The Saluki comes in a huge variety of colors and patterns, probably more than most dogs. The American Kennel Club allows the Saluki many color variations as part of their registration. In many dogs, their colors are different solid colors such as black, gray, brown or white. Often they will have some secondary color mixed in. In most cases, the secondary color is some white spots or markings. The Saluki has a variety of different basic colors such as white, cream, fawn, black, red, silver, chocolate, silver and tan.
The Saluki can be considered a solid and still be a color combination of black and tan, black and silver or chocolate and tan. Some Salukis are a solid color such as black, chocolate or tan with small patches of white on the chest, tail or feet.
The Salukis also come in different patterns such as Irish marked, parti-colored, sable or grizzle. These patterns all have some similarities yet are each distinctively different. The Irish marked, regardless of what solid color they are, always has a white collar around the neck. They may also have white spots or patterns on the socks, tail, chest or a white blaze on the face.
When the Saluki has white markings the break into the solid parts of the body, they become a parti-colored. A Saluki can be an Irish marked and parti-colored dog. The dog may be a solid color such as brown or black with markings of white, or he may be predominantly white with markings of a different solid color. Each of these combinations makes the dog a parti-colored dog.
Sable, at one time, were referred to as 'black fringed'. The sable Saluki puppies are a solid dark color when they're born and get lighter as they age. Some of the possible color patterns may include black ear fringes, a dark muzzle mask, a dark overlay on top of the main body color or occasional stripes. Sable Salukis may also have a light color with dark edging on the ears or body, giving a salt and pepper appearance.
The Grizzle may have a color combination similar to the German shepherd, Husky or malamute. There may be a light color base with a mixture of black, silver, or grey mixed in, with a widow's peak pattern on the face being quite common. The most common background colors in the grizzle are golden, red, fawn or cream.
Any of these color combinations are common in the Saluki and are accepted in the American Kennel Club breed standard. The darker colors Saluki are usually in the northern lands, whereas the lighter colored dogs were in the south where their colors would blend well in the desert.