Sloughi AKC Breed Standard

Official Standard of the Sloughi

General Appearance: The Sloughi is a powerful and elegant, medium-large, short-haired,

smooth-coated, athletic sighthound developed in North Africa (in the region including Morocco,

Alergia, Tunisia, and Libya) to hunt game such as hare, fox, jackal, gazelle, and wild pigs. It is

an ancient breed, treasured in North Africa for its hunting skills, speed, agility, and endurance

over long distances. It is a robust, but elegant and racy, pursuit dog with no exaggeration of

length of body or limbs, muscle development, angulation, nor curve of loin. The Sloughi is not a

fragile dog; it is a dog with class and grace. The attitude is noble and somewhat aloof, and the

expression of the dark eyes is gentle and melancholy. The Sloughi’s head has a sturdy character

and is long and elegant with drop ears and a black nose. The body and legs show defined bony

structure and strong, lean muscles and black or pigmented nails. The skeletal structure is sturdy.

The topline is essentially horizontal blending into a bony, gently sloping croup. The tail is long

and carried at or below the topline at its insertion with a small ring or an upward curve at the

end.

Size, Proportion, Substance: A male Sloughi is very slightly taller, measured from the top of

the withers to the ground, than it is long, measured from the point of the shoulder to the point of

the buttocks. Ideally, a Sloughi’s length from point of shoulder to point of buttock is 96 percent

of its height. Height at the withers for males is normally 26 to 29 inches (66 to 74 centimeters).

For females it is normally 24 to 27 inches (61 to 68 centimeters). Somewhat taller Sloughis are

allowed.

Head: In profile, the head is long and refined with a deep and sturdy character. From above, it

has the shape of a long wedge, tapering from the cranial area to the tip of the nose. Expression –

The expression is gentle, slightly sad, and melancholy. Eyes – The eyes are large, dark, well set

in their sockets, and oval to the almond-shaped. The eye color is shades of dark brown to dark

amber. The eye rims are pigmented. Ears – The ears are of set slightly above the eye line,

drooping, close to the head, medium in size, triangular and slightly rounded at the tips.

Disqualifications are ears erect, raised with tips drooping, or rose ears that cannot drop close to

the head. Skull – Viewed from above, the cranial area is rather broad, measuring approximately

4.75 to 5.5 inches (12 to 14 centimeters) between the ears, and is rounded at the back and curves

harmoniously on the sides. In profile, the top part of the cranial area is flat, the brows are

scarcely projecting, the frontal groove is hardly marked, and the occipital crest and protuberance

are barely visible. Stop – The stop is barely pronounced. Muzzle – The muzzle has the shape of

an elongated wedge and forms about half the total length of the head. The jaws are strong and

regular. Planes – The profile is straight, with the lines of the muzzle and skull approximately

parallel. Nose – The nose is black and strong, not pinched. Any nose color other than black is a

disqualification. The planes of the nose and the muzzle are almost the same. The nose leather,

not being supported by the skeletal structure, is slightly inclined down towards the tip. Lips –

The lips are thin and supple, black or dark brown, and completely pigmented. Flews – The lips

just cover the lower jaw. The corner of the mouth is very slightly visible. Bite – A scissor bite is

preferable; a level bite is allowed. An overshot or undershot jaw is a disqualification. Teeth –

Full Dentition; the teeth are healthy and strong.

Neck, Topline, Body: Neck – The neck is long and springs well up from the shoulders. It is

slightly arched at the crest. Its length is similar to that of the head. It should be elegant and

powerful. The skin is fine, tight, with no dewlap and the hair is very smooth. Topline – The

topline of a Sloughi is level (horizontal) or essentially level between the withers and the hip

bones; the hip bones may be slightly higher than the withers. The withers are apparent. Body –

Chest – The chest is not too wide and almost, but not quite, reaches the level of the elbow. The

ratio between depth of chest and height at withers should be ideally 4:10. Ribs – The ribs are flat,

long, and slightly curved in the posterior third of the chest. Underline – The underline starts as a

straight line at the sternum and rises up in a smooth curve to the belly. Tuck-up – The belly is

well tucked up. Back – The back is short, almost level (horizontal) between the withers and the

hip bones. Loin – The loin is short, lean, wide, and slightly arched. Croup – The croup is bony

and oblique with apparent hip bones that project above the line of the back to the same height as,

or slightly higher than, the withers. Tail – The tail is long enough to reach the point of the hocks,

thin, set in line with the croup, and has a small ring or an upward curve at the tip. The tail is

carried low (at or below the line of the back at its insertion), though when excited the end portion

of the tail may rise above the topline.

Forequarters: Angulation – Well open. Shoulders – Shoulder Blades – The shoulder blades are

long and oblique. The upper arm is strong. Legs – the forelegs are straight, bony, and muscular.

The forelegs appear long. Pasterns – The pasterns are slightly sloping, supple, and strong.

Dewclaws – Dewclaws are present, but may be removed. Feet – The feet are lean and have the

shape of elongated oval. In many lightly-built Sloughis, the foot is shaped like a hare-foot. Toes

– The toes are pointed forward with the middle two toes distinctly longer than the others. Nails –

The nails are black or pigmented. White or depigmented nails on toes with small white markings

are faults. Sloughis with a majority of depigmented or white nails disqualify.

Hindquarters: Angulation – Open angulation, stifle and hock well open. Legs – When showing,

the hind legs should be left in their natural, upright position so that the level (horizontal) line of

back remains apparent. Upper Thigh – The second thigh is long and well muscled. Hocks (Rear

Pastern) – Hocks are strong and well bent without closed angles. The rear pasterns are also

strong. The tendons are well chiseled. Dewclaws – No rear dewclaws. Feet – The feet are lean

and have the shape of an elongated oval. Toes – The toes are pointed forward with the middle

two toes distinctly longer than the others. Nails – The nails are black or pigmented.

Coat: The coat of the Sloughi is always smooth. The hair is short, tight, and fine all over the

body. The Sloughi is presented in natural condition. Disqualifications are feathering on the ears,

tail, and/or legs, or coat that is not short, tight, and smooth.

Color: The coat colors are all shades of light sand (cream) to mahogany red fawn, with or

without brindling or with or without black markings such as black mask, black ears, dark

overlay, and black mantle (black and sand or black and brindle). A small white mark on the chest

or small white marks on the toes are faults. White, anywhere on the body, due to aging or scars is

allowed. Disqualifications are color not in accordance with the standard, larger white markings,

solid white extending above the toes or white anywhere else on the dog except the forechest.

Gait: The Sloughi has a supple, smooth, and effortless gait with long strides, covering plenty of

ground and reaching from the shoulders in front. The tail is held low, or at below the topline at

its insertion. The ring or upward curve at the end may rise above the topline when the dog is

excited. The head is held at a moderate angle to the body.

Temperament: The Sloughi is a dog with class and grace. The attitude is noble and somewhat

aloof.

Summary of Disqualifications:

Ears erect, raised with tips drooping, or rose ears that cannot drop close to the head.

Nose pigment any color other than black.

An overshot or undershot jaw.

Coat too long and/or feathering on the ears, tail, and/or legs.

Dogs with a majority of white or depigmented nails.

Color not in accordance with the standard, larger white markings, solid white extending above

the toes or white anywhere else on the dog except the forechest.

Approved May 10, 2022

Effective August 8, 2022