Born. 31.5.2006, golden, male

Breeder: Micaela Lehtonen, Eteläinen
Owner: Johanna Männistö

Name: Noki
Nicknames: Tirppa, Tillittäjä, Uivelo, Rimpiäinen, Pikkuinen (little one), Pieni, Nokinenä, Hiilisilmä, Alati Nälkäinen (Always hungry), Pieni vaalee (Little white one), Riiviö (Rascal), Noksa, Kakkiainen, Salukinpoikanen, Kakara (Brat), Kakaruus.

Saluki?

When I was planning on getting a dog of my own the first time around, a Saluki was the other option I was interested in alongside the Afghan Hound. My boyfriend and I were watching a nature document on TV, and it was about the desert bred Salukis that still lived in the Middle East and were used for their original purpose - hunting. I was thrilled to see there still were sighthounds that were able to do what they were meant to.
I was even more thrilled, when I was visiting the Finnish Saluki breeders' websites on the internet and came across The Qashani-saluki pages. Someone was, not just breeding Salukis based on those working, desert bred lines, but even doing it in Finland! I contacted the breeder and she seemed nice, but there weren't any available dogs at that time and I was already very keen on the thought of having an Afghan Hound. So my lovely Afghan Rasmus came into my life, and the dream of a Saluki had to wait.

Anyhow, the dream wasn't buried. I went to visit Micaela and her Qashani-salukis couple of times, and liked their appearance and characters very much. Especially her young Syrian bitch Basma became my favorite, She is such a sweet and balanced personality. So when I heard Basma was going to be mated, I reserved a male puppy from the forthcoming litter.

In the spring of 2006 it then started, the anxious anticipation of the puppy. Basma traveled to Switzerland to meet her groom, and as a result she gave birth to five puppies later that spring. To my joy there were enough males for me too.
I was specially attracted to the little golden boy from the first photos I saw. He grew up to be the most suitable also in terms of his character and when I went to see the puppies when they were 7 weeks old, I was finally certain; He would be the one for us. So the little golden boy, nicknamed Winnie the Pooh at birth, was to come and live with us as a "little brother" to my Rasmus.

In the new home

We went to pick up our saluki when he was 10,5 weeks old. Rasmus was a little scary at first - this huge black dog with long hair must have seemed like a boogeyman to the little one who had never seen an afghan hound before - but soon he realized, that the creature was in fact very kind and nice pal.

Noki is very talented climber. He was the first to get out of the whelping box and the first to climb on the sofa as a little rascal at his breeder's house. Now he jumps easily from my coach to my bed, and even the 90cm high doggy fence won't keep him inside if he wants out. He doesn't even jump over it - He climbs! Only the future will tell what this clever puppy will learn to do later..

Noki is also very greedy when it comes to food. His motto seems to be "All food is clearly for me, me, ME!" I have to give my dogs food separately because my afghan is a more sophisticated and slower eater, and doesn't defend his food. That's why if I don't watch them, Noki will first eat his own food and then try to eat also Rasmus' food.

Noki loves to be near people and his "big brother". He loves climbing up to sleep in my lap on the sofa or finding his way close Rasmus. Many times in the morning I find him sleeping in my bed, under the quilt, where he has snuk in during the night.

Altogether he is a very lively, energetic and perceptive little Saluki, and already keen on birds and other animals. He really is keen-eyed, as his official Arabic name, Thaqib an-Nazar suggests.

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