Page 134 - Arabian Studies (II)

126 Arabian Studies 11
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Contrary to a number of accounts, the saluki pup is not usually
trained to hunt with rats, jerboas or leverets, nor with trapped hares
whose legs have been broken. The popular method of training the
young saluki is by allowing him to observe and — eventually, by
gradual process — to participate with experienced hounds at work.
Thus he learns quickly. The instinct to chase a moving object is
deeply rooted in him and he soon realises what is expected of him.
Problems begin when the quarry is taken and carrying is as bad a
fault in the saluki as in the hawk.63 The hunter must be able to take
the victim quickly, either to kill it himself by slitting the throat, or
to drain the animal of blood.64 The youngster, therefore, who
carries and particularly he who shows any interest in playing with or
mutilating the quarry in any way will be severely chastised and not
infrequently will receive a slap. He thus learns to drop the victim
immediately after the kill and to keep his distance. Great stress is laid
on the obedience of the hound, which must learn to respond
immediately to his handler’s call or whistle to return to him. 6 5
Hounds, hawks and horses are generally kept in the same area and
all cared for by assistants (khwiya, sing, khawi) who tend not to
specialise in one of the three, but to deal with them all. In this way,
members of each group grow up and learn to work with members of
the other group, a co-operation essential on the hunting field.
To turn to the saluki among the tent dwellers. In this environ­
ment, the saluki exists in far smaller numbers than his kennelled
brothers described above. Individual families will probably keep one
or, at most, two hounds in an attempt to keep the pot full. Thus
they become members of the family, permitted the. run of the tents
and eating the same food as their masters, mainly rice, meat and
dates. The women and children care for the bitch in whelp, the
nursing bitch and the puppies below hunting age. When the
youngster looks strong enough he will begin his training with adult
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hounds in the same way as described above. He is allowed complete
freedom and when not out hunting with his master will usually
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wander off to hunt for himself, generally returning to the tents with
a hare, with the use of his uncanny homing ability.
i i The bitch in season is a problem, since either a mating will have to
be avoided or a mating will have been arranged with a suitable saluki
dog. The possibility of the bitch meeting up with one or more of the
guard dogs, which may well be plentiful around the camp, is strong.
Though it is not at present possible to confirm that the following
methods are adopted in the Peninsula, a reliable writer on life in the
deserts of Jordan states that one of three ways of preventing
saluki/guard dog crosses is used.66 The hind leg of the bitch may be