Page 23 - THE SLOUGHI REVIEW SPECIAL ISSUE 6

T H E S L O U G H I R E V I E W 2 3

How did you get involved with it? When did you get your first dog? Why did you choose

that breed?
I got to know the breed in 1981. My friend Ted van Dongen went to visit Professor
Braakman with her husband Krijn for work. The latter's wife, Jeanny Braakman, had a
litter of young dogs, which is always fun! The van Dongen family had shortly before lost
their German Shepherd Asta. Talk about a different breed! Anyway; long story short: the
family came home that day with 2 Sloughi puppies aged 13 weeks: brother and sister
Furuq and Faher of Mumtaz-I-Javanadmi. My then husband Jan and I had long wanted a

dog but had not yet decided which breed. Despite my initial: ‘those are those scary, thin,
shaky dogs, aren't they?’, I was sold on seeing these puppies.

By trial and error, we learnt to deal with the breed. When the family went on holiday and
grandma looked after the dogs and also at weekends, Jan and I would go for long walks

with them in the evening after work. That way they didn't lack anything. We had whole
adventures with them. But we also built up a very good bond with them. And only then do
you really get to know the breed. Because they are indeed distant if they don't know you.
But once they know and like you, it is super special! That stubborn, self-willed and
confident but at the same time very sensitive and affectionate, it is and remains a very
special mix. And they are super smart and can read people incredibly well. We were sold.

Furuq of Mumtaz-I-Javanadmi, one
year old © Jan Verwoerd