The Sloughi: Ancient Hound of North Africa

This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, April 2017 issue.

The Sloughi: Ancient Hound of North Africa

HISTORY

The exact origins of the Sloughi have disappeared in the shifting sands of the Sahara Desert over the past several thousand years and remain part of the mystery of this ancient breed. The Sloughi has been used by the Berber and Bedouin people in the North African countries of Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, and Algeria for millennia to hunt both large and small game, including jackals, gazelles, wild boar, hares, and rabbits, over desert and mountain terrain. In the countries of origin, the Sloughi is still used to hunt in this manner today, making it not only a beautiful, living piece of antiquity but also a utilitarian and tough coursing hound whose function is the most essential characteristic of the breed.

The Sloughi’s role in North Africa was not limited to coursing. The Sloughi also served as a protector of its master and home, and defender of flocks of goats and sheep. These characteristics of temperament exist in Sloughis today, and they are extraordinarily devoted to their families and people. They are naturally (and correctly) aloof and skeptical of strangers.

THE ATHLETIC SLOUGHI

The athleticism of the Sloughi allows it to excel at a number of performance events, including open field and free coursing (in those states in which it is legally permitted), lure coursing, and non-commercial oval track and sprint racing. The Sloughi also has the potential to excel at agility if an individual could be properly motivated with appropriately positive training methods. As a sighthound, the Sloughi is sensitive to correction, and heavy-handed, corporal training methods will produce a particularly poor outcome with this breed.

SLOUGHI TYPE: ESSENTIAL CONFORMATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS

The overall impression of a Sloughi should be immediately unique from other sighthound breeds due to important differences in its head and body conformation. Its head is larger and more substantial than most other sighthounds. The ears are dropped, and although its appearance is graceful, it also exudes power, speed, agility, and stamina.

Because of the importance of the work for which it was bred, the Sloughi must always present in a hard, fit condition. It must give the impression of being robust and not fragile in any way, while still maintaining its intrinsic beauty and elegance. Importantly, the Sloughi must have no exaggeration in its angulation, length of body or limbs, bulky muscle development, or curve of loin. The Sloughi’s outline distinguishes it substantially from other breeds in the hound group.

The standard describes the Sloughi as being slightly taller than long (bitches can be somewhat longer). This is an important characteristic of the breed, with the length of a male ideally being 96% of its height. This ratio sets the Sloughi apart from all other hound breeds.

The Sloughi standard uses the word “open” in two places to describe the front and rear angulation of the Sloughi. Correct Sloughi angulation is much more open than many other sighthound breeds and should always be moderate.

The topline is essentially level from withers to the hip bones, which should be apparent but not as prominent as those of the Afghan hound. However, it is also correct for a Sloughi to be slightly higher at its hip bones than its withers.

The Sloughi’s chest does not quite reach the elbows, and the underline begins in a straight line at the sternum that rises in a smooth curve to a well-tucked-up belly.

The Sloughi’s hallmark expression is gentle, slightly sad-looking, and melancholy, with large, oval to almond-shaped eyes that range in color from dark brown to amber with pigmented eye rims.

When viewed from above, the cranial area is rather broad, measuring approximately 4-5 inches between the ears (particularly in males), and is rounded at the back and curves harmoniously on the sides. In profile, the top part of the cranial area is flat, the brows are scarcely projecting, the frontal groove is hardly marked, and the occipital crest is barely visible. The occiput is ideally discernable, but not necessarily prominent.

The ears droop close to the head when the animal is at rest, although normal, dropped ears can sometimes be held back when the Sloughi is hot, stressed, or excited. Rose ears, like those of a Greyhound or Whippet, and erect ears are disqualifications.

The stop is barely pronounced. The muzzle has the shape of an elongated wedge and forms about half the total length of the head. The jaws are strong and regular. The profile is straight, with the planes of the muzzle and skull approximately parallel.

The nose is black and strong and not pinched. The lips are black or dark brown, and the bite is scissors with a level bite also allowed. An overshot or undershot bite disqualifies.

