How I came to a al-safi Saluki

Now it was certain, our next dog should be a Saluki. Therefore I studied some columns under “Saluki” in the DWZRV-magazine “Unsere Windhunde” and learned to know from an advertisement that it was planned by the “al-safi” kennel to use a beautiful stud-dog - an import from Kurdish Iran – for the next litter. We became acquainted with this Saluki and with the breeder Walter Brandt in Hamburg. I fell in love immediately with this dog, which possessed the Persian name “Shabgard”. Shab gard means the guard of the night. Shabgard az Piran was silver-grey, gentle and sweet, a German champion and a wonderful dog. I was impressed by his calmness, silence and aristocracy. A Saluki with a special Charisma, indeed!

Then I became also acquainted with Dr. Helga Renfordt-Voelkner. Immediately we became friends, because I could experience that she uses her Salukis not only on exhibitions, racings and coursings, but likewise also as therapy dogs to children with disturbed social behavior. I found that particularly interesting, since I also had concerned myself vocationally with this topic. Also I saw the breed goal “beauty and performance” fulfilled in a special dimension in this kennel.
When the red grizzle bitch Ch. Eljana al-safi was mated to the Import-dog Ch. Shabgard az Piran and six cute puppies were born in Berlin, I was ready to go there to have a look at them. A merry dog crowd welcomed me friendly in “Renfordt's best room – the living-room”.

When we said hello to each other, Dr. Renfordt-Voelkner called all her dogs with their names and presented each one individually to me. She knew a little story to tell about each one. Salukis everywhere! Diba, one of the oldest dogs (she became more than 17 years old) was allowed to lie somewhere apart from the pack in an extra room in an antique armchair.

At my first sight it was to be recognized that the dogs live in this house and they have to arrange themselves consequently with the humans. That was happening on both sides affectionately and quite decently. Also I noticed immediately that old dogs were loved and highly regarded. So I knew, I wanted to buy a dog from this kennel!

Eljana's instinct must have told her in the moment, when I entered the house, the intention of my coming; because she showed her affection to me immediately. She stood up and embraced me with her two legs. I had the impression that the dogs accepted me to be a member of the “al-safi-family” at once. But what was about the others? Could I manage it to convince the humans in this house, too?

There were precise, sometimes hidden and embarrassing questions to me, so I had the feeling to be checked thoroughly! The question was: Am I worth to possess an “al-safi” Saluki from the old famous “Mumtachir ar-rih-line”? This question was everywhere in the air. A trained view and tricky questions were placed to me in order to analyse my “dogs' past-time”. Yes, I could and wanted to tell a lot about my late sighthounds ...

After two days I passed the examination and got a promised dog of the G-Litter!

A few weeks later the great day came and we fetched our new family member. What a joy!

Until today I did not regret to have bought a Saluki from the “al-safi” kennel; because it distinguishes the two breeders that their interest in their dogs does not expire after the sale. They are always accessible and stand for the dog owner with advice and act to the side. They both became dear friends to me.

So I would like to thank the breeders and marvellous humans, Dr. Helga Renfordt-Voelkner and Walter Brandt.