Tina J. Turley-Kocab | Starlite Salukis

Interview with Tina J. Turley-Kocab, Breeder of Starlite Salukis

Tina J. Turley-Kocab

1. My name is Tina J. Turley-Kocab, and along with my husband, Mark, and daughter, Mary Grace, we are Starlite Salukis. I have owned and competed with my Salukis for over 43 years. We have been quite successful in both Conformation and Obedience. I co-bred my first litter, together with my sister, in 1987. I also owned Champion and Performance Border Collies from 1985 to 2011, but never bred a litter. And most recently, two gorgeous Golden Retrievers have joined our family.

2. FUNCTION, FUNCTION, FUNCTION! One of the greatest hallmarks of the Saluki is our undying dedication to maintaining a functional working sighthound that has been true to our Breed Standard from the very beginning. The Saluki Standard has remained COMPLETELY UNCHANGED since its adoption in 1927. Saluki breeders have worked very hard to keep the moderate structure and beautiful, exotic look of our foundation stock for over 100 years. We are very proud of the fact that a Saluki born in 1927 could walk into any American Kennel Club (AKC) ring today and easily win.
We stay as dedicated as possible to not bowing to trends and extremes that have destroyed other breeds.

3. Salukis are a special breed. They are not for everyone, and for the most part, do not get caught up in popularity waves as some other breeds might. Our registration numbers have never really been that high, and that is okay with us. I breed extremely infrequently, only because I DO think there are enough puppies out there. A Saluki is not typical “family pet” material, so, we do not have dozens of pet homes clamoring for puppies as other more popular breeds may have… like Golden Retrievers. That being said, I am planning on one litter this year (2025), my first since 2019.

4. I am completely committed to staying current with new technologies in health testing. Every single time a new genetic test is released, I test. I also try to stay current in maintenance health solutions as well. My dogs all undergo regular chiropractic care as well as regular Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields (PEMF) therapy. I try to do everything in my power to keep my athletes as healthy and strong as possible. Social media is also super important for me as a means of keeping my Saluki family, a FAMILY. The relationships and trust between all my puppy owners are of absolute importance to me. I genuinely work hard to build a family among us all.

5. Yes and no. Obviously, the “adopt, don’t shop” movement has taken a pretty hard, and loud, hold, but there is also a large community of people that genuinely wishes to choose the pet that is the best fit for their family and lifestyle; a purebred, more than likely, will fulfill those wishes. Like most trends, we will see waves, and I believe there will always be this split. It is our responsibility, as preservation breeders, to stay the course in educating the general public on the many benefits of purebred dogs (and to STOP eating our own young; purebred owners can be their own worst enemies).

6. This is not a new trend, but some of the older members of our sport are still having an extremely difficult time turning over the reins to our younger members. It is vitally important to our breeds, and our breed clubs, that we EMBRACE new club members, embrace new owners, and MENTOR new members of the sport. This is critical for the survival of purebred dog sports. Newer members of the sport may have new ideas, new perspectives, and a fresh outlook on the future! It is our responsibility to listen to them, encourage them, and STOP being so judgmental of everything that is different. I am 100 percent committed to mentoring new Saluki owners. These younger owners will be our top breeders someday, and my legacy will be the decades of knowledge I have helped to pass along to them.

And now I find myself on the flip side as a new Golden owner, which has given me a new perspective on how vital it is to foster new Saluki owners. I am so incredibly grateful to be surrounded by the most amazing Golden friends and mentors. I was blessed to be born into this amazing world of purebred dog sports… but not everyone is as lucky. Everyone needs to remember that they were once brand new, too.

7. I am SO PROUD of how completely inclusive the dog sports world has become! I genuinely feel that EVERYONE is welcome, and everyone is encouraged to always be their authentic self. I love that about our community. I also adore the recent emphasis we have put on Junior Handlers. No longer is it just something to keep the kids busy while mom and dad are working with client dogs. It is all-inclusive and welcoming, and the Juniors have become our spotlight. My daughter has been showing our dogs since she could walk on her own, and I get so emotional when I see the family that these Juniors have created. They now have social media to bridge the geographic miles that I did not have when I was a Junior. Mary Grace has Junior Handler friends all over the world, thanks to the Internet and our ability to travel easily. I love seeing how close and supportive they are of one another!