THE SLOUGHI
“PRESERVING PROPER BREED TYPE IS ESSENTIAL TOWARD PROTECTING THIS RARE AND UNIQUE BREED. IF THE DETAILS THAT SEPARATE THE SLOUGHI FROM OTHER SHORT-COATED DESERT SIGHTHOUNDS ARE NOT PRIORITIZED, TYPE WILL QUICKLY BE LOST.”
JUDGING THE SLOUGHI TO PRESERVE THE ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS Every act of judging either helps to preserve the breed or contrib- utes to the diminution of the breed. For this reason, it is critically important for judges to look at the Sloughi through the lens of how closely it could perform the tough work in the harsh environment for which this breed was developed. Preserving proper breed type is essential toward protecting this rare and unique breed. If the details that separate the Sloughi from other short-coated desert sighthounds are not prioritized, type will quickly be lost. The Sloughi should not be a generic sighthound. The differences between the Sloughi and breeds that are similar in appearance, such as the Azawakh and the Saluki, should be appar- ent. The Sloughi is not a smooth Saluki or a variation of the Aza- wakh, and it should not look like one. Body Proportions: A male Sloughi is very slightly taller, mea- sured from the top of the withers to the ground, than it is long, mea- sured from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttocks. Ideally, a male’s length is 96% of its height. In other words, a Sloughi is very slightly taller than it is long. A female's body may be slightly longer, proportionally, than that of the male. However, a Sloughi should never appear rectangular. It should never be as upright as an Azawakh, nor as long in the back as many Salukis. These unique body proportions are a defining characteristic of the breed, and long Sloughis should not be rewarded.
Pigment: Pigment is an essential characteristic of the breed. Pigment in the nails and skin of dogs comes from melanocytes, which produce melanin. Melanin provides protection from ultra- violet light—and the Saharan sun is relentless. The AKC standard references pigment in multiple places; eye rims must be pigmented, the nose should be black, lips are black or dark brown, the nails are black or pigmented. Black noses and nails are essential breed char- acteristics of the breed, and while the standard specifically allows small white marks on the toe tips, it also disqualifies Sloughis whose color is not in accordance with the standard. Coat: The coat of the Sloughi should always be short, tight, and fine all over the body. Fringe, feathering or longer hair on the ears, legs, haunches or tail is a disqualification. Looser, longer or coarse coats are faulty to the degree they vary from the short, tight, fine coat that is described in the standard. Open Angles: The Sloughi standard uses the word “open” three times to describe front and rear angulation. The Sloughi should be less angular than the Saluki or the Afghan Hound, but slightly more angular than the Azawakh. Ground Covering Gaits: The Sloughi has a supple, smooth, and effortless gait with long strides, covering plenty of ground. Short-strided, hackneyed, and weak gaits or gaits reaching only from the elbows are incorrect. Weak pasterns and floppy pasterns are also incorrect. Hackneyed action is a serious fault. The Ameri- can Sloughi Association has a judges education video on proper gaits in the breed at this link: https://sloughi-international.com/?p=2416.
198 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2020
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