Sloughi (Arabian Greyhound): Dog Breed Information

The elegant, long-legged Sloughi belongs to the short-haired sighthound breed and originates from Morocco. It is affectionate, calm, and unobtrusive, but needs a lot of exercise and activity. The sporty four-legged friend is not suitable for couch potatoes.

Origin and history

The Sloughi is a very old oriental dog breed from North Africa and is considered the traditional hunting companion of the Bedouins and Berbers. Its specialty is sight hunting. Traditionally, Sloughis were assisted in hunting by trained falcons, which provided a game for the hound to hunt down. Even today, the noble greyhound – along with the reported falcon – is considered a valuable and popular possession of Arabian sheiks. The Sloughi came to Europe via France in the mid-19th century.

Appearance

The Sloughi is a relatively large, athletically built dog with a streamlined body. Its head is elongated and noble in appearance. The large, dark eyes give him a melancholic, gentle expression. The Sloughi’s ears are medium-sized, triangular, and pendulous. The tail is thin and carried below the line of the back. Typical of the Sloughi is its supple, light-footed gait, which resembles that of a cat.

The Sloughi has a very short, dense, and fine coat that can come in all shades from light to sandy red, with or without a black coat, black brindle, or black overlay. Despite the short hair, the Sloughi also tolerates strong temperature fluctuations due to its origin.

Nature

Like most greyhounds, the Sloughi is a very sensitive, gentle dog that bonds closely to its – usually only one – reference person. On the other hand, he is reserved and reserved towards strangers. It avoids other dogs if it notices them at all. On occasion, however, the Sloughi can be alert and defensive.

The affectionate Sloughi is intelligent and docile but does not tolerate excessive harshness or severity. It loves freedom and has a strong hunting instinct, which is why even the most obedient of them should only walk unleashed to a limited extent and only in wild-free terrain. Because in the face of possible prey, he is only guided by his instincts.

In the house or apartment, the Sloughi is calm and even-tempered. It can lie relaxed on the carpet for most of the day and enjoy the silence. However, to remain so balanced, the sporty dog ​​has to cover a few kilometers every day. Be it cycling and jogging or dog racing and coursing. A run of at least one hour should be on the agenda every day.

Despite its stately size, the very clean and easy-care Sloughi can also be kept in an apartment. Regular exercise and employment provided.