

The best-known breed of Greyhounds indigenous to India is the Rampur hound,* so called from the Native State in the United Provinces, which is its place of origin. As to this origin no clear facts can be obtained, but the breed is known to have existed in Rampur for over 200 years. From the general conformation, the long ears, and feet, the breed was evidently started from Arab or Persian hounds imported into the State. As Rampur is a Mohammedan State, there would naturally be some communication between it and Persia, and probably it was

more or less regularly visited by caravans from the North. What, therefore, would be more natural than for the Head-man to bring a present to the Nawab of a brace of the Greyhounds, which were so valued in his own land ? Compare for a moment the photographs of the smooth Arab hound and the Rampur, and a very strong likeness will be seen. It is, of course, probable that the Rampur was crossed with some other hound in the past, which would also account for its greater size. The Rampur has been largely crossed with the English

Greyhound by sportsmen in the past, not only to give more stamina to the English hounds' progeny, but also to improve the feet. The pure Rampur is slower than the English hound, but it will last when the latter has had to give up, not only from exhaustion, but from lacerated feet. The pure Rampur, now hard to obtain, has several very distinctive features. The head is more massive than the Persian hound's, jaws more powerful, the general build more suggestive of strength and endurance than very great speed. The eyes are yellow, and have the most uninviting look when the animal " means business." The loins are generally well arched, and the tail is carried gaily, but not over the back. Of coat there is practically none, the resemblance to a recently clipped and singed horse is remarkable; the skin can be seen, and the hair can be felt sharp and prickly. The colour is therefore the colour of the skin, which is mouse-colour. Patches of hair are sometimes seen on dogs kept in colder regions, and that hair is almost invariably fawn. Sometimes also little patches of pinky-white skin are seen, just as if something had been upset on the hound which took the

17

colour out. In disposition the breed resembles all the others, savage and treacherous to the last degree. However, if properly brought up with Europeans, and allowed liberty, none of the vile characteristics seem to appear. In size they average between 26 and 28^4 inches; we have never seen one higher than 28^, but they run heavier than the other hounds, owing to their more solid build. Here a curious thing may be noticed, and that is the remarkable prepotency of the Rampur blood ; it seems to stick for generations, and it is always possible to pick out a Greyhound that has a Rampur amongst its ancestors. It is the same with the Arab or Persian blood—it seems to remain in evidence always. The illustration shows a very typical specimen. In fact, so good was he considered, that he won the Dholpur Challenge for the Best Dog in the Show at Lahore, December, 1903,beating among others the recently imported wire Fox Terrier, Champion Dusky Gleaner, then in her prime. He was a very gentle and quiet dog, and always had his liberty. It is now very difficult to get really good Rampurs, except from the State, and even then, as is natural, the best are not parted with. There are plenty of bad ones—ugly, misshapen things with splay-feet, and vile tempers, showing all the bad points that a bad Greyhound can show. A very beautiful bitch was shown a few years ago by Colonel Garstin. She stood 26^ inches, and won many prizes in her day ; she is now, unfortunately, dead, and her owner has retired from the Army. From a photograph taken of her with the Native dog-boy, Messrs. Dobson and Sons made a handsome silver model, known as The Dobson Trophy, which is competed for once a year at Lahore by the dogs imported into India during the previous year. She and Sambhar were considered about as perfect specimens as one could find anywhere. Eileen, for such was her name, was presented to Colonel Garstin by the Nawab of Rampur, who was an Honorary Lieutenant in his regiment, the gth Hodson's Horse. A breed which is also, as some suppose, a descendant of the Arab or Persian Greyhound, is the Banjara, so called because it is the dog of the Banjaras, a wandering tribe, once the sole carriers of merchandise in India, but whose occupation is practically now gone, since railways run everywhere. This tribe is found chiefly in Central India and Rajputana, where they camp out, because they are still nomads and grain carriers. In all probability the progenitors of the Banjara breed were brought down from Persia, and after a cross or two with some hairy, hardy other breed, have developed into what we now find them. Undoubtedly they must be recognised as a distinct breed, for they breed true to type in every way. As far back as the late sixties they are mentioned by Captain Forsyth in his work, " Highlands of Central India," where he writes:^-" At other times I havehad excellent sport with the fine breed of dogs possessed by the Banjara carriers referred to in a former chapter .A real specimen of the Banjara, should, however, be selected, and this is not easy, the breed having got much mixed with the common village pariah dog. The true Banjara is a fine, up-standing hound about 28 inches high, generally black, mottled with grey or blue, with a rough but silky coat, a high-bred, hound-like head, and well-feathered on ears, leg's and tail. He shows a good deal of resemblance to the Persian Greyhound, but is stouter built, and with a squarer muzzle. Probably this wandering race of gipsies may have brought the originals with them from Western Asia, the subsequent modification being due to a cross with some of the indigenous breeds. The Banjara breed possesses indomitable pluck, can go about as fast as a Foxhound, and will run all day. His nose is superior to that of any other domestic breed in a hot climate, but he wants better speed for coursing deer, and attachment to Europeans." Writing in The Indian Kennel Gazette on this breed in February, 1903, Mr. Lionel Jacob says :—" How the breed originated it is almost impossible to conjecture. There is

