Page 50 - The Sloughi Review - Issue 9

T H E S L O U G H I R E V I E W 5 0

Gerhard Hanß, who took part in several Very selective breeding in the mirror of

A.B.I.S. expeditions, describes the situation genetics
there as follows:
In the course of the MARS analyses for
"The uniform image of the Idis simply stems the DWZRV (Deutscher Windhund Zucht-

from the fact that there is no other type of und Rennverband), which are to serve as a
dog in wide areas. In the actual core area of basis for further genetic assignments of
the Azawakh landrace, foreign influences dogs to their breeds, it was also possible
disappear relatively quickly. In my opinion, to show different degrees of relationship
this is due to the genetics of the foreign of the sighthound breeds in the 3D model.

breeds not being adapted to the extreme However, there were also surprises.
conditions. For example, at the airport in
Bamako there were German Shepherds that Thus, in the Greyhound (35) two

were used as sniffer dogs at customs. Despite genetically separate clusters were found
the best conditions - they lived in air- for the "Show Grey" and the "Racing
Grey". This shows that "very selective
conditioned rooms, were given the best food breeding", which represents extreme
etc. - they only lived for about two years. At breeding in the selection of individuals,
the edges of the distribution area, a slowly ultimately leads to different breeds. In the

progressive change of type can be clearly Greyhound, the breeding objectives were
seen." very one-sided for the dogs to be used for

showing or racing. It is interesting to note
Dr. Röder was already breeding Azawakhs the relative genetic closeness of the

before the expeditions of the A.B.I.S. and Magyar Agar to the "Racing Grey".
his breeding had an inbreeding problem
based on the few specimens available to
him in Europe at that time. After the
experience on the ground in Africa, he
recognised the possibilities to put the
breeding on a broader basis.

In the chart on the right, the Greyhounds from the
DWZRV (red) and those from the UK/US (blue) are
contrasted with the Magyar Agar (green). The
Greyhounds fall into two groups! The distance between
both groups is as big as between Magyar Agar and
Greyhound. All individuals initially clustering with the
Magyar Agar are racing dogs. All individuals in the
distant cluster are "show dogs". Each cluster by itself
shows a homogeneous picture (no data scatter). So it
remains to be said that "show-greys" are clearly
different from "racing-greys"! (36)