Azawakh

• Group 10: Greyhounds
• Section 3: Short-haired Sighthounds

• Without working trial

Sahel, Africa

France

The Azawakh is a recognized by the FCI African greyhounds race (FCI Group 10, Section 3, Standard No. 307).

Origin and History

The Azawakh, also called Tuareg Greyhound is a breed of dog that is kept by the nomads of the Sahel as hunting, watch and guard dog. The distribution of race spans the countries of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. In the southern Tuareg tribes it is known as Idi ( pl. Iadan ) - this simply means " dog" and explained by the fact that in the central Sahel, there is no other dog shape. It is a typical country race.

In the more northern, located already in the Sahara regions of the distribution area and the name Osca ( pl. Oscaten ) is used, which is in Tamascheq for especially selected and noble greyhounds. The Azawakh name that is used by the international breeding organization FCI, is derived from the Azawakh Valley, which lies on the border of the states of Mali and Niger, and thus the center of the region of origin (see Azawad ).

Description

The elegant impression conveyed by the Azawakh, results from its narrow and slender physique. This is underlined by its independent, feisty nature. In relation to the total body length, the limbs are relatively long, which makes him look leggy accordingly. The barren and marked by the lack of water being of people living in its original area of ​​origin, the dogs usually have a nutritional state, in which the skeletal structure and musculature clearly emerging among the dry parchment to connective tissue. It was this feature in the standard explicitly mentioned by the European breeding organizations. So normally fed dogs at exhibitions can often achieve no front seats. Often, the Azawakh is confused with the Sloughi, which is not only related to the environmental conditions in the areas of origin of the dogs, but was also due to introgression of both races.

This typical Greyhound has a height at the withers in males of 64 and 74 cm for females is 60 and 70 cm with a weight of up to 25 kg (males 20 to 25 kg, females 15 to 20 kg). The hair is short, fine, down the belly to none, in the colors red, sand, brindle. The flecking limited to the extremities, according to the breed standard, but come into the region of origin also dogs with far stronger white drawing before, which has led in recent years to debate as to whether the standard really reflects the overall picture of the breed correctly. All color shades, from light sable to dark fawn are permitted. The head may show a black mask or not, and the blaze is very irregular. The coat has a white spot on the chest. All four limbs should be white " boots " have. Black brindle is approved. The skin is thin, and the whole body taut. The head is wind dog typically long, fine, lean and chiselled, rather narrow, the ears set on rather high, fine, always drooping and flat, close fitting quite wide at the base and the skull. They have the form of a triangle with a slightly rounded tip. The tail is set low, long, thin, lean and tapered. Is covered with the same hair as the body and carries at the top a white brush.

Elegant affects the response: always very smooth, especially in trot and walk with high action of the legs, sudden gallop. The Azawakh gives a great impression of lightness and elasticity.