Sloughi

The sloughi should not to be confused with the smooth Saluki of the Arabian peninsula and the Middle East, nor to be confused with the smooth Afghan Hound. The Sloughi is a medium-large, short-haired, smooth-coated, athletic sighthound developed by the Berbers and the Bedouins in North Africa (in the area including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya) to hunt game such as hare, fox, jackal, gazelle, and wild pigs.[3][4] It is an ancient breed, treasured in North Africa for its hunting skills, speed, agility, and endurance over long distances. It is a robust, but elegant and racy, pursuit dog with no exaggeration of length of body or limbs, muscle development, angulation, nor curve of loin. The Sloughi is not a fragile dog, but is also a dog with class and grace. The attitude is noble and somewhat aloof, and the expression of the dark eyes is gentle and melancholy.[3][5]

The Sloughi's head is long and elegant with drop ears. The body and legs show defined bony structure and strong, lean muscles. The skeletal structure is sturdy. The topline is essentially horizontal blending into a bony, gently sloping croup. The tail is long and carried low with an upward curve at the end.[6][7]

The Sloughi is a primitive breed that bonds extremely closely with its person or its family from an early age.   It should never be sharp, exceedingly shy or aggressive.  Choosing a puppy from a reputable breeder and proper socialization from puppy hood are important to help to ensure a happy and well adjusted adult.  A well bred and well socialized Sloughi is a stable, attentive, and exceedingly loving family member.[8]  

The American Sloughi Association standard states that, “The Sloughi is a dog with class and grace. The attitude is noble and somewhat aloof.” Aloof means reserved or reticent, indifferent or disinterested.  The Sloughi is also noble, meaning distinguished, haughty, impressive and dignified.  The Sloughi should be all of these things.[8]

The Sloughi develops an incredible devotion to and bond with its owner and family.  Because of their origins as the hunters and guardians of nomads of the Sahara, the Sloughi is reserved with strangers and takes a while to warm up to new friends.  The Sloughi also expects reserve from people they meet, and those whose overtures are too familiar and demonstrative may be met with the chilly disdain of a cold shoulder.[8]

Aloof is not the same as shy.  Improperly socialized Sloughis can be shy and it is critical that breeders consider temperament in their breeding decisions and that puppies receive appropriate socialization from an early age so that they mature into well adjusted adults.  Their socialization must include not only new people, but new situations, environments and other dogs.  Socialization is important for any puppy, but it is essential for Sloughis.[8]

Sloughis that are accustomed to children are excellent with children. As with all breeds, children need to be taught to respect dogs and not to mistreat them.

They require ample daily exercise in order to meet their physical, emotional and mental needs.  This is not a breed that is well suited to apartment life without a planned regimen of daily exercise that includes galloping freely.

Sloughis have been bred for millennia to course game and as a result have extremely high prey drive.  They can be wonderful with cats, small dogs and other animals if they are introduced at an early age and learn that these other pets are not prey.

The Sloughi's character is also tender and intelligent and they are sensitive to correction.  They must be trained with methods that are also intelligent and sensitive.  Heavy-handed or corporal training methods are not effective for any breed, but they are especially deleterious to the character of sighthounds.

The Sloughi is not a breed for everyone, but for the owner who is as intelligent and thoughtful as the Sloughi is, they form unparallelled relationships.[8]

Only a few genetic conditions have been confirmed in the breed. These include certain autoimmune disorders, such as Addison's disease and irritable bowel syndrome and progressive retinal atrophy. The Sloughi is one of the breeds for whom a genetic test for progressive retinal atrophy has been developed to with a simple blood test. Like all sighthounds, the Sloughi is very sensitive to anesthesia, and can be sensitive to vaccines, worming, and other medications—so these routine treatments should be spaced apart instead of given all at once. The breed tends to enjoy excellent health into old age.[9]

Arabian Greyhound circa 1915

The Sloughi has existed for centuries in North Africa, and is largely found in Morocco. Morocco is responsible for the breed's FCI Standard.[10] The Sloughi was and still is used for hunting in its native countries, and also is a reliable guard dog. Today, the Sloughi is mainly found in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. The Sloughi received full recognition by the American Kennel Club as of January 1, 2016 when it became eligible to compete in the AKC Hound Group.[11]

• American Sloughi Association, AKC National Parent Club for the Sloughi
• Sloughi in Europe
• Sloughi Pedigree Database