Sloughi
Temperament:
The Sloughi is a graceful representative of the sighthound family and originally comes from North Africa. In its homeland, it is still used today as a hunting dog. Like all sighthounds, the Sloughi is a fast and active runner that needs a lot of exercise. However, its affection and loyalty also make it a very good family dog.
Characteristics
The Sloughi is an independent FCI-recognized dog breed of group 10 and belongs to the sighthounds. Its country of origin is Morocco, where it was bred as a fast and enduring hunting dog.
As with all sighthounds, the Sloughi's build is very slender, elegant and long-legged. The chest is deep and roomy, the belly well tucked up. Although the body is slender and slender, it is well muscled. The height at the withers should be between 66 cm and 72 cm for males and between 61 cm and 68 cm for females. Despite its size, the Sloughi is relatively light and usually weighs between 25 and 28 kg.
The head is noble and elongated with a straight bridge of the nose, typical of sighthounds. The hanging ears are set high, slightly triangular and rounded. The eyes of the Sloughi are large, dark and have a melancholy appearance. This is also mentioned in the FCI standard: "The expression is gentle, a little sad, the look as if of homesickness".
The Sloughi is exclusively short-haired. Its coat is very dense and fine. Its color is mostly sand-colored, sometimes also reddish-sand-colored. Black masks, coats or stripes are permitted.
The movements of the Sloughi are expansive and elegant. Thanks to its good musculature, it is capable of both fast sprints and endurance running.
The Sloughi is a very independent and proud dog whose love and loyalty is not given to just anyone. He is often shy towards strangers. However, once he has taken his owner to his heart, he is very loyal and affectionate. Although his nature is generally rather calm, he will fearlessly defend his owner in an emergency.
As the Sloughi is very intelligent and sensitive, it must never be trained by force. The Sloughi only obeys if it is treated with patience and love. It is also initially reserved towards children. However, once he has accepted them as part of the family, he is gentle, obedient and calm. Neighbors will also be happy to have a Sloughi, as this dog breed rarely barks.
As a sighthound, the Sloughi needs plenty of exercise and movement. It also enjoys dog sports and the opportunity to run on the track. It makes a lot of sense to train a young Sloughi on call as early as possible. This allows you to let him run free on walks. However, you must always pay attention to the existing hunting instinct.
Coat care:
Shedding:
Energy level:
Trainability:
Children suitable:
The right food
When choosing food, make sure that it contains high-quality ingredients, is balanced and meets your dog's requirements. Age, size or weight, activity and health status play an important role. You should follow the manufacturer's recommendations for the amount of food.
Treats should only be fed in moderation and deducted from the basic diet to avoid obesity.
Puppies can be fed 4-6 times a day. The number of meals should be gradually reduced to 2 per day until the dog is fully grown. A rest period should be observed after meals.
Fresh drinking water should be available at all times.
Health & Care
Grooming the Sloughi is neither time-consuming nor complicated. As it has a very short coat, it hardly sheds and does not need to be brushed. However, he does enjoy an occasional massage with a pimple glove. This is not only fun for him and strengthens his bond with his owner, but also helps to remove loose hair from his coat.
The Sloughi is considered to be very clean and cleans itself as well as it can. Some dogs even groom themselves like cats. If their coat does get dirty, it is usually sufficient to wipe it with a damp cloth. The Sloughi should only be bathed in extreme cases. Even then, only a very mild dog shampoo should be used.
Special attention should be paid to the floppy ears. As with all dogs with floppy ears, these must be checked and cleaned regularly. Otherwise they can become inflamed or, in summer, ticks can settle there. The claws also need to be checked regularly. If they are too long, they need to be shortened. This can be done at the vet or at home. If you are not sure how to do this, it is best to contact your vet or a dog groomer.
Although the Sloughi is very slender and has a very short coat, it generally does not need clothing even in winter. A coat is only useful for older animals or in extremely cold temperatures. As it gets very cold at night in the desert, it is used to large temperature differences. Nevertheless, care should be taken to keep the Sloughi moving in the cold.
Suitable accessories
The Sloughi does not need many special accessories. Due to its great urge to move and its strength, the Sloughi can run or pull quickly. It is therefore important to choose a very thick collar or, even better, a harness. A thin collar, on the other hand, is unsuitable.
If the dog does not yet hear reliably or cannot run on a track, a long drag line is also recommended. This will allow the greyhound to run on a lead and release its excess energy more easily. Your shopping list should also include a pimple glove, a mild dog shampoo, an ear cleaner for dogs, tick tweezers and possibly claw clippers.
A height-adjustable food bowl is particularly useful for a young Sloughi. This grows with the dog and is easy on the dog's back. A few water bowls with fresh water should always be available for the Sloughi.
Your Sloughi will also need a dog basket or dog mat as a place to retreat to, a toothbrush and toothpaste for dogs, a transport rack for transportation in the car and a first aid kit. It's best to ask your vet what should be in the first aid kit.
Origin & History
The Slughi is native to Morocco, from where it spread throughout North Africa. The breed standard was also established there. It is descended from short-haired greyhounds, which are already depicted on Egyptian reliefs from around 1500 BC.
As a noble hunting companion of the Bedouins and Berbers, it was pampered and often even taken hunting with its master on horseback. His sand-colored coat provided him with good camouflage when hunting, which he often did together with falcons. The noble dogs were also an important status symbol. Sheikhs and rich merchants therefore often kept a large Sloughi breed.
Following a ban on hunting in Morocco, the number of Sloughis fell drastically, so that they were at times threatened with extinction. However, breeding by enthusiasts and their status as a sporting and noble dog prevented this. Although hunting is permitted again today, only a few of this breed are still used for traditional hunting.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the first explorers and travelers began to explore the previously closed Arab world. They also came across the Sloughi. This is how the first reports about this breed reached the West. Gradually, the Sloughi also spread to Europe. Today, the Sloughi is used almost exclusively as a sporting and family dog.