18

undoubtedly a something in the Banjara that suggests a smack of the Eastern hound, but no more, perhaps less, than the similarity between the Skye or Scottish Terrier and the Dandy Dinmont. In the hands of a scientific breeder, such a dog- as the Banjara might possibly be manufactured from a cross between some variety of the Persian Greyhound, such as the Arab or Afghan hound, and some variety of the Terrier, such as the Irish or Bedlington. But Eastern sportsmen have never yet, within the memory of Englishmen, set themselves to consistently manufacture a breed for a special purpose. And if it had been a mere chance production, it is probable that it would long ago have broken up into its original elements. Natives have always disclaimed such insinuations. They maintain that the Banjara is a pure and distinct breed, and that it existed and was prized for its value in its special line of sport long before any Terrier that could have assisted in its production was imported into India." At the present day the Banjara does not appear to be so high as mentioned by Captain Forsyth, but varies between 20 to 23 inches, nor is the tail feathered to the extent that he says. We have seen a specimen, perfect in every way, but with very little hair on the tail at all. Without being domed, the head is not unlike that of the other hounds, jaw powerful, ears feathered, carried rather low and often loose. Natives are given to cutting the ears. The legs, feet and front are those of a Foxhound, the pads being very thick. Chest deep with a fair spring of ribs, while in quarters they more nearly resemble the Greyhound than in any other point. Coat, heavy, especially in winter. This is curious, as the climate of their particular part of India is not very cold in winter. It is probable that in fifty years the breed has lost some of its size, and perhaps altered in other ways. The predominant colours appear to be sandies, fawns and light greys, though blacks are occasionally met with. In disposition and in their behaviour towards Europeans, the Banjaras differ considerably from the other Eastern breeds. They are less snappish, and will allow themselves to be freely handled. Yet withal they are more plucky, for they are chiefly used by those who own them in hunting pig and panther, when wounded. A pack of these dogs accompany a shooting party, and if the quarry is wounded, they are immediately loosed, and quickly bring a panther or pig to bay, and have been known to kill either of them before the hunters can arrive. With wonderful pluck they will attack again and again, and a Banjara that has been regularly used for such work is pretty well a mass of scars. Neither pig nor panther are gentle in their methods of self-defence, especially when wounded. Another breed of hound used

for hunting panther and pig is the Mahratta hound, now exceedingly rare. It used to be kept by the Chieftains solely for hunting, and a good specimen is said to be able to pull down a black buck ; this, however, we are rather sceptical about, unless the animal was badly wounded. We have seen a wounded buck going on three legs only, the other swinging

