Caroline with Luna, Pepe
and Prophet
For some obscure reason, I had to have a saluki. The compulsion hit at first sight, when I was 6 years old. It became modified to a "had to have a show saluki" soon after, when I attended my first dog show. It took another 10 years before my first saluki, Baha, arrived. Life has never been the same.
Baha set the standard for my approach to salukis: They should be companions, athletes and beautiful. All of my salukis carry his name not only in his memory, but as testament to this ideal. At least, that's one story behind the kennel name; the salukis themselves contend the name is "B.A.H.A." and stands for the Bad Ass Hound Association. Take your pick.
We've had one National Specialty winner, three AKC all-breed Best in Show winners, nine Group One winners, seven Best in Field winners, and at least 13 different Top 10 placers in conformation, lure coursing, obedience, agility and/or rally---all owner-handled. And our dogs have won top awards for others as well.
We pride ourselves in having the most versatile Salukis in the world. Our dogs have been ranked #1 Saluki in conformation (Sissy), obedience (Khyber) and agility (Pepe). We are proud to have won the National Triathlon four times (Prophet twice, Pepe and Ponzi) and to have four different dogs named the American Saluki Association Dog of the Year (Sissy, Luna, Pepe and Ponzi). We're very proud to have bred one of the very few salukis with a Tracking title and the only saluki with a Versatile Companion Dog 2 title (BIF GCH Baha Very Important Persian CDX, OAJ, OA, TD, VCD2) and one of the very few to have a Nosework title (Ch Baha Persianal Best AHN, AGNJ, OA, OAJ, NF, SCN, SHDN, CGC). By the way, their littermates GCHB DC Baha Heart of Gold RI SC and BIF RBIS GCHS Baha Pyramid Scheme JC BN BCAT CGCA TKA are also accomplished versatile salukis. And their sire Pepe (NSBIS BIS MRBIS MSBIS MBIF MHIT GCHG Baha Persian of Interest CD FCH SC OA MXJ NF TKA VSX) is the most accomplished versatile Saluki of all time.
Pictured are group-winning MBIF GCHB Luna, BIS/NSBIS MBIF MHIT GCHG Pepe, and BIS/MSBIS MBIF HIT GCH Prophet.
I try to give various sports a try because I feel Salukis can do more than most people expect. My own try at tracking was a dismal failure. Flyball too. This year's new challenge may be dock diving. Bambi is the chosen one. I'll let you know.
We live on the Suwannee River in north Florida, on 102 acres where the Bad Ass Hound Association finds plenty to live up to their name. They run, hunt, play and swim, and are very careful to walk gingerly from the pool to the house so no water drips off until they get inside. Yes, they live as house dogs. And are actually very good. Although I would never let them know.
Salukis can be challenging, but they're much easier to train than most people give them credit for. It's an added bonus that showing one in obedience or agility brings with it a built-in excuse, so pass or fail everyone thinks you did a great job! All of my dogs are owner-handled, whether in the show ring or elsewhere. The wins are sweeter when you do it yourself. And cheaper.
I write about dogs full-time for a living. If you want to learn more about that, visit www.CarolineCoile.com.
Baha set the standard for my approach to salukis: They should be companions, athletes and beautiful. All of my salukis carry his name not only in his memory, but as testament to this ideal. At least, that's one story behind the kennel name; the salukis themselves contend the name is "B.A.H.A." and stands for the Bad Ass Hound Association. Take your pick.
We've had one National Specialty winner, three AKC all-breed Best in Show winners, nine Group One winners, seven Best in Field winners, and at least 13 different Top 10 placers in conformation, lure coursing, obedience, agility and/or rally---all owner-handled. And our dogs have won top awards for others as well.
We pride ourselves in having the most versatile Salukis in the world. Our dogs have been ranked #1 Saluki in conformation (Sissy), obedience (Khyber) and agility (Pepe). We are proud to have won the National Triathlon four times (Prophet twice, Pepe and Ponzi) and to have four different dogs named the American Saluki Association Dog of the Year (Sissy, Luna, Pepe and Ponzi). We're very proud to have bred one of the very few salukis with a Tracking title and the only saluki with a Versatile Companion Dog 2 title (BIF GCH Baha Very Important Persian CDX, OAJ, OA, TD, VCD2) and one of the very few to have a Nosework title (Ch Baha Persianal Best AHN, AGNJ, OA, OAJ, NF, SCN, SHDN, CGC). By the way, their littermates GCHB DC Baha Heart of Gold RI SC and BIF RBIS GCHS Baha Pyramid Scheme JC BN BCAT CGCA TKA are also accomplished versatile salukis. And their sire Pepe (NSBIS BIS MRBIS MSBIS MBIF MHIT GCHG Baha Persian of Interest CD FCH SC OA MXJ NF TKA VSX) is the most accomplished versatile Saluki of all time.
Pictured are group-winning MBIF GCHB Luna, BIS/NSBIS MBIF MHIT GCHG Pepe, and BIS/MSBIS MBIF HIT GCH Prophet.
I try to give various sports a try because I feel Salukis can do more than most people expect. My own try at tracking was a dismal failure. Flyball too. This year's new challenge may be dock diving. Bambi is the chosen one. I'll let you know.
We live on the Suwannee River in north Florida, on 102 acres where the Bad Ass Hound Association finds plenty to live up to their name. They run, hunt, play and swim, and are very careful to walk gingerly from the pool to the house so no water drips off until they get inside. Yes, they live as house dogs. And are actually very good. Although I would never let them know.
Salukis can be challenging, but they're much easier to train than most people give them credit for. It's an added bonus that showing one in obedience or agility brings with it a built-in excuse, so pass or fail everyone thinks you did a great job! All of my dogs are owner-handled, whether in the show ring or elsewhere. The wins are sweeter when you do it yourself. And cheaper.
I write about dogs full-time for a living. If you want to learn more about that, visit www.CarolineCoile.com.
Baha salukis at home mid 90s. Back row: Group winning Ch Mecca, Group winningCh Isis, me, HIT winning Omen and Ch Dixie. Front row: BIS winning Ch Sissy, Group placing Ch Savannah, Ch Hypatia, SBIS winning Ch Wolfman, Ch Stinky and Beanie.
First points ever! A major! 1976, with the dog who was the start of it all, Baha (Ch Srinagar Bhavant Bhairava, CD, LCM).
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First specialty recognition! BOS at the SCOA regional in the 1980s, with the dog who would set our "look," Khyber (Group-winning Ch Batal Kirman Khyber CD FCh). All of our dogs go back to both Baha, who supplied total soundness plus steadiness and a robust sense of adventure, and Khyber, who supplied exotic beauty and style plus ultra sweetness and willingness to please.
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