Afrikan Azawakh Dog Breed Information - Ancient Dog Breed

Afrikan Azawakh Dog is another most ancient and rare dog breed that has been in existence for centuries. Azawakh dog is a breed, built for speed! The slender, bony structure of an Azawakh dog are the major attributes that have helped him to be enrolled in the fastest dog breeds of the world. Azawakh Dog is a sighthound dog breed, originated Africa. Documentations of the recent studies on this breed have shown that the Azawakh Dogs have hailed from the pariah dogs of sub-Saharan Africa. Also known by other names like Idi, Tuareg Sloughi, Hanshee, Oska and Wulo, the Azawakh Dog breed is closely related to the Sloughi of the Maghreb. Azawakh (pronounced ‘Oz-a-wok’), which means the ‘land of the north’, gets its name from Azawakh Valley in Sahel region of the Sahara desert.

Origin of Afrikan Azawakh Dog:

Since the origin of the Azawakh Dog is lost in time, not much is exactly known about the breed origin, but evidences have shown that he has been serving the Tuareg tribes and other nomads of the Central African countries of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso for millenia! People have been using Azawakh Dogs as hunter, guard, and as companion dog. With passage of time Azawakh got an opportunity to enter people's drawing room as a symbol of status. Even these days, often the Aazawakh can be seen lying on the straw roofs of their Mali owners. As the night predators like hayenas approach, the Azawakhs would the first ones to ponce on the intruders in group and kill them. One think to be said for sure that the Azawakh Dogs originated in Sahel region of Africa, and have a relation with the sight hounds. studies have show that Azawakh dogs have a morphological structure that is very much similar to the Middle Eastern and of the North African sighthounds. Besides, researchers have studied the mitochondrial DNA evidence to conclude that Azawakh dog is only very distant member to other sight hounds! Quite interestingly, this ancient dog have a rare Glucose Isomerase Allele (GPI) that matches with that of certain entirely different mammals like jackals, foxes, Italian wolves and a few other quite different types of rare members of canidae family, from Japanese origin.

Appearance:

Recommended as a pet, working dog, or a companion dog, the Afrikan Azawakh dog has his own distinctly unique look that is intensely dry and bony, yet elegant enough to display an aesthetically sporty appearance. The typical structural qualities - strikingly slender and elegant physique with geometric simplicity of the Azawakh dog, have allowed him to serve three distinct purposes: as a protective companion, as a swift and very powerful coursing dog, and as a status symbol for the elites of the society. The dry muscle tone are visible clearly under the taut skin, has given him an exceptionally graceful look, whether he is stacked or on a stylized move. Unlike the Whippet and Greyhound the "dry" muscles of Azawakh Dog lie quite flat with the body. The short, smooth and silky coat are set close tight, giving it a more sporty appearance. The coat is almost absent in the belly region. In a well-bred Azawakh, the large, dark or amber 'almond eyes' are set in the right proportion with the slightly long and slender head to give an intelligent facial gesture. Ears are set high, fine, drooping, triangular with rounded tip. Muzzle is almost half the head's length. Nose has open nostrils, with black or brown pigments. The long, thin, and tapered tail is set low and has white brush at tip. All these merge together to give the dog a unique look. The Azawakh is the only dog breed that moves with a distinctly feline poses, characterized by "bouncy gallop". The natural gait of a well-bred Azawakh is collected and elastic, with a cool demeanor, giving out brief feral glances hither and thither, without being distracted out of the motive! The long and slender legs allow the dog to run at a speed as high as 40 miles per hour. The relatively broader feet enables him to walk miles on the Saharan sand at easy, like some of the other dessert mammals like camels.

The breed standard calls for the Azawakh Dog breed, ranges between 33 to 55 pounds for body weight and 25 to 29 inches for the height at wither.
Although in his native land the Azawakh Dog is found in a wide range of color combinations and varied degrees of refinements, the FCI breed standard calls for the allowance of the pigments, ranging from clear sand color to dark fawn or brown, red and brindle (with or without dark mask), with white bib, tail tip, and white on all feet (which can be tips of toes and extended to to high stockings). At this moment, the white stockings that go above the elbow joint and the white collar or half collar (Irish mark) are treated disqualification in France.

Behavior of Azawakh:

Contrast to the geometric simplicity in the physical structure, the mental configuration of an Azawakh Dog is really quote complex, making the dog a bit hard to understand! Despite being intelligent, the Azawakh Dog exhibits certain typically primitive ambiguous instincts clearly distinguished beneath his decent behavior.Well, in this regard, I have heard some people comparing him as a "sugar coated tablet".... that's perfectly incorrect! Many the hound dogs show similar characteristics of being lupus rather than being a bit too familiar to all. Most of the dog breed tend to be too close to human, while others like to stay aloof and away from the human. Azawakh dog breed prefer to be between the two broad canine categories, with a bit inclined to the later! He is a perfect guard dog, with high degree of territoriality. He tends to bark ferociously at strangers and may even show a high “savageness” to the intruders according to the FCI Breed Standard. He requires to be highly socialized properly socialized and unless it done perfectly you can't expect him to approach a stranger with friendly overtures. To be very candid, Azawakhs are not truly a domestic pet - especially for novice pet owners .

Afrikan Azawakh Breed Recognition:

Until January 1, 1993 the Azawakh Dog breed wasn't recognized by the Azawakh was recognized by the United Kennel Club. The AKC Foundation Stock Service (FSS) is an optional recording service for the purebred Afrikan Azawakh Dogs that are not yet eligible for AKC registration. Other international FCI, UKC - NKC, CKC, APRI, ACR.

• FCI - Group 10 Section 3 #307
• AKC - Hound (FSS)
• KC (UK) - Hound
• UKC - Sighthounds and Pariah Dogs