Sloughi

The Sloughi is one of the oldest of domestic dog breeds, dating back to the 13th century at the least, and has possibly been around well before that. The ancestry of the Sloughi reaches so far back in history that its origins remain a mystery. They were originally employed to assist in the hunt and they were able to hunt rabbits, gazelle, pigs, and any other dessert mammal that came along, helping to feed both themselves and their tribes. World Wars I and II were devastating to the Sloughi breed, disrupting breeding programs across Europe. In France during the French occupation, hunting with sighthounds in France or in its occupied countries or territories became illegal and dogs seen hunting were frequently shot on sight. Although this breed has often been compared to the Saluki and sometimes even been mistaken for a short haired Saluki, the two are distinctly different breeds. The first Sloughi dog was introduced to the United States in 1973 from Libya,  and the first litter of US born Sloughi puppies was whelped in 1981. Just a few years later, in 1989, the American Sloughi Association (ASLA) was founded. The Sloughi breed was first recognized by the American Kennel Club as a Foundation Stock Service breed in 1997 and gained the ability to compete in agility, obedience, tracking, and lure coursing events in 2004. Finally, on January 1, 2016, this breed was formally recognized into the hound group by the AKC, and the ASLA was selected as the AKC National Parent Club for the breed.