Dogs that everyone doesn't know – Sloughi
About the Saluki, which are distant relatives of the Sloughi, dog lovers have heard something, but hardly anything about the Sloughi. Yet this breed has lived with the Bedouins in North Africa for thousands of years. Old rock drawings in the Sahara show the dog as it is presented today. Both dog breeds - Sloughi and Saluki, have become valuable hunters in the desert, the difference between them is as follows: Salukis are "befedert", i.e. they have long hairs on their ears and legs and can be found in all colour tones, while the Sloughi are short-haired and monochromatic. Only two exceptions are allowed: brindle coat and black coat where light marks are allowed.
During my travels through the desert territory and my stay at the Bedouin in Emi Kusei on Granza Tschad, I saw the Sloughi, but I did not know that they were so precious, valuable and elevated to the highest nobility. In addition to the directly aesthetic beauty, the Sloughi also combine a number of special characteristics. This ancient Oriental greyhound breed cannot compare with today's breeds bred for this or that purpose, or just for the pleasure of the eye. Today's people are extremely "special" in every relationship – the Sloughi is intelligent, with their own thoughts and combinations, it is not easy to cheat, has a very proud and independent character, i.e. that the commander's voice would mean very bad treatment. You are a companion and friend, even a friend of its owner is willing to fulfil every wish, but it cannot slavishly or royally forced to give paws or make candles. Therefore, on the other hand, maintains extreme calm and adaptability in the apartment, calm and firm nerves, health is very durable and in terms of nutrition and watering very modest. For millennia, he lived in a poor desert landscape and was not only able to survive in a modest diet, but also to ensure survival for the family who owned him.
As already mentioned, the home of the rare (in our country) the Sloughi is the desert territory of Egypt to Morocco. Next to a falcon and a pricy Arab horse, the Sloughi is the third in this community. King Hassan in Morocco keeps these precious, highly valued greyhounds in their pens, as generally all noble Arabs retain the Sloughi again, although the hunt in these countries has been banned. But the Sloughi is a hunting dog. Rocky paintings show her when hunting for lions, giraffes, antelopes and mouflons, yes, it was then required of them.
The Bedouins put a very high price on the Sloughi and used it on the camels and horse markets that the Bedouin and their bitches came from all parts of the desert, covered them with good dogs, as they did with the expensive Arab horses and camels. Thus, this race has remained pure for millennia. It was painful to find a bitch mating with another race! His dignity was tarnished, and the same fate awaited him as a Bedouin woman caught with another man - he would not have survived this wrong move.
On the border between Sahara, Sahel and Black Africa, the Sloughi is still used for hunting by nomadic tribes. There is an indispensable assistant in hunting gazelles, antelopes and other wild living quick-legged animals. The anger is so fast that it looks as if the ground is not touching. The Sloughi value in these territories is assessed by its performance. If he is a great hunter, he has the same value as a breeding camel or an excellent Arab horse. In the house of the Arabs and in the Bedouin tent, this Sloughi will be very respected and pampered. If he dies, the whole house is in mourning as if a family member died.
The colour of the Sloughi is primarily sand with or without a black mask. This sand colour can show all shades like sand in desert areas, from beige to deep red to fiery black. The Sloughi come from desert areas where they have to overcome extreme temperatures - winter at night and heat during the day. The Sloughi can be described as proof/heavy-duty, so he does not suffer in our conditions.
When it comes to taking care of him - needs only a minimum of work, removes every impurity like a cat. This excellent oriental race is quite well kept in the apartment, where quietly occupies a permanent place like a monument like on the Orient. Thieves and robbers have no chance with you! Of course, just staying in an apartment is not enough, needs long hours of enclosure, as well as staying in the countryside. City dogs with a small enclosure are not good. The Sloughi are among the few dogs of our country who can survive alone without difficulty. They do not need a human to survive. In breeders' families, only friends who really belong to the family are recognized as friends. From strangers, it is only allowed to caress, touch, but caring is reserved for a narrow circle of friends. It does not listen to the stranger, but watches them intently. In this case, shows that there are no pranks with the Sloughi. And how it prevents the owner! With courage and a clear overview. He defends the house and its occupants and goes straight into attack when disputes and iniquities are happening or evoked. They love children and are dignified to allow be guided by family members.
What is his price? About 12 weeks old puppy costs around 1000 to 1500 DM. It is an official price based on current prices for greyhounds in the Federal Republic. For the best litters - with the titles of parent animals - the price is even higher. Let us consider its rarity, the price of pure uniqueness, as well as the price of character. This gives us the opportunity to get a new dogs over and over again. When a young animal has a white sign somewhere, but it does not bother it at the exhibition, it is only a small cosmetic defect. However, this is unofficial and the seller and the buyer must discuss this matter.