19

about by the skin, galloping at such a pace as to outrun a light-weight rider mounted on a fleet Arab horse. These hounds are used both in the hills and the plains, and will go through a tremendous amount of work in the hot weather. They stand about 22 inches high. The specimen in the illustration was blue and tan in colour, very obedient and quiet with his owner, but savage with strangers. He had assisted at the deaths of many pig and panther. The breed evidently is of Persian or Arab origin, as will be seen from the photo, and by some it has been confused with the Banjara above described, but they are not in reality a bit alike. In speaking of hunting "pig" with these hounds, we, of course, mean the Indian wild boar, or sow. A good boar will stand from 30 to 36 inches, with tushes five or six inches long; even a sow has small tushes, and both are formidable antagonists, and full of pluck, and can inflict terrible gashes on any foe. Even the tiger is said to treat a boar with considerable respect, though he is partial to pork in the shape of a nice young "squeaker" culled on the sly from a "sounder." The last of the Eastern Greyhounds is the Poligar, called also by some the Pertabgarh hound. It is closely allied to the Rampur, being also hairless, but is smaller and stouter built,—in fact, it might be easily taken for an undersized Rampur, which probably it really is. We have been told that some specimens have a tuft of hair on the skull, after the fashion of the Chinese crested dog, but not so marked; but this has not been fully corroborated. It is very hard now to find a good one; they have been so mixed up with other breeds, and in time they will almost cease to be a separate variety. Perhaps they are the Zulfi Rampurs mentioned in the footnote on page 753. We have dealt with all the recognised breeds of Eastern Hounds known in India and Persia, Afghanistan and Arabia, and we have tried to trace the origin of each breed from what we consider the true source, namely, the Arab hound. The various illustrations bear out our contentions very considerably. For its peculiar breeds, India is undoubtedly indebted to the Banjara carriers, who in the early days probably brought down with their caravans hounds from Arabia and Persia. These dogs were crossed with some indigenous breeds, and climatic influences helped to work further changes, but through all the Arab blood is traceable. The light yellow eye so noticeable in Rampurs, Banjaras, and others is, it seems to us, entirely due to climatic influences, for even Persians and Arabs whose eyes are naturally dark in colour, though occasionally light and even china eyes are found, will, when bred in India, after a generation or two begin to throw pups with yellow eyes. It may be that such eyes have greater power to resist the terrible glare of the plains of India. H. W. BUSH. >>>>>* According to information obtained several years ago, but which it has been impossible to verify, there are three breeds of Rampur hounds. (i) Lalbebarliar— Black muzzle, no hair on the body. These are great tacklers, and very savage: one has been said to kill a wolf single-handed. (2) Zulfi—Black muzzle, tufts of hair on the ears, point of elbow and tail. The general colour " mehndi," i.e, red. (3) Goitria— Short hair, yellow eye, dark colour. The first two are the valuable ones, and now hard to obtain, as the late General Azim-uddin, when in charge of the Rampur Kennels, introduced both Greyhound and Deerhound crosses,—H.W.B.

From the Registrar

20

Book Review Exploring Iran : the Photography of Erich F. Schmidt, 1930-1940 Ayse Gursan-Salzmann 208 pp. 64 b/w figures, CD-ROM of 88 images ISBN 1-931707-96-0 February 2007 University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology $29.95 The Penn Museum’s first archaeological expedition to Iran took place in 1931, when Erich F. Schmidt excavated the Bronze Age site of Tepe Hissar near the town of Damghan and the monumental buildings of the pre-Islamic Sasanian Palace. In this part of his adventurous and courageous life Schmidt, then a young German World War I veteran who had received his Ph.D. under Franz Boas at Columbia University, documented the project with nearly 2,600 culturally significant photos, many taken under far from ideal conditions. Here are images of desert and mountain tribes, the sites, government administrators, and a full panoply of the people Schmidt encountered from Fara (Iraq), Damghan, Tepe Hissar, and Persepolis, including aerial reconnaissance shots. Gursan-Salzmann has selected 64 memorable and instructive prints from the Museum’s Archives for the book’s interior and has assembled dozens more from the Schmidt Collection, from Chicago’s Oriental Institute, and from family members for an accompanying CD-ROM. She helps readers interpret the cultural and physical landscapes of the Iran and Iraq of nearly 75 years ago as their ethnographic and historical treasures came to light.

