The Sloughi
Hound

Group:

Hound

Size:

large

Lifespan:

12-14 years

Exercise:

medium

Grooming:

very low

Trainability:

low

Watchdog ability:

high

Protection ability:

low

Area of Origin:

Middle East

Date of Origin:

ancient times

Other Names:

Arabian Greyhound

Original Function:

hunting desert prey

History

The Sloughi, also known as the Arabian Greyhound, is an ancient sight Hound breed (est. 6000 BC) that shared its life with the nomadic tribes of Africa. This superb hunter and watchdog then spread to North Africa in the Saudi Arabia region where it guarded flocks. Ancient drawings and carvings of this breed have been discovered in tombs. It is a slender-built dog, very similar in structure to the Saluki. It is still a guardian and hunter used by the Bedouins in its homeland of North Africa.

Temperament

The Sloughi is an active dog that is obedient and affectionate with its family, yet wary of strangers.

Upkeep

Daily exercise is essential, preferably in the form of free running in a safe, enclosed area. The Sloughi’s exercise needs can also be met with long leash walks or jogging. Sloughi should sleep inside in all but the warmest climates; they do best as indoor dogs with access to a yard. They can play in snow and cold weather but should not be expected to spend extended time in the cold. The Sloughi must have a soft bed, or it could develop calluses. A Sloughi in proper weight is naturally thin. Many people not familiar with the Sloughi wrongly assume that the dog is not being fed properly. The smooth coat needs only occasional brushing to remove dead hair.

Official Breed Standard

GENERAL APPEARANCE:
Elegant yet racy with a frame marked by its muscular leanness.

CHARACTERISTICS:
Clean, quiet and decorative. Desert variety of moderate height, slender, light, graceful and elegant. Mountain counterpart more compact with stronger bone but otherwise identical. Both types may be bred from same litter.

Temperament:
Affectionate towards owner and indifferent to strangers.

Head and Skull:
Without being heavy, head fairly strong but with lines not excessively angular. Skull flat, fairly broad, clearly rounded at rear and curving harmoniously into sides. Eye sockets barely protruding. Marked frontal bone and pronounced occiput. Muzzle in shape of wedge, refined without exaggeration; about equal in length to skull. Stop barely visible. Nose and lips black or very dark brown.

Eyes:
Large, dark and set well into orbit. Triangular, slightly on slant; expression gentle, a little sad and wistful. In light coated animals (off-white, sable, fawn, Isabella) eyes usually burnt topaz or dark amber.

Ears:
Not too large, triangular in shape but with rounded tips; flat. Usually folding down and carried close to head, set level with or slightly above eye but may be carried away from the skull or sometimes even thrown backwards.

Mouth:
Jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, ie the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Neck:
Strong yet very elegant in proportion to body. Moderately long with good arch. Skin slightly loose, making fine pleats under throat.

Forequarters:
Shoulders well laid and clearly visible. Legs round with flat bone and well muscled.

Body:
Chest not too broad; in depth reaching barely to level of elbow. Good tuck-up. Topline almost level and relatively short, but slightly longer in bitches. Croup bony and very oblique. Haunches prominent.

Hindquarters:
Loins broad and slightly arched. Thighs of good length to stifle. Hocks well let down with good angulation.

Feet:
Thin, of elongated, oval shape; hare foot. Nails strong, black or dark.

Tail:
Fine and well set on, without fringes or long hair. Strong curve at end which reaches at least to point of hock. When moving, tail never carried higher than level of back.

Gait/Movement:
Free and flowing, capable of great speed.

Coat:
Hair tough and fine.

Colour:
Sable or fawn in all shades, with or without a black mask. Also permissible a coat more or less dark, white, brindle, black with tan points; brindle pattern on fawn background on head, feet and sometimes breast. Dark coats with a white patch on chest undesirable. Parti-colours not permissible. Solid black or white undesirable.

Size:
Height 60-70 cm (23.5-27.5 ins) Ideal height for Dogs 68 cm (27 ins); Bitches 65 cm (25.5 ins).

Faults:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note:
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.