The best dog food for a Saluki
Salukis are an ancient sighthound breed built for sustained speed, and that build shapes what they need from food more than their overall size does: a naturally lean, low-body-fat frame with a fast metabolism, so the right amount of food is judged against their actual weight and body condition rather than how substantial a Saluki looks standing still.
Feeding a Saluki
A large breed
An adult Saluki typically weighs 16–29 kg, so a healthy Saluki eats a fair amount compared with other breeds. Every feeding guide on a bag is written per kilo of body weight, not per breed — start there, then adjust to the dog in front of you.
Life stage
A large breed is usually done growing at 15–18 months, which is roughly when a puppy food has finished its job. With a typical lifespan of 12–14 years, there is a long adult stretch in the middle; switch to a senior food when your vet thinks it is worth it rather than on a birthday.
A high-energy dog eats like one
Salukis sit at the top end for energy, and a dog working through an hour and a half of real exercise a day burns through the feeding guide faster than a dog on a short stroll. Feed to the dog's condition, not to the middle of the range on the bag.
Joint support is worth looking for
Their size and frame put more load through the joints than a smaller dog carries, so a food with joint support on the label is worth reading for — and keeping them lean does more for their joints than any supplement.
Weight matters more than usual here
A long back or a heavy frame makes every extra kilo count twice. Weigh portions rather than eyeballing a scoop, and reduce the food rather than the walks if the waist starts to disappear.
How much should a Saluki weigh?
Adult 16–29 kgfully grown at 15–18 months
| Age | Stage | Typical weight | Of adult size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | Just home | 1.8–3.3 kg | 11% |
| 3 months | Young puppy | 3–5.4 kg | 19% |
| 6 months | Growing fast | 5.9–10.8 kg | 37% |
| 12 months | Adolescent | 11.9–21.5 kg | 74% |
| 15–18 months | Fully grown | 16–29 kg | 100% |
A guide, from the same rule of thumb our puppy growth predictor uses — each age is that share of the way to maturity for a large breed. Puppies grow fastest early, so a real puppy usually sits a little above the middle rows. Weigh yours and ask your vet if the number worries you.
Complete dog foods that suit a Saluki
Complete foods from our range, matched to a Saluki's size band and what the breed typically needs. Stock levels and delivery dates are live on each product.
Field & Trial Skinner S Field Trial Light Senior
A lower-fat dry food for older, overweight or less active dogs, including working breeds
From£9.85
Autarky Complete Grain Free Adult Turkey
Grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, with turkey and a marine-algae joint care package
£12.79
Autarky Grain Free Tasty White Fish & Potato Complete
Grain-free dry dog food built around white fish meal rather than poultry
£12.99
Lily's Kitchen Lily S Kitchen Dog Lovely Lamb
Complete lamb-led dry dog food offered in two practical bag sizes
From£25.15
Burns Adult Large/Giant Breed Chicken and Brown Rice
Complete large-breed dry dog food with 23% chicken and brown rice
£59.99
Burgess Greyhound and Lurcher Chicken
Complete adult dry food formulated for the specific build of greyhounds and lurchers
£35.35
Naturo Senior Rice Poultry Variety 6pk
Six 400g trays across three recipes for senior dogs, with glucosamine and chondroitin
£10.29
Naturo Senior Dog Turkey with Rice and Vegetables 7pk
Turkey at 65% in a senior wet tray, with brown rice, vegetables and added joint support
£11.99
Vitalin Adult Dog Pork with Apple
Complete dry food for adult dogs of any age, led by pork, with citrus extract for dental support
From£11.99
Why a lean sighthound still needs proper energy
A Saluki's low body fat is normal for the breed rather than a sign of being underfed, which can catch new owners out if they are used to a stockier breed's proportions. That lean build does not mean low energy needs, though — sighthounds bred for sustained running typically need a reasonably energy-dense diet relative to their body weight, even while looking slight.
Judging portions by body condition — feeling for ribs covered by a thin layer rather than visible or impossible to find — matters more for a Saluki than for a breed where a bit of extra weight is harder to spot. Their frame shows both underfeeding and overfeeding more clearly than a heavier-set breed's would.
The deep chest is worth knowing about at mealtimes
Salukis share the deep, narrow chest common to sighthounds, and deep-chested breeds generally are more associated with bloat, a serious and fast-moving condition, than broader-chested dogs. Many owners of deep-chested breeds choose to split the day's food into two smaller meals rather than one large one, and to avoid vigorous exercise immediately either side of eating, as a general precaution.
None of that is a treatment or a guarantee, and it is worth discussing with a vet if you have specific concerns about your own dog's routine. It is simply a widely followed general practice for the shape of chest a Saluki has, rather than anything specific to this one breed alone.
What this means in practice
A complete dry or wet food formulated for an active or working breed tends to suit a Saluki's real energy needs better than a food built around a sedentary, stockier dog of a similar weight. The named protein and its position on the ingredients list matters more here than any breed-specific marketing, since a Saluki has no dietary requirement unique to the breed beyond what its activity level and lean frame call for.
As with any dog, introduce a new food gradually alongside the old one, and judge success by maintained body condition and energy over a couple of months rather than by weight alone, since a lean, fit Saluki can look deceptively slight even when everything about their diet is right.
Common questions
- Are Salukis naturally thin, or does that mean they're underfed?
- Naturally thin. A low body fat percentage and visible waist are normal for the breed, a result of being built for sustained running rather than a sign of insufficient food. Judging condition by feeling for ribs under a thin covering, rather than by general appearance, is a more reliable check for this breed.
- Do Salukis need more food than their size suggests?
- Often a reasonably energy-dense diet relative to body weight, yes, because their lean build and activity level do not mean low energy needs. The right amount is best judged against ongoing body condition rather than against how big or small the dog looks.
- Should I feed a Saluki one big meal or split it up?
- Many owners of deep-chested sighthound breeds split the day's food into two smaller meals rather than one large one, and avoid vigorous exercise close to mealtimes, as a general precaution given the breed's chest shape. It is worth discussing your own dog's routine with a vet if you have specific concerns.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.