| Azawakh | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alternative names | ||||
| ||||
| Country of origin | ||||
| Mali | ||||
| Classification | ||||
| ||||
| Breed standards (external link) | ||||
| FCI | ||||
| Notes | ||||
| The AKC foundation stock service (FSS) is a registration service for breeds not yet recognised by the AKC. |
The Azawakh is a sighthound breed of Africa. Bred by the Tuareg nomads of the Sahara and sub-Saharan Sahel in the countries of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, the breed is used there to hunt gazelle and hare at speeds up to 40 miles per hour. Rangy, leggy, lean and elegant, the Azawakh is extremely high-stationed, taller than it is long. Its bone structure shows clearly through the skin and musculature. Attentive, distant, reserved to hostile with strangers, the Azawakh is gentle and affectionate with those he accepts.
The breed weighs from 33 to 55 pounds (15-25 kg); its height is 24 to 29 inches (60-74 cm). The coat is very short and almost absent on the belly. Permitted colours by the FCI breed standard are clear sand to dark fawn (with or without a dark mask), white bib, tail tip and stockings; many other colours occur in Africa. The Azawakh’s light, supple, elastic gait is a notable breed characteristic.
Uncommon as yet in Europe and North America, they are nevertheless gaining a foothold. The breed is not yet registered by CKC or AKC (but is recorded in AKC’s Foundation Stock Service); it is registered with UKC, ARBA and others. FCI recognised (Group 10 Breed 307).