Ayse Gursan-Salzmann, a graduate of Robert College (Istanbul), is a Research Associate of the Penn Museum.

Critique History : 1974 – 1986, and a Little Beyond: A 2006 Trip Down Memory Lane By Elizabeth Al-Hazam Dawsari

The Desert Bred Saluki Critique Program administered by The Society for the Perpetuation of Desert Bred Salukis originated in the early 1970s. The methodology utilized then and further refined in subsequent years—three critiques, or evaluations, during which each Saluki was judged according to the Saluki Standard accepted by the American Kennel Club by a qualified AKC, performance, or breeder judge—was based upon the European F.C.I. model and procedure. From the first organized Desert Bred critique conducted in 1974 through the forty-fourth critique in 1986, Critique Case Numbers (CCNs) were assigned consecutively to each Saluki presented to the judges for evaluation.

21

The original listing of CCNs was referred to as a “Roster.” Later, in the

early 1990s, CCNs were reissued as Critique Registration Numbers (CRNs) as The Society for the Perpetuation of Desert Bred Salukis developed a registry for critiqued Salukis imported directly from the Middle East or of direct Middle Eastern descent. This change occurred because owners of Middle Eastern descent Salukis wanted to enter their hounds in organized open field and lure coursing competition. In order to do so, their Salukis had to have registration numbers. Heretofore, their Salukis had been competing with Indefinite Listing Privilege (ILP) numbers issued by the American Kennel Club (AKC). However, on September 1, 1989, the AKC instituted a requirement that ILP-registered dogs (of all breeds) had to be altered so as to become unbreedable. This, plus the failure of a Saluki Club of America Desert Bred to AKC registration proposal, showed the need for the establishment for an independent Desert Bred registry. Hence, in the period between 1986 and 1992, CCNs were phased out and replaced by CRNs. From the autumn of 1974 through January of 1986, a total of 141 Desert Bred Salukis were assigned Critique Case Numbers (CCNs) in one informally arranged critique and forty-three critiques sponsored by various associations. The clubs and organizations which participated in this program were: The American Saluki Association, Arizona Half-Arabian Horse Association, Desert Saluki Coursing Association (now Central Arizona Saluki Association), Empire Saluki Club, Garden State Saluki Club, North Clairemont Recreation Council in San Diego, Potomac Saluki Club, Saluki Club of America, Saluki Club of Sacramento, San Angeles Saluki Club, Southwest Desert Saluki Club, and an informally arranged critique in Stockton, California. The first critique was conducted in the fall of 1974 by the Empire Saluki

Club. Two Salukis were entered, the imported *Rualla’s Saya’ad Ibn Shihan CCN 001 and *Rualla’s Dhaba’an Ibn Shihan CCN 002. Subsequently, the numbers of Salukis presented for critiquing at the various events ranged from one Saluki only, at the Garden State Saluki Club, October 21, 1978, all the way to twenty-one Salukis, at the Arizona Half-Arabian Horse Association / Saluki Club of America, September 30, 1984.

Along the way, fourteen Salukis were pre-entered in critiques but their

owners did not present them to the judges. Hence, no critiques were written or information otherwise permanently recorded for CCNs 22, 31, 32, 33, 34, 50, 51, 55, 56, 58, 72, 78, 124 and 125. Of the first 141 Salukis assigned CCNs, forty were imports from the Middle East. However, five of the imports (CCNs 22, 32, 34, 50, and 78), although among the first forty imported Salukis listed, were not permanently registered. Therefore, only thirty-five of the imports among the first 141 Desert Bred Salukis originally entered into the Critique program have been

22

permanently recorded in the CRN Stud Book and, thus, are counted statistically herein.

Of the first 141 Salukis critiqued, five, in retrospect, have been declared

ineligible for permanent CRN registration. Subsequently, their CCNs were cancelled. (CCNs 21, 61, 62, 91, and 133)

As a result of the above stated attrition, only 122 of the first 141 Salukis

listed in the CCN roster were entered into and permanently registered in the CRN Stud Book of The Society for the Perpetuation of Desert Bred Salukis. The first thirty-five imports represent 24.8 percent of the total number of Salukis listed, and 28.6 percent of the total number of Salukis actually registered in the CRN Stud Book up to that number in the Stud Book.

