Azawakh
Dogs
Azawakh
Azawakh |
Azawakh bitch
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Alternative names |
Tuareg Sloughi |
Country of origin |
Mali |
Common nicknames |
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Classification and breed standards |
FCI: |
Group 10 Section 3 #307 |
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AKC: |
Hound (FSS) |
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UKC: |
Sighthounds and Pariah Dogs |
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Not recognized by any major kennel club |
This breed of dog is
extinct |
Notes |
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The Azawakh is a
sight
hound dog
breed from
Africa.
Appearance
Rangy, leggy, lean, and elegant, the Azawakh is extremely high-stationed,
taller than it is long. Its back length should be 90 percent of its leg length
to withers
(shoulder blades). It has a deep chest, which should not go below the elbows,
and a high tuck/waist.
The breed weighs from 33 to 55 pounds (15-25 kg); its height is 24 to 29
inches (60-74 cm). The coat is very short and almost absent on the belly. Its
bone structure shows clearly through the skin and musculature. Its muscles lie
quite flat, unlike the
Greyhound,
and in this respect it is closer to the
Saluki.
Colours permitted by the
FCI breed standard are clear sand to dark fawn/brown, red and brindle (with
or without a dark mask), with white bib, tail tip, and white on all feet (which
can be tips of toes to high stockings). Currently, white stockings that go above
the elbow joint are considered disqualifying features in France, as is a white
collar or half collar. Many other colours occur in
Africa such as
black, blue fawn (that is, with a lilac cast), grizzle, and blue. The Azawakh in
its native land also comes in
particolour. Blue
brindle is
also found in about 0.5% of the population; this is a normal recessive gene
which again does not meet current FCI standards. The Azawakh’s light, supple,
elastic gait is a notable breed characteristic, as is a 'bouncy gallop'.
Azawakhs need to be well socialised from an early age and should be
challenged with new situations.
They are a combination of a sprinter (though not as fast as a Greyhound) and
a long distance runner (like a Saluki). Therefore they need a good to high level
of exercise and should have regular runs off lead in large enclosed areas to run
off steam.
Temperament
It manages to balance a close bond with its owner with a strong, almost
feline independence. Attentive, distant, reserved with strangers, the Azawakh is
gentle and affectionate with those she accepts.
History
Bred by the
Tuareg nomads of the
Sahara and
sub-Saharan Sahel
in the countries of
Mali, Niger,
and
Burkina Faso, the breed is used there as a
guard dog
and to hunt
gazelle and hare
at speeds up to 40 miles per hour. Unlike some other Afro-Asian sighthounds it
is more of a pack hunter and they bump down the quarry with hindquarters when it
has been tired out. The
Sloughi, by
comparison, is more of an independent lone hunter and has a high hunting
instinct.
They are relatively uncommon in
Europe and
North
America but there is a growing band of devotees. It is not a 'doggy' dog,
being very feline in temperamanet and therefore not a good pet for mainstream
owners. However, well socialised and trained, they can be good with cats,
children, and strangers. The breed is not yet registered by
CKC or
AKC (but is recorded in AKC’s Foundation Stock Service); it is registered
with
UKC, ARBA and
others.
External link
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