Page 17 - The Sloughi Review - Issue 10

T H E S L O U G H I R E V I E W 1 7

Ullis Sundell: Sloughis are especially good Johanna Sundell: Sloughis have strong
at creating close relationships with the abilities to express themselves with both
people around them and are said to be very body language, facial expressions, and many
supportive, comforting and reassuring to different sounds to develop a very good
their people. They are also remarkably communication with humans. Sloughis are
good at lightening the mood and making us also responsive and react easily to small

happy and in a good mood again. Is this signals from us humans. Some autistic
anything you noticed in the interaction people are non-verbal, some later start
between your Sloughis and students? using a spoken language. Do non-verbal
students benefit from the social interaction
Gabriella Incisa di Camerana: Most with Sloughis?
Tunisians are very afraid of dogs. They find

it difficult to approach them, spend time Gabriella Incisa di Camerana: Even a
with them and pet them. Among other simple walk on a leash is beneficial. Of
things, in popular belief the dog is course, the other exercises complete the
considered an "unclean" animal. But the interventions. But already a child who sits
Sloughi has been, since the dawn of time, next to the Sloughi is part of the progress to
the companion of the Bedouins who be noticed.
brought them into the tent, like a member

of their family.
On this subject, the Emir Abd-el-Kader left
us several anecdotes in the book "The
Horses of the Sahara", which was the
bedside book of my father and my great-
grandfather before him.

Imre Schmidt: Autism means, among other
things, that the person has difficulty
interpreting body language, emotional
moods, and the interaction between other
people. Have you seen if your students
developed these abilities together with the

animals to later be able to use this together
with humans?

Gabriella Incisa di Camerana: Yes,
absolutely.