Sloughi

Dog Group:

• Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) Group 10 - (Coursing Hounds)
• AKC not recognized

The National Club in the United States: The Sloughi Fanciers Association of America

• National Club Corres. Secretary Address:
  • Dominique Crapon de Caprona, Ph.D.
    PO Box 1202 Wildomar CA 92595
    909-674-3079
  • e-mail Fritzsch@Creighton.edu

Registration Organizations

• International: Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI, Puerto Rico, South America, Morocco & Europe)
• Europe: Union Cynologie Internationale (UCI)
• In the United States - Recognized for conformation and obedience competitions by:
  • American Rare Breed Association (ARBA)
  • United Kennel Club (UKC),
  • States Kennel Club (SKC)
  • International All Breed Kennel Club of America
  • World Wide Kennel Club (WWKC)
• In Canada recognized by:
  • Southern Ontario Rare Breed Club
  • Canadian Rare Breed Association
  • Credit Valley Kennel and Obedience Rare Breed shows
• In the United States - Recognized for non-commercial coursing and racing competition by:
  • National Oval Track Racing Association (NOTRA)
  • Large Gazehound Racing Association (LGRA)
  • American Sighthound Field Association (ASFA - miscellaneous stake over 18")
  • National Open Field Coursing Association (NOFCA)
  • North American Coursing Association (NACA)

Breed Description:

• Original purpose and special abilities:

  A dog for high speed pursuit of sighted game in open country (coursing). These dogs possess exceptionbal endurance as well as great speed. Used to course small to medium sized desert quarry, the desert fox, desert gazelle, desert hare, ostrich, jackal and larger mountain gazelle.

• Breed History:
  

  As with other North African and Middle Eastern windhounds, these dogs could be descended from pendant eared hunting dogs depicted by the Ancient Egyptians in their tomb paintings.

  
  

  • Region of Origin:North Africa - Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya
    
  • Year of Registry with FCI: 1935

  
  

• Breed Registration Statistics: Very rare in the United States, modestly represented in FCI countries.
  
• Size:
  • Height (inches):66 to 72 cm (dogs); 61 to 68 cm (bitches)
    
  • Weight (pounds): 50-75 (dogs); 40-60 (bitches)
    
• Eye color: amber to dark brown. Light amber is a fault.
• Lips: tight
• Ear type:

  Pendant ears, hanging flat on either side of the dog's head moderate in size and triangular in shape but rounded at the tips. Emphasis is put on ear form because a major cosmetic trait distinguishing the windhounds is in the form of the ear. They are pendant and of only modest size in the Sloughi.

• Disqualifications: Breed disqualifications can lead to a dog be offered as a pet animal. One should never pay more for a dog with breed disqualifications because it is rare or unusual!
  • Ears - to stiff an ear - erect, rose or with tips drooping forward. Too long an ear.
  • Color - extensive white markings including white socks, color other than described in the standard.
  • Dental occlusion (bite) - overshot or undershot.
  • Absence of two apparentlu normal, fully descended testicles in the scrotum in males.
• Cosmetic Surgeries (to establish 'breed look') None
• Color:

  Solid colors only, with or without black mask; with or without black mantle (overlay). Sand, Light sand, fawn (red sand), sand with black overlay. Brindle of all colors. Eye rims, lips, nose can be quite dark to black. White markings can be no more extensive than a small spot of white on the chest.

• Coat Type: The coat is soft, very short, and dense, the skin is fine and tight
• Temperament:

  As with many 'oriental' windhounds (see our general windhound article) Sloughis are aloof with strangers and can be protective. This is the traditional 'one man dog' personality - praised in literature but generally misunderstood by modern Americans. Such dogs are loyal pets bonding to their family and requiring time to warm up to strangers.

