# Do Muslims consider dogs to be unclean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 2, 2007, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-consider-dogs-to-be-unclean/424987 "2007-11-02T08:21:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-consider-dogs-to-be-unclean/424987/21 "2007-11-03T16:02:05Z")
It might be okay for a Muslim family to own a dog as long as they don’t let it come into the house. Too lazy to get the link right now. I watched a documentary called “Family that walks on all fours” about a Muslim family in rural Turkey with several children having this genetic disorder. They kept a family dog called “Wolf” but it appeared to stay outside. They were apparently okay with having it around, though. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-consider-dogs-to-be-unclean/424987/22 "2007-11-03T18:06:41Z")
Dogs are carriers of rabies in many countries, and for that reason were probably best avoided. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-consider-dogs-to-be-unclean/424987/23 "2007-11-03T19:42:06Z")
[QUOTE=DrDeth] In the Bedouin culture it appears that the Saluki breed is exempted from the “dogs are unclean” thing. [/QUOTE] As the owner of Salukis, I came here to say that. Since Salukis as a breed were around long before Islam got off the ground, I suspect they were grandfathered in. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-consider-dogs-to-be-unclean/424987/24 "2007-11-03T21:18:05Z")
[QUOTE=vivalostwages] It might be okay for a Muslim family to own a dog as long as they don’t let it come into the house. Too lazy to get the link right now. [/QUOTE] That’s more or less how I understand it from my time spent in Muslim countries. Owning a dog to guard your property is fine. Owning a dog and keeping them in the house and playing with them as a pet is considered gross, just like keeping a goat in the house as a pet might be for most in the Western world. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-consider-dogs-to-be-unclean/424987/25 "2007-11-04T02:46:45Z")
[QUOTE=DesertDog] As the owner of Salukis, I came here to say that. Since Salukis as a breed were around long before Islam got off the ground, I suspect they were grandfathered in. [/QUOTE] Yes, I owned one myself, a rescue dog (not that the dog did rescues, she was rescued by the Saluki rescue people). Wonderful but strange dog. Fast as greased lightning. wiki sez "_In the Middle East, dogs were often seen as dirty, but the Saluki was treasured by the Bedouin for the “Kiss of Allah” or white spot on the dog. These dogs always hunted in tandem with falcons which would find prey and then the Saluki would chase it down. Bedouin in the Middle East valued Salukis and raised them to be beautiful and to possess hunting qualities. Salukis slept with their owners in their tents to be protected from the heat of the day and the cold of the night."_ > **[Saluki: The Royal Dog of Egypt - K9 Web](https://www.k9web.com/breeds/saluki/)** > > The Saluki dog likes to lounge, loves to run, but lives to chase. It’s a quiet and gentle canine that may have big innocent eyes, but it’s a hunter at heart. “\*With the advent of Islam, dogs were, and are, considered unclean beasts. However, in the case of the Saluki an exception was made. By the Bedouin, Salukis are considered the Gift of Allah to his children. They are allowed in the tents and considered special companions. It has been said that the Bedouin will never sell a Saluki, but will give one as a special and precious gift.” \* I have to say they are not very “dog-like” dogs, and they are very clean, so I understand gthe execption. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-consider-dogs-to-be-unclean/424987.md?page=1)