Sloughi - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin
The Sloughi is a very old ancient dog breed from North Africa. People in North Africa were using sighthounds for centuries for hunting and as companions. The most popular North African sighthounds are Azawakhs, Salukis and Sloughis. It is known, that Sloughi were used by Berber tribes who used them for hunting prey such as rabbits and as reliable guards. But because there is not enough documentation and the breed is so old, no one can be really sure about the breeds date of origin nor their ancestry.
2) Hunter
The Sloughi was treasured for its amazing hunting skills, chasing instinct, agility, endurance, great seeing and of course, speed. All these characteristics makes them extraordinary hunters. In the past, they were very highly valued and even kings and royalty loved them and owned them.
3) Protector
As i already mentioned, this breed was not only used for hunting, but also for protecting and guarding. They tend to create very strong bond with its owner and indeed, they would protect its owner, livestock or their home, especially if they trained for it from the puppyhood. On the other hand, the Sloughi should never and normally isnt agressive towards strangers without a reason.
4) Companion
Of course, today, the Sloughi is not only a working dog, but they most often live the life of companion dog. The Sloughi tends to attach very closely to its owner and even though it is not overly affectionate breed, they truly love its people. Even though they are not pushovers to train and the training cna be challanging, they are very intelligent and very good problem solvers. These dogs can be little bit aloof or shy towards strangers and it can také some time before the stranger will gain a trust of this dog. On the other hand, they typically do not have problem with kids or other dogs in the family, but of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised.

5) Exercise
Well, as i mentioned earlier in this video, this dog was working as a hunter for centuries and they have high stamina. So it should not be surprising that these are quite active dogs that needs daily proper exercise, but they are not completely hyperactive. They will enjoy fun exercise associated with rewards and plays and some vigorous exercise associated with several daily longs should be your daily bread with this dog. But with enough exercise, they tend to be pretty calm indoors.

6) Size

The Saluki is muscular, athletic, yet elegant and noble dog, with average height between 24-29 inches, which is 60-74 cm and weight is usually between 40-63 pounds, which is 18-28 kg. Females tend to be slightly smaller than males.

7) Saluki
Often times, the Sloughi is confused with the Saluki. It is true, that they share a lot of similarities and it can be said that they are relatives, but those are two separate breeds. And it is actually pretty easy to tell them apart, because the Saluki has long fur on the ears and legs, while the Sloughi is short haired breed. The Sloughi is also single colored breed, the only exceptions are brindle and black with light markings. On the other hand, the Saluki can be found in many different color combinations.

8) Appearance

Speaking of the coat, the Sloughi has quite short and smooth coat. It is normal, that these dogs have black mask and black ears. Overall, this is very noble, elegant and on the first sight athletic dog breed. They have long head with great looking dropped ears. The eyes are generally in dark color and can be almond or oval shaped.

9) Maintenance

Great fact is, that the Sloughis coat is extremely easy to maintain. Even without any grooming, they will keep the coat in good condition. You can brush them from time to time to remove excess hair and keep them looking neat and tidy. Just like with all dogs, you should also regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.

10) Health

Usually this is very healthy dog breed with average lifespan between 13-15 years, but they can live even longer than that. There are not many health issues associated with this breed, but of course, there are some. Those include progressive retinal atrophy, addisons disease, hypothyroidism and just like all sighthounds, the Sloughi is sensitive to anesthesia.