Page 32 - THE SLOUGHI REVIEW Issue 15

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

After the Second World War, the Sloughi scene deteriorated rapidly. The influence of Great
Britain and France in the Levant soon came to an end. As a result, there were practically no
more Sloughi imports from these areas. In North Africa, the stocks of Sloughis were much
smaller than had been assumed. It seemed doubtful whether the breed would survive.
However, French breeders were found in time and subsequently also fanciers in Switzerland

and the Federal Republic of Germany, who successfully rebuilt the breed. I do not share
Przezdziecki's fear that in twenty years there will perhaps be no more Sloughis in Europe.
... Today, Sloughi breeding is also being promoted in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, primarily

by Europeans." (Zwahlen/Maerki, page 82/83)

What does the text tell us? On the one hand, smooth Salukis (Tazys) were brought from
the Levant to Marseille to replace the dwindling imports of North African Sloughis into
France. At the same time, however, such imports were probably also brought to North
Africa for breeding by committed breeders in order to provide a kind of "development
aid". It is also striking that Zwahlen / Maerki use the term "Sloughi" for the smooth

Salukis (Tazys), which apparently originate from the Levant. This mixture of terms with
origins that do not correspond to the current standard shows the uncertainty of the
categorisation of Sloughis and smooth Salukis (Tazys) at that time. It is important to note
that the FCI Sloughi Standard No. 188c of 6 June 1973, which Zwahlen / Maerki also
reproduce in their book, does not specify the origin of the North African Sloughi. The
standard was patronised by France at that time.

So let's take out the ambition to breed fast dogs by tacitly accepting a proper mixture of
different breeds and look at the case of the segregation of the lines of proven Middle
Eastern Salukis and North African Sloughis.

Clarity about these things would be beneficial. Some people would like to attest to the
origins of their dogs as being of original descent. This is laudable, as long as the ancestors

are not found in the same lines that are based on the Saluki type that is foreign to North
Africa, whether smooth or feathered. Line breeding, which did not occur at all in the
original types, will prove to be a bad ambassador and the wrong basis for breeding.

In the appendix we find various quoted letters, emails, ancestry documents and

appraisals. In addition, there is an attempt to bring the many La'abans, Laba'ans, Thabyas
etc. in relation to each other. Dr. John E. Burchard and Elizabeth Dawsari are helpful here.