If your saluki is at least six months old, has a regular (not Limited) individual AKC registration, is neither neutered nor spayed, and (if male) has two normally descended testicles, you can compete with your dog in AKC conformation shows. You should first ask your dog’s breeder if he or she believes your dog is show quality. Salukis are easy to show and many people new to the show ring have beaten the old-timers with their salukis. A little preparation helps, though.
We are a fairly small group of exhibitors in Florida and we welcome newcomers to our ranks. If you come to a show please introduce yourself. Do not be shy about asking for handling, training, or grooming advice. We want you to stay!

Show Training
The salukis that trot confidently around the ring are the products of not only good genes and good luck, but also a lot of work. The judge has just a few minutes in which to evaluate each dog; a confident dog will make a much stronger impression than one that tries to hide his attributes. That’s why the handlers make sure their dogs are happy, but that’s easier said than done with most salukis. 
Salukis are not the typical happy go lucky show dog. They tend to be aloof with strangers and many are not motivated by food and don’t fall for toys. They may shrink from being touched by a stranger¾although they should not be shy. They may not jump for treats but should not be dragged around the ring. Judges should understand that many salukis find nothing of interest in the show ring; handlers should try to make the experience as pleasant as possible. Handling classes are a great place to acclimate you and your saluki to the show scene.
Your training time is better spent getting your dog to enjoy the experience rather than to stand like a statue and trot like a robot. Judges are more apt to forgive a moved foot or a leap of exuberance than they will an obviously sad or scared saluki. Make it fun!

Show Grooming
Your saluki will need to be groomed before the show. Grooming consists mostly of keeping the dog’s coat free of tangles and washing the dog before the show. Any good shampoo will do. You can use a crème rinse on the body coat but avoid putting it in the feathering, as it tends to make the feathering too limp. Blow-drying the feathering can add some body to it. Do not cut the whiskers or the long feathering between the toes, as you would in many breeds. If your dog has very long hair under its feet you can cut that to prevent slipping on the floors of indoor shows. You may or may not choose to remove fuzz from the sides of the thighs and shoulders, or under the neck. Most people use a stone for this. You may also choose to neaten up the belly and underline slightly. This doesn’t mean shaving them with a surgical blade; the saluki should look neat, but most of all, natural.  

Ring Procedure
Salukis in the ring are evaluated while standing and while trotting. During the exam the judge is looking for how well the dog conforms to the static descriptions in the standard. While trotting, the judge is looking at the how the dog uses its body.  From the side, the stride should be effortless and light; some disagreement exists among breeders as to the how much reach and drive should be displayed. Most salukis look best shown at an easy trot, but admittedly most are shown at a much faster pace than optimal. Judges also look at the movement directly from the front and rear. The legs should move in a straight line, converging toward the center but twisting neither in nor out. Practice moving in a perfectly straight line with your dog so he won’t be undulating across the ring. Most salukis show best on a loose lead. 

Typically, the dogs in each class will enter and pose while the judge checks looks them over. Then the entire class will trot around the ring once. After that the first dog in line is posed for the judge to inspect. Once the examination is finished, the judge will have the dog trot either directly away and back to him or her, or in a triangle. Then the procedure will be repeated until the last dog has been examined. After that all the dogs are posed again, and the judge may have them all trot around one more time. Finally the judge will place the dogs 1st (blue ribbon), 2nd (red ribbon), 3rd (yellow ribbon), and 4th (white ribbon).
Each class winner within a sex returns to compete in the Winners class for Winners Dog or Winners Bitch (purple ribbon) and points toward the championship title. Reserve Winners (purple and white ribbon), which is like first runner-up, is also awarded. 

Each time a judge chooses a dog as Winners, it wins up to 5 points, depending upon how many dogs it defeats. The required number of dogs to win a certain number of points varies according to the breed, sex, and region of the country.  To become an AKC Champion (Ch) a dog must win 15 points including two majors (defeating enough dogs to win 3 to 5 points at a time).  Check http://www.akc.org/dic/ptschedule/pdfs/PointsDiv14.pdf
for the current point schedule for salukis in Florida. 

Both the Winners Dog and Winners Bitch then compete with the champions for Best of Breed (purple and gold ribbon), and Best of Opposite Sex (red and white ribbon; this is the best dog of the sex opposite to whatever sex dog won Best of Breed). The saluki Best of Breed then competes in the Hound group against the other hound BOB winners. The judges chooses 1st to 4th place in each group, judging on how good a representative of its breed each dog is. The seven group winners then meet for the last showdown: Best in Show.  
At the end of the day, only the dog the judge points to for Best In Show can go home undefeated. But as long as a good time is shared by dog and handler, every dog can go home a winner.

Join us at some Florida shows! 
For a schedule of upcoming shows, check out 

www.infodog.com/panels/fl.htm
http://www.infodog.com/panels/fl.htm
Also check:

www.akc.org

www.infodog.com

www.onofrio.com

The following all-breed Florida AKC clubs offer saluki competition at their shows:
Boca Raton Dog 
Brevard Kennel Club 
Central Florida Kennel Club 
Clearwater Kennel Club 
Fort Lauderdale Dog Club 
Greater Daytona Dog Association 
Greater Fort Myers Dog Club 
Greater Gainesville Dog Association 
Greater Miami Dog Club 
Greater Naples Dog Club 
Greater Ocala Dog Club 
Greater Orange Park Dog Club 
Greater Panama City Dog Association 
Greater Venice Florida Dog Club 
Heartland Dog Club of Florida 
Inverness Florida Kennel Club 
Jacksonville Dog Fancier’s Association 
Jupiter-Tequesta Dog Club
Lake Eustis Kennel Club 
Lakeland Winter Haven Kennel Club 
Manatee Kennel Club 
Ochlockonee River Kennel Club of Florida 
Okaloosa Kennel Club 
Palm Beach County Dog Association 
Pasco Florida Kennel Club 
Pensacola Dog Fanciers Association 
Sara Bay Kennel Club                               
Seminole Dog Association 
South Dade Kennel Club 
Space Coast Kennel Club of Palm Bay                               
St. Petersburg Dog Association                               
Suwannee Valley Kennel Club of Florida 
Tampa Bay Kennel Club 
Tampa Bay Terrier Club                                                               
Treasure Coast Kennel Club of Florida
West Volusia Kennel Club