Page 142 - THE SLOUGHI REVIEW - ISSUE 13

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In Xenophon, however, we do not find any instructions about the mating of male and
female, except that the bitches must be led to good males so that they become pregnant
more quickly [89]. Arrian, too, speaks only of leading a bitch to a good male, which is
seldom found when she is in heat. Thus Arrian writes: “A bitch is quicker than a male; but a
male is more persevering than a bitch, and because he runs all the year round, he is to some

a more valuable possession; he is also more valuable because, though there are many good
bitches, it is not easy to find a noble male. One must be satisfied if the bitches retain their
speed until the fifth year of life, while the males retain it even until the tenth year of life.
Therefore, it seems to me that a truly noble male is a great possession, which is not bestowed

on a hunter without the favour of some god” [90].

The Sloughi is genetically still relatively close to wolf’s ancestors according to Heidi
Parker. In fact, Sloughi pups are extremely shy, as was observed in Tunisia, for
example. The closeness to humans in the family groups, which Daumas also describes
vividly, is therefore no coincidence; for the occasional feeding of the pups on the
female breast speaks volumes here!