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Sloughi Puppies
for Sale
Sloughi
(Slougui) (Arabian Greyhound)
(Arabischer Windhund) (Sloughi
Moghrebi) (Arabian Sighthound) (Lévrier Marocain )
"This is the Sloughi Ain Zafir
Ashraf Azaar, a Norwegian bred youngster at 13 months old. He's from the
first Norwegian Sloughi litter since 1994. As of 2006 only four litters
of this ancient and rare Moroccan breed had ever been born in Norway."
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Pronunciation |
SLOO-ghee
(i.e. with the stress on the 'sloo') |
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Description |
The Sloughi is
squarish and leggy, slightly higher than long. The top-line descends along
the neck and straightens along the back. The withers are hardly visible and
the topline is almost straight from the base of the neck. There is a slight
curve over the loin. The croup is bony, the brisket does not reach the
elbow, the underline is first straight (long sternum) then rising sharply.
The Sloughi's coat color is solid with no extensive white markings (a white
patch on the chest and few white hair at the tip of the toes are
overlooked). Colors are all shades of light to red sand with or without
black mask, black ears, brindle, black overlay and black mantle. The most
common color is sand with a black mask. The facial expression of the Sloughi
is gentle and melancholy, almost sad. The Sloughi has a smooth, floating,
effortless gait, tail held low, head at a moderate angle to the body. There
is no exaggeration in extension, and the front paws don't reach beyond the
tip of the nose. This type of gait enables the hound to cover large
distances without tiring. When racing, its style resembles that of the
Greyhound, but looks more pulled together as a
result of the squarish structure of the Sloughi in comparison to the "lying
rectangle" structure of the Greyhound. Because of its straighter topline,
the Sloughi does not flex its back as much as the Greyhound. |
Temperament
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The Sloughi is a
medium sized, short-coated hunting sighthound of the desert type. An African
sighthound, it was used to hunt wild game, such as desert hare, gazelles,
foxes and jackals, often in cooperation with hunting falcons. They also
protected the house and livestock of its owner. The breed is adapted to
desert and semi-desert life in the Maghreb region of North-West Africa. This
dry, lean and muscular hound gives an impression of rustic elegance as well
as strength, and it is an efficient hunter with great endurance as well as
speed. The Sloughis are
affectionate, gentle, and very closely knit to their owners. They are
intelligent and independent, and curious of their surroundings. They are
quiet and calm indoors, and prefer to lie on soft rugs and blankets, often
on their backs with their legs in the air and the neck twisted at a
seemingly physically impossible angle. Strangers are met with aloofness and
caution, while friends are greeted with enthusiasm. Sloughis don't make
great obedience dogs, but they respond to fair and gentle training methods.
Sloughis get along well with children and other animals if they are raised
with them. But as Sloughis are hunting hounds with a strong chase instinct,
caution is recommended when the dog is outside with smaller animals. Any
small, running animal may trigger the dog's hunting instinct. As with all dogs, be sure you are this dogs consistent pack leader. |
Height, Weight
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Height: Males: 26.4
- 28.3 inches (66-72 cm), the ideal height being 27.6 inches (70 cm.)
Height: Females 24 - 26.7 inches (61-68 cm.) the ideal being 25.6 inches (65
cm.)
Weight: Males: 55-65 pounds (25-30 kg.)
Weight: Females: 35-50 pounds (16-23 kg.) |
Health
Problems |
The Sloughi is
generally a very healthy breed. PRA (progressive retinal atrophy, or "night
blindness") is found very rarely, and dogs who are DNA-tested and found free
of PRA give 100% PRA-free offspring. Breeders in Europe and the US test
their breeding stock in the hope of eliminating the disease within a few
generations. A PRA-affected dog of otherwise excellent health, temperament
and conformity can be bred to a normal (PRA free) dog and give offspring
that are carriers (not affected), but the carriers can then be bred to
normal dogs and give 50/50 carrier/normal pups. In this way, affected and
carrier dogs of otherwise great quality can still be used in a planned
breeding program. There have been isolated cases of deficient immune system,
balance problems and Hemophilia (an illness that impairs the body's ability
to control bleeding) in inbred lines. Sloughis, like many other sighthounds,
are sensitive to anesthetics. |
Living
Conditions |
Indoors they are
calm and quiet. They prefer to have a nice comfortable place to sleep and
will not be very happy on a hard cold floor. |
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Exercise |
Sloughis, and
particularly young dogs, like to run daily. They make excellent jogging
partners, and need to go on daily
walks or runs. They will truly
be happy when they are allowed to run off leash.
