The Turkish Tazı (Greyhound) Dog

The Turkish Tazı, or Turkish Greyhound, is the best historically documented of the Turkish breeds, despite its greater rarity. In a 16th century miniature painting a son of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent is shown hunting with sighthounds. It is said that the Turkish sighthound is native to the Kirghiz Taigan, and that this breed was brought to Anatolia by Turks during the Great Migration from Central Asia.

 
The Turkish Tazı is larger than the Saluki Greyhound, which it resembles. Its coat comes in all canine colours. The Turkish Tazı (tah-zuh) has long forequarters and hindquarters, a slim body, a thin hairless tail, a long, slender skull, a long neck, deep chest and flexible curved spine. It is mostly used in the wetlands of middle and south Anatolia in hunting quails, partridges, rabbits, and foxes, for detecting and retrieving prey.