The Sloughi

Del Sayad El Gazel

European travelers and explorers, drawn at the beginning of the last century to the as yet unknown Arabian world and remote North Africa, returned not only with numerous colorful tales, but also with knowledge of the Sloughi, North Africa's sighthound. With great sensitivity for the African-Arabian world, Daumas presented the Sloughi as the noble hunting companion of the Bedouins. He stated that the dogs received exceptional care and puppies were nursed by women if necessary. The Sloughi slept in the tent at the side of its master, was protected from the cold by blankets, was decorated with necklaces and talismen, was provided with the best food, was treated as a guest when accompanying its master on visits, was greatly valued because it provided through hunting for the family, and was mourned upon its death. Daumas described the Sloughi's nature as intelligent and noble and its manner as polite and proud.

While the Sloughi is very affectionate and loyal to his family, he is reserved towards strangers. He is like the Bedouin: wild and gentle, noble and ferocious, and extremely sensitive. He seems indifferent whereas he is curious and mistrustful of what is happening around him. He is extremely sensitive to anger. He is faithful and he makes a very good watchdog. He is a compromise between calm and patience, and ardent energy.

Exercise is important and the Sloughi loves a good run, but his favorite spots are in the house. They love comfort and like to have their own soft bed to sleep in.... He gets along very well with children and other dogs.

It is a small wonder that the lovers of the Sloughi and lovers of the Arabian Horse find that they have so much in common. Some breeders, like us, raise both, just as the Arabs did. Both animals are the preserved remnants of a hard and proud era of fascination and mystery. The esthetic value of the Sloughi lies in the beauty of a perfect build, and noble and graceful movement.

The Sloughi stands at 61 to 72 cm (24 to 29 inches). The female is slightly smaller than the male.

The color of a Sloughi can be: With or without a black mask, with or without a black mantle Sand, light sand, fawn (red sand), sand with black overlay, brindle.

Since there are few Sloughis, it is not appropriate to be too restrictive. The predominance of or preference for one particular color is regional or tribal. White marks on chest and toes are more visible on dark coats. These marks should be as "discrete" as possible. White marks on the neck, the head, and at the tip of the tail are disqualifications. A small white patch on the chest and/or on the tip of the toes is very common in the breed and is overlooked in Europe. Of course, since there are not many Sloughis, and since no dog is perfect, breeding should concentrate first on selective mating for overall quality instead of on the elimination of minor faults. Many years of selective breeding in Europe have not managed to get red of the small white marks on the chest and/or toes, suggesting that they are a part of the Sloughi genetic make-up.

The Sloughi never comes in flashy parti-colors (tricolor or coats with spots). His coat is a superb example of natural adaptation. The sand (tan) is a camouflage color typical of gazelles, fenecs and other animals of the desert. The brindle color is from the mountains. His colors are the natural camouflage for hunting in its native country. In the area near the Sahara-desert, the dogs tend to be smaller and more compact in build, while mountain-bred dogs are much larger and more powerful.

The Sloughi is neat, silent, loyal, extremely affectionate, courageous and superbly decorative. He has a supremely noble bearing.

"The Sloughi has the typical appearance of an oriental sighthound, a noble head with hanging or slightly folded ears and a long neck. Lacking the coat of the Afghan and the decorative feathering of the Saluki, the Sloughi clearly shows its squarish body shape with perfectly straight lines, large chest, and drawn-in stomach. He is particularly long legged and has strong, healthy feet. A Sloughi in good condition looks truly chiseled. The blood vessels and tendons are visible and the skin is as "dry" (lacking in subcutaneous fat) as that of a purebred Arabian horse. The Sloughi's beauty is special, severe. Its melancholic expression fascinates. The glance of its black-rimmed eyes, which appear to be made-up like those of an oriental dancer, is penetrating and arresting".

"The Sloughi is intelligent and proud and, when necessary, watchful. Many are not to be taken lightly when their master's property or they appear to be threatened. The Sloughi should only be treated with dignity, he can't exist with beating; he is too aristocratic, too noble to put up with beating. But he is true to his master until death, because his master also is his friend. He becomes vicious only if real danger is near. He doesn't want to fight, though he won't hesitate to respond if another dog attacks him. At that point he is like steel with his courage and sharp teeth".

Until now, the Sloughi has had no known genetic disorders. Unfortunately, the genetic disease called progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) has now appeared in Sloughis in Europe and the United States, probably through spontaneous mutation or introduced by North African Sloughis.

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