Because of their hunting instincts, they should never be let loose in unsafe
areas. A normal fence will not stop a Sloughi chasing a squirrel onto a
street in front of a fire truck with sirens blasting! Far too many Sloughis
are lost in traffic accidents each year. But a Sloughi who is allowed to run
off leash a few times a week will spend most of its time indoors resting in
a comfortable spot where it can watch its humans with half an eye while
drowsing. Sloughis do not like to be separated from their flock, and this is
an advantage when they are let loose outdoors. They may chase every squirrel
and bird within sight, but they will always return to their humans. |
Life
Expectancy |
10-15 years |
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Grooming |
The Sloughi's coat
is very short with no undercoat, and it has no "doggy odor" unless it's wet.
Dirt and mud falls off by itself when the fur dries. Because it is a desert
hound, the Sloughi needs protection in cold and wet weather. Grooming is
easy; a rubber brush or grooming glove will remove dead hairs. The Sloughi
is an average shedder. Several people have reported that Sloughis are good
for people with mild cases of dog allergy. |
Origin |
The origin of the
Sloughi is not known, but it is a very old breed. It was mentioned in a book
by the Moroccan writer Al Mansur wich was probably written in the 13th
century. Morocco holds the FCI standard, but the breed originated in the
area which today consists of Morocco, Libya, Tunisia and Algeria, in the
Northern Saharan region of the Maghreb. The Sloughi is also known as the
Arabian Sighthound, which is actually incorrect as it was the indigenous,
nomadic Berbers (the Amazigh or "free people", as they call themselves) who
developed the breed long before the invasion of the Arabs. The breed is
locally known as the Sloughi Moghrebi, meaning the "sighthound of the
Maghreb". The Sloughis held an elevated position in comparison to other
dogs, and they were greatly prized. Only chiefs and kings were allowed to
own them, and much effort went into making sure that they were bred pure. An
owner of a fine hunting bitch would travel far to find just the right mate
for her. There were originally two types of Sloughi: the larger, more
substantial mountain Sloughi and the smaller, more lithe desert Sloughi. In
western countries there is less distinction between the two as they have
been mixed. The breed is not, as previously believed, closely related to the
Saluki. DNA testing has shown that these two breeds
are only remotely related. The Sloughi's closest relative is the
Azawakh, which belongs to the Berber tribes of
Southern Sahara. Still, the two breeds have been separated long enough that
there are obvious differences in conformity and temperament. |
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Group |
Sighthound |
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Recognition |
FCI, KCGB, SFAA,
SCCM, AKC, UKC, NZKC, ANKC, ASLA, , KC(UK), |
FCI = Fédération
Cynologique Internationale
KCGB = Kennel Club
of Great Britain
SFAA
= Sloughi Fanciers Association of
America
SCCM
= Société
Centrale Canine Marocaine
AKC = American
Kennel Club
UKC = United Kennel
Club
NZKC = New Zealand
Kennel Club
ANKC = Australian
National Kennel Club
ASLA =
American Sloughi Association
KC(UK) =
Kennel Club (UK) |
"Sloughis don't like chilly
temperatures and Azaar, visiting an outdoors café in Oslo, was happy
that the waitress lent him a fleece blanket to lie on and another
one to snuggle up in. Sloughis take such comforts for granted, and
are usually unwilling to lie on hard surfaces. On sunny days,
however, a Sloughi is often the first dog to seek shade, despite
being a desert hound. The umbrella picture was taken at a sighthound
conformation show at Mariefred, Sweden. Azaar coat color is quite
rare. Sloughis are often sand colored, but Azaar's coat has black
hairs mixed into the sand colored coat, which is called "sand
overlay". The black mask, however, is widespread."
Ain Zafir Ashraf Azaar, the Sloughi at 13 months old
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© 1999 Dominique Crapon de Caprona
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Fa'Iq in Arches National Park on his way home after
winning BISS at the SFAA National Specialty Show - Photo Courtesy of Shi'Rayan Sloughis
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Brothers Ch. Aswad and Amir Shi'Rayân
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# 1 show dog (Aswad) and all times # 1 Sprint racer (Aswad) and # 1 Oval Racer (Amir) in the US Photo Courtesy of Shi'Rayan Sloughis
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Hasuba Shi'Rayân -
Photo Courtesy of Shi'Rayan Sloughis
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Playful Sloughis -
Photo Courtesy of Shi'Rayan Sloughis
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