Of the first 122 permanently CRN registered Salukis:

five (CRNs 1, 2, 6, 27 and 69) were whelped in Iran; nineteen (CRNs 3, 5, 24, 28, 35, 36, 41, 48, 74, 75, 86, 88, 89, 90, 102, 104, 120, 121, and 131) were whelped in Saudi Arabia; four (CRNs 16, 20, 79, and 116) were whelped in Bahrain; two (CRNs 18 and 63) were imported from Lebanon; one (CRN 19) was whelped in Egypt; one (CRN 8) was whelped in Iraq; one (CRN 33) was whelped in Israel; one (CRN 40) was whelped in Jordan, and; one (CRN 138) was whelped in Turkey.

One of the nineteen Saudi Arabian Salukis was imported in utero.

However, his dam was never critiqued. Of the thirty-five imported Salukis, ten were positively confirmed and

identified as having been bred by local / native / tribal breeders (CRNs 5, 18, 19, 35, 36, 86, 102, 104, 131, and 138). The remaining twenty-five were either bred by someone unknown to the recorded owner of the Saluki, or were bred by American, British or European expatriates living in one of the various Middle Eastern countries. One of the Iranian imports (CRN 69) was descended from registered Bahraini Salukis. One of the Lebanese imports (CRN 18) was exported from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon and, thence, exported from Lebanon to the United States. All were presumed by their recorded owners to be descended from Salukis indigenous to the Middle East with no admixture of British, European, or American Saluki breeding.

Thirteen (CRNs 1, 3, 8, 18, 20, 63, 75, 86, 89, 104, 120, 131 and 138) of

the first thirty-five Desert Bred Salukis imported to the United States subsequently have bred on. Only four of these thirteen (CRNs 86, 104, 131, and 138) had themselves been tribally or native bred. A total of five of the thirteen

23

imports (CRNs 20, 86, 104, 131 and 138) today, in 2006, have living descendents registered either in part or entirely through the Desert Bred Saluki Critique Program. They are:

*Hamra Al-Bahrein CRN 20 (Shahin x Sheba), a red feathered bitch

whelped in Bahrain on December 19, 1975, was bred by Mrs. Rhoda Stroud. **Hamra Al-Bahrein’s daughter, Mex. CH. Rualla’s Caria of Sarahin C.D., was co-bred and owned solely by Mrs. Eugenia Kissinger. Mex. CH. Rualla’s Caria of Sarahin C.D.’s descendents entered the AKC Stud Book through the Mexican Kennel Club.

*Brandi Bint Dawsari CRN 86 (Ibn Al-Batal x Sun-X Bint La’aban), a cream

smooth bitch whelped in Thuqbah, Saudi Arabia on February 20, 1979, was bred by Muhammad Dawsari, a member of the Dawsari tribe, and sent to the United States by Fahad Saqr Al-Hazzam Addawsari, Ph.D. *Brandi Bint Dawsari was bred at the direction of the Dawsari tribe to a Qahtani-bred Saudi import. Descendents of her daughter Kahaylah min Bani Dawsari CRN 134 entered the AKC Stud Book through the Desert Bred Saluki Critique Program.

*Sattam min al-Qahtani CRN 104, a silver grizzle smooth dog whelped

near Na’ariyyah, Saudi Arabia during May 1981, was bred by the Qahtani tribe, and sent to the United States by Fahad Saqr Al-Hazzam Addawsari, Ph.D. *Sattam min al-Qahtani was bred to *Brandi Bint Dawsari CRN 86 and was the sire of the above-mentioned Kahaylah min Bani Dawsari CRN 134, whose descendents entered the AKC Stud Book through the Desert Bred Saluki Critique Program.

