A salty dog is a cocktail of gin, or vodka, and grapefruit juice, served in a highball glass with a salted rim. The salt is the only difference between a salty dog and a greyhound. Vodka may be used as a substitute for gin; nevertheless, it is historically a gin drink. The cocktail is believed to date back to the 1920s.
The drink is made simply by pouring 1oz of gin and fresh grapefruit juice into the glass and stirring, Then adding salt to the rim of the glass.