I purchased my first Saluki in 1977, after about eight years of going to dog shows. Near the beginning of my involvement with pure-bred dogs, I decided that I wanted to be a breeder. I see myself foremost as a breeder. In order to be the best breeder that I could possibly be, I had to become as knowledgeable as I could. Hence, I became a student of the breed. Professionally, I am a teacher who believes the finest teachers are the finest learners. In other words, by reflecting on my learning, I can best help my students learn. Out of the desire to learn, came the desire to judge. Therefore, I am presently a breeder, student, exhibitor and judge. This year, Odi et Amo-Elessar has bred its fourth generation. I stop here, not out of modesty, but I consider myself one who values people for who they are rather than what they have done. I hope I now can add mentor to my description of self. Therefore, I accepted the offer to share in writing the thoughts I have developed, as well as to see my writing as an invitation to begin dialogues with others who hold the Saluki as the gift of Allah.

Notes
When first looking at a Saluki, I consider the whole. I have a mental picture of that ideal combination of form and function. With this ideal outline, I look at the pieces that make up the whole. Here is where the learning never stops. What happens when the whole is there, but the pieces do not jibe or vice versa? Must the whole change or do you change your concept of the pieces? A more concrete way of looking at this is the ever on-going discussion of type and movement. I have been known to say if you like how a dog is put together, meaning the whole is good and the pieces fit, then you must like the way the whole, sum of the pieces, moves. Yes, I bemoan "I like how it stands, but on the move...". In other words we might want to take more time playing with the integration of the whole, the pieces, and the movement until all interested know the correlation between these three elements. To add more fuel to the fire, at a seminar on American Foxhounds, the question was raised: Do they move the Foxhounds at Foxhound Hunt Shows? The answer: No, we know how it moves based on how it stands. But again, the fox hunter does not hunt with a Foxhound that can't hunt.

Therefore, I look at the photographs first as a whole and then as pieces. As one of the gospels, never judge a dog by a picture and, paramountly, never make a final judgement of a dog when it is in the show ring. Judge a dog in its backyard- in its home. That is where my Salukis exist, most of the time, and that is why I have them. That might explain why I like to have larger classes of Salukis, or the other breeds I judge, just stand around in the middle of the ring while I walk around observing. That is where I see the characteristics that tell me this Saluki is a hunter of game, days gone by, and wants to continue on the sands of time. The photographs are not the best or the ideal. Given all the possibilities, I understand that the reader, as well as myself, will look at these pictures with more questions than answers. I will limit myself to the answers and would love to discuss the questions if our paths meet.

Dog #1 (C)	Dog #2 (A)	Dog #3 (B)
Although unfortunately with an unhappy expression, this dog comes closest to the overall picture. He is very smooth to the eye. His lines flow and curve, never abruptly changing directions. Each line speaks for itself, both as a piece and as a whole. He is standing a little high in the rear and I want to just reach back and stretch out the rear, or make him lean into his shoulders, but then he would be a show dog, not necessarily a Saluki. Nice pleasing head with good chiseling. Nice shape of eye and strong planes. Good punishing jaw. A powerful strong neck comes out of the head into smooth shoulders. The shoulders are well laid back and the upper arm is returned well, setting the whole front onto and under the dog. What great reach this dog will have in a gallop when all these angles can be straightened out. On a trot there is no need for these angles to be stretched out- different movement, different necessities. Nice depth of chest with good, but not overly done, brisket. Good spring of rib and tuck up. Good length between pastern and elbow. Feet, no comment. Topline appears strong, level, and smooth and tail ending in a graceful curve, not only through the hip bones but to the tip. Moderately bent stifles and balanced second thigh. The rear can be stretched out more so that the tip of the toes touch the line extending along the thigh perpendicular to the ground. Plenty of coat and good conditioning, with three ribs showing and hip bones covered. Not the outline that I mentally carry, but he is very easy to place within the outline. No much to change to work him into the outline.	This one is much more difficult to fit into the outline, but without question a Saluki. Again, I want him to just stand, to be that regal dog, but I was given a photograph. He asks very much to be touched. I want him to confrim what I think my eyes see. Equally nice head as dog #1, but dog #2 would yield on ear set. Do not know how the neck starts out of the head, but the neck is equally powerful and long. The neck flows into a nice topline which might appear flowing because of its length. Also the topline might appear flowing because the front does not make a presence. The front is set forward and straight. More angulation in the front might give the appearance of a deep chest, but the chest seems deep enough and well sprung. Again, good length between elbows and pastern, and good sloping pasterns ending with very Saluki feet. I would like more tuck up and less length in the back. The shadowing does not give me an indication of where the ribs end and the loin area begins. Hipbones seem smooth. The rear is strong. The lengths of bones are proportional. He is not over angulated, but very imbalanced with his front. Going back to the whole, this dog does not differ from the standard of the breed. The parts, save the shoulders and maybe the topline, are within the standard, but the dog does not jump out and say: I am from the sands of yesterday, I have survived the past and I will survive the future as a Saluki.	Although placed second, dog #2 must yield to dog #3 in length of body and curve in the underline. The shoulder appears to be better laid back, maybe due to more contrast in the photograph. Dog #3 has an equally pleasing head and acceptable ear set. However, the dog in the photograph comes nowhere near the outline. The midsection is the hardest to adjust. The topline is the classic three pieces that you see in Whippets, where it is also incorrect. The topline should be smooth. Remember, the loin is a muscle which can arch without an accompanying arch in the vertebrae. Actually, although the loin is raised, it appears flat. The two dips, one above the shoulder blade and the other before the beginning of the roach have no place on the Saluki. The rear is too far out, and thus, very overangulated and does not fit the rear of the dog. Many of the pieces are wrong, and some of the wrong characteristics place this specimen into the realm of being a Whippet. This includes the rear, where both standards call for moderate angulation. This supports the argument that you need to know the historical context of the standard because "moderately angulated" in Salukis has a different meaning than the same words in Whippets or Norwegian Elkhounds. If anything, this photograph points out something fo which we, the caretaker of the breed, must be careful. Remember, there is more to a Saluki than correct feathering. Dog #3 illustrates that point.