Graydon Sheppard's Celebration of the Animal Elite Reaches its Grand Finale
Writer and filmmaker Graydon Sheppard offers up the third and final installment of Pure Breeds, the series that celebrates the most charming and beautiful of pedigree pets. Having tackled the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Cornish Rex, today the creator of the internet phenomenon Shit Girls Say looks at the Saluki, thought to be the fastest dog on earth. The Saluki is alleged to be the most ancient of purebred animals, with mentions of similar hounds appearing in the Bible, the Avesta and the Koran. Petroglyphs and other forms of rock art showing Saluki-like dogs were created as early in human history as 10,000 BC. “My boyfriend came across a video of some Salukis online, and we were instantly fascinated,” says Sheppard. “They seemed so rare and elegant. They look like rich old ladies and they have that attitude, too, like they're saying devastating things about your wardrobe when you're not within earshot.”
Today we look at the Saluki. We understand that this time around the talent were less than cooperative on set. Can you elaborate?
Graydon Sheppard: They’re not so much difficult as “over it,” and they are not interested in posing for very long. I tried to put a pharaoh hat on one of the dogs but he wasn’t interested. Salukis are also very fast and bouncy, so getting them to sit still for long periods was tricky. But they’re so damn pretty. When we got the shots it was worth all the hassle.
The Saluki has been immortalized in art and religious texts for thousands of years. How do you think their personalities reflect their pedigree?
GS: There's definitely something otherworldly about them. It's kind of like that attitude of “being in the world but not of the world.” When I met these dogs they got right up in my face and stared into my eyes as if to examine my soul, but they could just as easily look right through you. That’s a bit dramatic, but they really are sprite-like.
Throughout this series we have heard about your family dog Molson. Last time you shared an anecdote about his having eaten an entire Christmas-worth of gifts. We love Molson. One last story?
GS: One day I took him with me for a swim. He was doing this insane back-and-forth thing—running in and out of the lake, screaming—when he stopped, chest-deep, looked at me, and retched in the water. I wasn’t much in the mood for a dip after that.