Size matters in the Sloughi. The ideal height is 26″-29″ for a male and 24″-27″ for a female. While there are no disqualifications in the breed with respect to height, and the standard specifically allows for “somewhat taller” Sloughis, the benchmark in evaluating a Sloughi whose height is outside of standard should be whether or not the individual appears capable of hunting jackals, gazelles, wild boar, and hares over desert sand or rocky mountain terrain.

The coat of the Sloughi is always smooth. The hair is short, tight, and fine all over the body. The Sloughi is presented in natural condition. Disqualifications are any coat other than short, tight, and smooth, and/or feathering on the ears, tail, and/or legs.

The coat colors are all shades of light sand (cream) to mahogany red fawn, with or without brindling, or with or without black markings such as black mask, black ears, dark overlay, and black mantle, with no invasive white markings. White hairs due to aging or scars are permitted. Disqualifications are color not in accordance with the standard and/or solid white extending above the toes or white anywhere else on the dog except the forechest.

The croup is bony and oblique, and the insertion of the tail should not rise above the topline. Because the tail is long and curves upward toward the end, the last third of the tail may sometimes rise above the topline, but not at the insertion to the body. In Morocco, a ring at the end of the tail is preferred because hunters believe that a ring provides a counter-weight which enables a Sloughi to make fast turns at high speed. While the AKC standard does not call for this, it is a positive and desirable detail.

As a coursing hound, the Sloughi is a galloping breed, and evaluating the gaits of a galloping breed in the context of a conformation ring poses challenges. The Sloughi has a supple, smooth, and effortless gait with long strides, covering plenty of ground. The tail is held low or even with the topline at its insertion, with the head at a moderate angle to the body. The Sloughi moves over the ground in an athletic way with graceful, fluid strides, always giving the impression that the burst of speed and agility necessary to give chase to quarry is possible at any moment. The Sloughi should not move with gay, high-tailed, extravagant movement with a lot of wasted upward energy. Any faults or weaknesses which would prevent a Sloughi from performing the work for which it has been bred for millennia in North Africa should be penalized.

TEMPERAMENT

Because of its long history as a coursing and guard breed of nomads, the Sloughi is skeptical about strangers and is aloof. They will not usually animate for squeaky toys or food being offered by a stranger in the show ring and will often disdainfully ignore such attempts. An object thrown gently to the side is more likely to provoke an expression than offering a treat. This temperament is part of the inherent characteristics of the breed and should not be penalized, particularly in young or adolescent Sloughis.

In examining the Sloughi, judges do best using a businesslike manner and refraining from trying to comfort an uncertain Sloughi with baby talk or unnecessary petting. The most productive approach is to bypass the head and begin at the shoulders, examining the body first and then returning to the head for examination last. Sloughis may feel threatened and insecure by direct eye contact, particularly at close range. Although a Sloughi may be suspicious or insecure around strangers, aggression or fear biting is not characteristic and should never be tolerated under any circumstances.

SLOUGHI HEALTH

Sloughis generally enjoy robust health even into old age. The typical lifespan is 12 to 14 years, but many Sloughis live to 15 years. Inherited diseases do exist in the breed. The most well-known of these is Progressive Retinal Atrophy, a genetic disease that is characterized by the bilateral degeneration of the retina, causing progressive vision loss culminating in blindness. Fortunately, the recessive gene for PRA has been identified and conscientious breeders only breed animals that have been tested for Sloughi PRA.

Cancer, which is prevalent in dogs of all breeds as well as mixed breeds, has been reported in the breed, and most recently, confirmed cases of Addison’s Disease, as well as other autoimmune disorders, such as Irritable Bowel Disease, have been diagnosed. Genetic diversity and forthright disclosure from breeders are needed to help protect the gene pool of the Sloughi in the United States. The Sloughi certainly is not a breed for everyone. However, for the individual whose personality and lifestyle match with that of the Sloughi, the bond between a Sloughi and their owner provides an unparalleled experience