Sloughi

Hypoallergenic: NoLike all sighthounds, the Sloughi is very sensitive to anesthesia, and can be sensitive to vaccines, worming, and other medications—so these routine treatments should be spaced apart instead of given all at once. The breed tends to enjoy excellent health into old age.

The Sloughi is a medium-large, short-haired, smooth-coated, athletic sighthound developed in North Africa (in the area including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya) to hunt game such as hare, fox, jackal, gazelle, and wild pigs. It is an ancient breed, treasured in North Africa for its hunting skills, speed, agility, and endurance over long distances. It is a robust, but elegant and racy, pursuit dog with no exaggeration of length of body or limbs, muscle development, angulation, nor curve of loin. The Sloughi is not a fragile dog, but is also a dog with class and grace. The attitude is noble and somewhat aloof, and the expression of the dark eyes is gentle and melancholy. The Sloughi's head is long and elegant with drop ears. The body and legs show defined bony structure and strong, lean muscles. The skeletal structure is sturdy. The topline is essentially horizontal blending into a bony, gently sloping croup. The tail is long and carried low with an upward curve at the end.

The Sloughi is an intelligent and very driven hunter which chases on sight what it considers moving prey, but also relies on olfactory and acoustic cues in the chase. In Africa the Sloughi is a working dog, primarily used for hunting. The Sloughi is typically loyal, playful and affectionate with family and cautious and watchful with strangers. The Sloughi does not respond well to harsh training, but benefits from a firm, consistent, fair and praising hand. (Faults: Sharpness or excessive shyness.)

The Sloughi is an ancient sighthound breed, developed in North Africa (in the area including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya) to hunt game such as desert hare, desert fox, jackal, gazelle, ostrich, wild boar, and hyena. The first Sloughis arrived in Europe at the end of the 19th century and, in 1935, the breed was officially recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale. Sloughi breeding has expanded greatly in the last 50 years in Europe following interruptions by both World Wars. The first Sloughi was imported to the United States in 1973. Most American Sloughis are descended from Sloughis of French, Dutch and German breeding, which, in turn, descended from Sloughis imported from Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, and Algeria. A few American Sloughis have been imported directly from North Africa. The Sloughi was recognized by the UKC in 1995.