Some Turkish Dogs

The hounds of Turkish Kurdistan are tall, strong, and long- legged. They are run on gazelles, at least in the south, as well as hares, which would certainly select for size. All we saw were also smooth coated. To me they resemble the salukis of Arabia or (most) Iran, more than those of Central Asia, like mine, though all tazi- saluki variation seems clinal and influenced by climate and terrain, as in wild animals, rather than by faddish breeding. It SHOULD be so, though more and more it isn't. They are called "tazhee'-- zh as in the French name "Jeanne"-- not "saluki" (properly "saluqi"), an Arabian word.

All are kept and treated well, not like dogs in some Islamic cultures, though I am not as sure as one of my companions that all sleep indoors-- this one seemed to have a doghouse.


But some of my dogs sleep out most nights too. What is certain was that all liked humans and did not cringe, and that all were well- fed and bold. (Diet is like the human's, more or less-- meat scraps, vegetables, flat bread-- plus bones). Each village seemed to have 2- 5 dogs, though it was hard to tell since most don't run free-- some males are an exception. All wear coats for warmth. This is a typical male in his clothes, against a typical village background.


Putting on a female's coat, as sheep look on:


The male flirts with a female. Notice cropped ears-- universal for males, common on females.


This dog wanted to go hunting and kept climbing into our van.

This one was my favorite, because of her attitude. When a kite (hawk ) landed a quarter mile away she RAN to see what was happening. I prize initative over anything! Just a primitive hunter I guess...


Next Turkey posts will be on the incredible pigeons and on tame partridge, followed in turn (over a few days I suspect) by culture, the wonderful food, and even shotguns. But first, more domestic and Asian stuff. For more perspective on Turkish tazis, including in other areas like the northeast, go to this site .

Update: some comments from Janet Jones, who was also on the trip. Janet is an archaeologist and classicist who has been living and digging in Turkey for over twenty years, a professor at Bucknell, and a saluki breeder, so I think you can take her opinions and facts as correct.

"Just a couple of editorial comments (academic that I am). I think the
tazi is leaning against a storage structure, not a dog house. The
shepherd dogs had smaller shelters near them. I am pretty sure the
tazi sleep inside -- they are so careful about the coats and all.
Plus they are very rare and valuable.

"It's Hasan Dag (with an s and a funny thing over the g meaning a soft
g that lengthens the vowel preceding).

"In all these cultures there is a separate word for dog and hound. In
Turkish its kopek and tazi. Folks get very upset with you over there
(and here sometimes) if you refer to them in Turkish as kopek (which
is a dog and hence unclean). Tazi means, basically, hound -- and
therefore a different life form which can be petted, touched with the
hand, allowed indoors".

Thanks, Janet, The same division exists, if not quite as sharply perhaps, in Central Asia-- "it"-- dog-- and tazi.