Never heard of a Sloughi dog before? Well that’s alright, you’re not alone there, because they’re not all that well known. In fact, they’re actually pretty hard to find! This is why we wanted to take a moment and discuss this very unique breed so that if you ever get a chance to own one, you’ll know for sure it it’s a good idea or not.
So, without further ado, let’s dive right in.
About the Sloughis Dog Breed
Like every dog, these guys have good traits and bad traits, both of which are things you should consider before you get one.
Here’s what we like:
They’re a rare breed which gives them automatic cool points. This North African dog is a breed of dog that not a lot of other folks are going to have. In fact, when you’re taking him for a walk, people will likely stop and ask you about his breed, likely thinking he’s an Arabian Greyhound.
And…
When you say, “Nope, he’s a Sloughi” a lot of people will be hearing that breed name for the first time. Pretty cool.
Second…
This dog also has great hunting skills. So, if you do decide to adopt one of these guys it’s not like you’re going to own a “lapdog” that is just going to want to sit on the couch all day.
And because of this…
Natural hunting ability and instinct, we should warn you that when it comes to trainability, they’re only about average because these guys tend to have a mind of their own. And… in situations where they might see a small furry little critter off in the distance, forget about it! They are most likely going to go chasing, that is of course if you don’t have him or her on a leach!
This is why…
Like with most dogs, if you do decide to adopt a Sloughi, you’ll want to start training him as soon as possible so that you can prevent the development of any “bad” habits as well as establish his role in the “family pack”.
Other Things to Consider
People (like us) who love the Sloughi dog breed will tell you they are gentle, kind and dignified dogs. But some people just might not “get” their personality. To some people, they come across as disinterested, disengaged. Truthfully, we think that cat people will tend to “get” the Sloughi personality. Just like with cats, you know they love you even if they don’t follow you around treating you like the most important thing in their life. These are important things to consider before you bring a Sloughi into your family.
Sloughi Dog Breed Fast Facts
Country of Origin: North Africa (specifically Ethiopia or perhaps Algeria)
Original Purpose: Hunting Dog
Height: 2 to 2 1/2 feet tall (at the shoulder)
Weight: 35 to 60 pounds
Dog Breed Classification: Not yet “officially” recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC)
Lifespan: 10 1017 years
Origin of the Sloughi Dog Breed
Though the Sloughi resembles the Saluki and the Afghan Hound, it’s not related to either. This hound has a unique DNA makeup from thousands of years. As we mentioned earlier, he’s probably from Ethiopia or Algeria.
Some folks…
Also suggest Morocco, Tunisia and Libya as his original home, but like many “ancient” breeds there is still some “debate” as to what the truth actually is. What is known for sure is that the Sloughis breed eventually made their way to western Europe in the late 1800s, but the Sloughi breed really didn’t become a “thing” until the 1960s. At that time, they also became known in the United States as well and as you’re probably already aware of have yet to become a “super popular” breed
Classification Dates
The Federation Cynologique Internationale: 1935
The American Kennel Club: Not Yet Recognized. It’s important to note, that despite not being recognized by the AKC, Sloughis can still compete in the Miscellaneous Class.
Physical Characteristics of the Sloughi
As mentioned, to the untrained eye, they look a bit like greyhounds. They are slender sight hounds, but they are strong and it shows. Their color patterns can vary: some are pale underneath with a black mask. In more rare cases, the dog may be dark underneath and sandy on top. They may also have a sand brindle pattern.
Temperament of the Sloughi
As mentioned in the beginning, these dogs are really quite loyal to their “person” or “people”, but they’re not very warm to strangers or new people. They definitely take time adjusting to new places and people. This can be hard if you are a traveler and need to put him in a kennel or have a dog sitter. These dogs are gentle, so you won’t see him or her getting aggressive unless something terrible has happened (you, his owner, are in danger or someone is threatening the dog). As runners, they will definitely need some exercise. But don’t worry; this doesn’t mean they’ll be wound up and wild all day. These dogs do chill out a lot too.
Sloughi Health
In general, these dogs should have pretty good health, supposing the breeders have done their job. Like with any dog, you should always get the full family history and know if there is anything major to look out for. This dog is a deep-chested breed, so it could have some stomach or bloating issues. In a worst-case scenario, this could require surgery to correct (Cost of Surgery for Bloat: $3000-6000).
Other things to look out for…
Will be eye diseases like progressive retinal atrophy. The risk of this will depend on the breeder. Most will make sure not to breed Sloughis at risk of this, but sometimes mistakes happen (or breeders are just careless). There is no way to really treat this, and your dog will eventually go blind. PRA is something that you should definitely ask any breeder about before adoption.
Other than these two things, Sloughis are probably going to be healthy. They have better genes than most dogs, including other sighthound breeds.
Still…what if something happens?
Of course, there is no way to guarantee that your dog won’t have health problems down the road. Just like humans, dogs can have a number of diseases or sicknesses. Some of them will be due to catching something contagious and others will be because of a genetic issue. Some issues that rarely happen to Sloughis – but do happen – include heart murmurs, hypothyroidism and medication intolerance (if this happens, your dog may need further treatment).
This is why…
We here at IndulgeYourPet also recommend that any new pet owner take a moment and see what it might cost for you to purchase a pet insurance policy for your new animal.
Now will a pet insurance policy be right for everyone?
No, probably not. But until you fully understand what these policies “will” and “won’t” cover and how much these pet insurance policies cost, how will you know if one might be right for you?
For more information on who we feel currently offers the “best” pet insurance policies out there, we would encourage you to check out our Best Pet Insurance Policies article.