  As with other windhound breeds they "get along well with children taught to respect them." (direct quote of Dominique Crapon de Caprona, Ph.D.'s excellent article". However it is important to remember that the emphasis is on children taught to respect them. This means the dog behaves in a safe fashion when in the presence of children who do not tease or mistreat it. This does not mean that the parent can allow the child to manhandle the dog as if it was a stuffed toy.

• Special Requirements:These are coursing hounds and require adequate exercise. They will use a crate as a personal cave but are not suited to crating as a means of control for long periods of time. They are a desert breed and must the provided with warm shelter in cold weather.
• Typical Competitive Activities for this Breed: All forms of windhound field sports. Obedience is possible with all windhounds but a patient instructor who knows how to motivate dogs that (1) do not readily take food rewards and (2) that become inhibited by rough corrections - is needed.
• Genetic problems commonly encountered in this breed:: This is a healthy breed. Outcrossed lineages have few reported problems. According to my sources they are free of bloat and hip dysplasia and live 12 to 16 years on the average.
  • Masticatory muscle myositis has been reported in inbred lineages.
• Breed Pluses:

  An ancient breed with little odor and few reported inherited problems. As with other windhounds these are not dogs for first time dog owners but they represent a fascinating opportunity for the person who wishes to own a relatively "unaltered by western tastes" breed of dog. In general they are relatively long lived (12 to 16 years) for their size. To date, outcrossed lineages are reported to be genetically healthy.

  They are extremely loyal and affectionate dogs with their owners. They are lovely to look at and are clean, quiet and well behaved as house dogs. They are also good watch dogs and afford a sense of security.

• Breed Minuses:

  Sloughis can be shy and misunderstood. They are very sensitive to harsh treatment although they do need firm correction as youngsters. Not the best breed for homes with small children. They are diggers in a big way, they excavate caves, not just cooling depressions.

  As with other windhounds, these are hunting dogs with a full set of hunting dog instincts. While protective of the home they do not feel a strong sense of property boundaries. They are one family dogs which bond strongly to a limited circle of humans and do not easily change their loyalties. They need protection from cold.

• Who should own this breed?

  People who truly understand and enjoy the subtle nature of sighthounds. People who have owned other sighthounds are attracted to the breed.

• Who should not own this breed? A Sloughi is not a good choice for a first dog. People who expect a high degree of obedience and compliance to rules will find them frustrating to own. People who have problems owning a hunting breed of dog with the need for adequate fencing and supervision in unfenced areas will be dissatified because the dog is always running away. People who need to feel "loved" by their dog and want lots of attention from their dog may think the dog dislikes them.
• Esthetic Defiencies: Often these are also the breed disqualifications and are legitimate reasons for a dog to be sold at a pet price on a 'neuter contract'. These should not detract from the health of the dog or its suitability as a pet.
  • Color white markings more extensive than the allowed white chest spot.
  • Color any color other than that described in the standard
  • Tail ##
  • Eyes light amber
  • Ears Erect ears, large ears, ears carried at rest other than as pendant ears hanging on either side of the head.
  • Dentition Overshot or undershot, missing teeth
• Do not buy a puppy that is 'sold as a pet because it' is/has:
  • It is excessively fearful or excessively aggressive.
  • It has a really exaggerated posture - front feet flat on the ground to the stop pad, hind feet flat on the ground.
  • Chronic lameness is a 2 to 5 month old puppy.
  • The unhealthy scrawny pup in the litter. This pup may have any one of a number of life treatening congenital illnesses such as a major heart anomaly, pancreatitus, severe food sensitivities.
  • An extremely large puppy for its age with very large, tender or hot to the touch "growth knobs" at the wrists and ankles. Very rapidly growing puppies are much more likely to have joint problems later in life. This is in part a management problem. These dogs can be feed to rich a diet as pups and pushed to grow too rapidly. Too rapid growth is generally an error made by novice owners and breeders.
  • A pup from an excessively inbred litter.

NetPets® articles of related interest: About Windhounds

Author (ie person to flame if you take exception to this breed description) - Bonnie Dalzell

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