*Samir Turki al-Fanni al-Fanni CRN 131, a red grizzle feathered dog whelped during July 1978 in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, was bred by Bedouin. *Samir Turki al-Fanni al-Fanni, owned by former Aramco employee Tom Miller, was bred to the above-mentioned Kahaylah min Bani Dawsari CRN 134, whose descendents entered the AKC Stud Book through the Desert Bred Saluki Critique Program. *Tek Kulak’s Tazi Var CRN 138, a black tri feathered bitch whelped during July 1984 in Adiyaman Province, Turkey, was bred by Mustafa Yardim. *Tek Kulak’s Tazi Var, owned by Janet Jones, was bred to another Turkish import *Tek Kulak Acik Gos CRN 155. Her descendents through her daughter, Tek Kulak’s Pafta of Melik CRN 160, owned by Mary Beth Rogers, entered the AKC Stud Book through the Desert Bred Saluki Critique Program. Of the first 141 Desert Bred Salukis pre-entered or actually participating in the Critique program, only five Salukis—two dogs and three bitches—3.5 percent—have two or more generations of descendents recorded in the CRN Stud Book of The Society for the Perpetuation of Desert Bred Salukis. All

24

five have descendents currently registered in the Stud Book of the American Kennel Club. Of the 35 original imports—14.3 percent have descendents that have bred on into the twenty-first century. Only one of the two imported Bedouin-bred sire lines (*Sattam min al-Qahtani CRN 104 and *Samir Turki al-Fanni al-Fanni CRN 131) has been continued into the twenty-first century. (*Sattam min al-Qahtani CRN 104 has no living direct male descendents. The last one whelped was recorded in the CRN Stud Book in 1993. (*Sattam min al-Qahtani’s CRN 104 sire line has become extinct although his influence has continued through other CRN registered descendents. Living direct male descendents of *Samir Turki al-Fanni al-Fanni CRN 131 have been recorded or are pending registration in the CRN Stud Book. Of the three imported dam lines, (*Hamra Al-Bahrein CRNs 20, *Brandi Bint Dawsari CRN 86 and *Tek Kulak’s Tazi Var 138), *Tek Kulak’s Tazi Var CRN 138 currently has living direct female descendents registered in the CRN Stud Book. Two subsequent generations of *Hamra Al-Bahrein’s CRN 20 direct female descendents appear in the CRN Stud Book. This line, however, became registered in the AKC Stud Book through the Mexican Kennel Club. Subsequent generations of *Hamra Al-Bahrein’s CRN 20 descendents have not been recorded in the CRN Stud Book since 1983. The dam line of *Brandi Bint Dawsari CRN 86 became extinct in 1987 although her influence has continued through other CRN registered descendents. Today, in 2006, the presence of heritable traits descending from the first 141 CCNs listed in the Desert Bred Roster between the years 1974 and 1986 is relatively negligible. This influence is limited to descendents of one Bahraini, three Saudi Arabian, and one Turkish Saluki. Sources: Kissinger, Eugenia. Recapitulation: Desert Bred Saluki Critiques and Competitions, 1974-1986. Undated. Society for the Perpetuation of Desert Bred Salukis. SPDBS CRN Stud Book. 2006.

25

SANTANA CLARK UZIDUZIT KENT. Dog. CRN 0536-007-2. October 21, 2005- . Black tan and white, Smooth. Whelped in White City, Oregon. BREEDER: Warren and Victoria Cook. 000-13 By CH Moshire RFR Red Sky CC, CM AKC HM704788/02 x Hlynn's Santana Boushra CRN 0396-001-1 OWNER: Victoria L. Clarke. 007-01 SANTANA HEY UZIDUZIT JUDE. Dog. CRN 0537-007-2. October 21, 2005- . Cream w/white, Smooth. Whelped in White City, Oregon. BREEDER: Warren and Victoria Cook. 000-13 By CH Moshire RFR Red Sky CC, CM AKC HM704788/02 x Hlynn's Santana Boushra CRN 0396-001-1 OWNER: Victoria L. Clarke. 007-01

26

COO hounds- Uzbekistan Photos © by Mike Ratcliffe

27