Tazis & Iran: Tazi or as it is known in western countries "Saluki" is the most famous breed of dogs in Iran. Every Iranian had heard about Tazi at least once in his life. Tazis are connected with our history, our culture and for some Iranians, with their personal life. We have paintings, poetry, parables and stories of tazis in our culture.

It's beleived that the roots of these dogs in Iran back to 10000 years ago in base of the remains wich have been find in "Behshahr cave" in north Iran. In ancient Persia the varioties Saluki once existed in 16 different varieties, including the Taji. The word "tazi" in Persian has two different meanings:

The first meaning is "Arabian" and the second meaning is "someone who gallops". Many people in the world (and even in Iran) believe that "Arabian" is the correct definition; but in fact the second meaning, "one who gallops" is the correct one. I was introduced to this view that the name Tazi derived from the "galloping" gait of the dog about ten years ago. The idea appeared in an article about Dr. Mrs. Monica Dahnke and it inspired me to look further into her hypothesis. I searched in the most famous Persian dictionary by "Dehkhoda" and found that both meanings were listed.
We know that in Iran, two animals are referred to as Tazi: the hound and the horse. Both of them have the body share for galloping and running. "Dehkhoda" in his dictionary comments: "what we know today as an Arab horse as a matter of fact and originally is a Persian horse and the Arabs took and breeded it with them because of its good abilities for galloping".

Another interesting think is that in Afghanestan people who speak persian too, call cheetah as "Tazi Palang" (it means Galloping Leopard). The word Tazi is a Persian word and in many Eastern countries even the Arabs identify this dog as tazi. We can find other names for this breed, beside Tazi or Saluki. The French called it "levier Persan" or as "Persian greyhound" in English. In Hebrew it is known as "kelev ruah" (or windhound). It is also referred to as a coursing hound. All of these names remind us of the unique galloping ability of this dog.

When we talk about Saluki in Islam as "a gift of Allah", maybe this is true for the " Sunnite Moslems" but certainly not true for the "shiite Moslems" who compose more than 80% of the population of Iran. for a "shiite Moslem" a dog is unclean and it does not matter whether it is Saluki or sheepdog. ( Besides, no where in the book "Qoran" I could find any remind of this dog. Not as Al-hur, Tazi, Saluki or other names). On the other hand,1300 years ago most Iranians were farmers or shepherds and - hunting - for them was for sport, enjoyed mostly by kings and wealthy families. But for the Arabs who lived in deserts, it was the opposite. Hunting for them was a necessity, and to have a fine hound could mean the difference between life and death. For this reason, I believe the Saluki became "a gift of Allah" and even today is bred more by Arabs than Iranians. The Arabian dogs that are known as "Sloughi" and are smaller smooth coated dogs than those from Iran which have more feathering on the ears, legs and tail.

The real high place of Tazi dogs in Iran, lost its seat with Iranian society since 1963, when the "khans" (the owners of the farms lands) lost their properties after the land reforms in the country.

Before this time, There seems to have been a class of people called Tazibaan (Tazi keeper), whose profession was caring for dogs of the "khans". In Iran, Tazi was used for hunting: Lion (when still was existent), Leopard, Wild Boar, Fox, Hare, Deer, Gazelle and ..... They were used alone or together with Hawks, Horses, Cheetahs or other hunting dogs like Findo.

• U.S.A: - Among the first dogs of breeding stock that came to the United States in 1923, were some Salukies from Iran. Since then untill the last years there are not any reports of exporting to this country.
• England: - The first Salukis brought into England in 1840 from Iran. They were a bitch owned by Sir Hamilton Smith, a dog in Regents Park Zoological Gardens, and one owned by the Duke of Devonshire at Chatsworth. They were then known as Persian Greyhounds, since these three came from Persia (The old name of Iran).
• Israel: - In 1967 an Israeli military officer was given a pair of Tazis by the Shah. On of these was a black-tan well feathered male named "Mobi". Mobi was on of the most famous Salukis in Israel and it became the base of breeding stocks of Israel Sighthound Club (ISC).
• Germany: - Around the year 1920 two Salukies are imported into Germany that made German Saluki history by being the first entries in the German Saluki stud book. Cyrus and Slongha Peri both from the Teheran kennels of Sultan Ahmad Shah Qhajar¨ are the sire and dam of the first registered Saluki litters in Germany. The first litter of these dogs arrived on Nov/12th 1922 in Woltering's kennel von Persien in Weinböhla (and in this year breeding Salukis began in Germany) . the second litter was born on the 15th of July 1923. This makes the breeding of Salukis exactly the same age as the British Saluki or Gazelle Hound Club founded in 1923.
• In Germany the first kennel of the "Iranian Salukies" opened thanks to the efforts of Dr. Monica Dahnke and Sattarzadeh brothers. Dr. Dahnke (that orginaly is a Germany lady) is the "person" who established the bases of the "Iranian Tazi kennel club" as the first offecial researchs, some years before the Islamic revolution in Iran. These efforts begun by the request of the Shah, but stoped in 1979 with the begining of the Islamic regime. She continued her work later in Germany with her kennel named: "Iran-Shahr".
• Actually Sattarzadeh brothers have a long and rich experience with these dogs, since their father was breeding Tazis for many years in Azerbaijan of Iran. Their kennels in Germany are called: "Iran-zamin"adn "Marivan" and during their breeding history outside of Iran, they got many attainments as the "champions of Europe". Some of the best famous of their imported Tazis in Germany you can see in the attachment Photos.
• Oman: - Only one Iranian Tazi have been exported to Oman. he is a black masked fringed red male Tazi (breeder: Margaret Tamp - Tehran) that belongs to Sue Heather in Oman. He is called "Almas Von Mahmudieh" and as we said he is the only Iranian Tazi in this country and receives a lot of attention. You can see this dog in this photo that was taken in the Wahiba Desert in January 1999.

Iranian Tazi (Saluki) Kennels:

Iranian Tazi (Saluki) Kennels are located only at Iran an Germany. As you can see above, there are are many Iranian Salukies exported to many countries, but most of them are belong to their local dog kennels, but here we list only the Iranian kennels with Iranian names and Iranian hounds:

• Mahmudieh Kennel (Iran)
• Marivan Kennel (Germany)
• IranZamin Kennel (Germany)
• IranShahr Kennel (Germany)