HISTORY
The Sloughi is an ancient breed, developed in North Africa as the hunting Sighthound of the Berbers, whose territory included Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya. Sloughis have been used to hunt desert hare, desert fox, jackals, and gazelles, as well as ostrich, wild boars and hyenas.
 The first Sloughis arrived in Europe at the end of the 19th century, often with soldiers who had been stationed in North Africa and returned home with Sloughis. In 1935, the breed was officially recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale. Because of the two World Wars, the breeding of Sloughis was interrupted and it was not resumed until the late 1960s after the war in Algeria. 
 In 1973, Mr. and Mrs. C. Rodarty imported the first Sloughi to the United States. Most American Sloughis are descended from Sloughis of French, Dutch and German breeding, which in turn descend from Sloughis imported from Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and Algeria. A few are direct imports from North Africa.
 The Sloughi was recognized by the UKC in 1995.

GENERAL APPEARANCE
The Sloughi is a medium-sized Sighthound, strong, lean and very racy. Its smooth-coated and long-legged body shows defined bony structure and lean muscles. Of squarish build, slightly higher than long, featherlight when moving, the Sloughi has a long wedge-shaped head, small drop ears, and a nearly straight topline from the base of the neck to the loin, where it arches very slightly and blends into a bony, sloping croup. The underline of the Sloughi is important to correct breed type. The brisket is deep but does not reach the elbow. The long sternum forms a straight line, parallel to the ground, which rises sharply into the tuckup. The tail is long and carried low with an upward curve at the end. The attitude is noble and somewhat aloof, and the expression of the large brown eyes gentle and melancholy.
 Dogs are typically taller and more substantial than bitches, which should be smaller, more lightly built and feminine.
 The Sloughi was treasured for its hunting skills, speed, agility and endurance over long distances. For this reason, it should give the general appearance of a short-coupled, well-balanced animal with no exaggeration of length of body or limbs, muscle development, nor curve of loin.

CHARACTERISTICS
The Sloughi is an intelligent and very driven hunter who chases on sight anything that moves, but also relies on olfactory and acoustic cues to chase prey. This "chasing on sight" behavior enables the Sloughi to be a competitive breed in non-commercial oval and straight racing events, as well as in lure coursing. It can also compete in open field hunts.
 In Africa the Sloughi is an all-around working dog, used for hunting, but also as a watch dog. For this reason the Sloughi is typically cautious with strangers, avoiding physical contact, but totally loyal, playful and affectionate with family. A Sloughi will however adjust to strangers if properly introduced by its owner.
 The Sloughi does not respond well to harsh training. It does well, however, under a firm, consistent, fair and praising hand.
Faults: Sharpness or shyness. 

HEAD
In profile the head is long and refined but rather strong compared to other Sighthounds. Seen from above, it has the shape of a long wedge, the skull being the widest part, tapering to the tip of the nose.
SKULL: Seen from the side, the top part of the skull is flat. The skull is rather broad, measuring approximately 4.7”-5.5” (12-14 cm) between the ears. The skull is distinctly rounded at the back and curves harmoniously on the sides. The brows are scarcely projecting, the frontal groove is hardly marked, the stop is barely pronounced, and the occipital crest is barely visible.
Faults: Skull too heavy and broad, too narrow, brows and stop too visible or insufficiently pronounced.

MUZZLE: The muzzle has the shape of an elongated and moderately refined wedge and is roughly as long as the skull. The bridge of the nose is straight from its root. The nose leather, not being supported by the skeletal structure, bends slightly forward. The lips are thin and supple, just covering the lower jaw. The corner must be the least visible possible.
Faults: Muzzle too short, too long, too wide, not in alignment with the top line of the skull, lips too strong and thick, corner of the mouth drooping.
Very serious fault: Unpigmented areas on lips.

NOSE: Black and strong, not pinched.
Faults: Any color other than black.
Very serious fault: Unpigmented areas on nose.

TEETH: Complete scissor bite. Teeth healthy and strong. Jaws strong and regular. Some Sloughis have additional pre-molars 1.
Faults: Missing teeth, jaws too narrow.
Disqualifications: Overshot or undershot.

EYES: Large, dark, well set in their sockets, oval to almond-shaped and set somewhat obliquely. The expression is gentle, slightly sad and melancholy. The eye color is shades of dark brown to amber. The eye rims are pigmented.
Faults: Eyes light amber, too small.
Very serious fault: Unpigmented areas on eyelids.

EARS: The ears of the Sloughi are set high and drooping close to the head when the animal is at rest. The ears are of medium size, triangular in shape and slightly rounded at the tips. In movement or when the animal is nervous, the ears often fold backward.
Very serious faults: Ears too long, tips hanging clearly below the lower jaw.
Disqualifications: Ears erect or with tips drooping forward, or small and folding backwards in a "rose ear". 

NECK
The neck is long and springs well up from the shoulders. Its top line is slightly arched. The skin is fine, tight, with no dewlap and the hair is very smooth.
Faults: Neck too short and thick, or too long and thin, dewlap.

BODY
A properly proportioned Sloughi is squarish to slightly higher than long. The following four lines drawn on the profile of a Sloughi form a square: From the withers down the back side of the front leg to the ground; from there to the front of the rear stifle; from there upward past the point of buttocks to the height at the withers; and from there, parallel to the ground, back to the withers. 
The back is short, almost horizontal. In well-exercised animals, the withers are barely apparent. The top line is almost straight from the base of the neck, over the withers to the hips with a slight arch over the loin. The loin is short, lean, wide and slightly arched. The croup is bony and oblique with apparent hip bones.
 The chest is not too wide. In depth, it hardly reaches the level of the elbow. In many Sloughis, it is about half an inch to an inch above the elbow. The body is well ribbed up. The ribs are flat, close fitting to a long, straight sternum. The floating ribs are more rounded. The under line first starts as a straight line (sternum) then rises up smoothly to a well tucked up belly.
Faults: Croup too long, not bony enough, too round; top line not horizontal, saddle-back, rounded back, back too long, withers too apparent, chest not deep enough, too narrow or too wide, chest reaching below the elbow, round ribs (barrel chest), not enough tuck, abrupt underline.
Very serious faults: A dog whose body is clearly longer than high or whose hip bones are clearly lower than the withers lacks breed type and should not be considered for champion points. 

FOREQUARTERS
The shoulders are long and oblique, the arms are strong with good return of the upper arm. When properly angulated, the elbow will be in a direct vertical line below the uppermost tip of the shoulder blade. The shoulder blade and upper arm are of similar length. The forelegs are straight, bony and muscular. The pasterns are slightly sloping, supple and strong. The elbows are close to the body. 
Faults: Shoulders and upper arm too straight, pasterns too bent or too straight, legs not parallel to each other, toes turned in or out.

HINDQUARTERS
The thigh is lean, flat and muscular. The second thigh is long and well muscled. Hocks are strong and well bent. The rear pasterns are strong and have no dewclaws. The hind-legs are moderately angulated. The tendons are well chiseled.
Faults: Bulging round muscles, not enough or too much angulation, legs not parallel to each other, toes turned in or out. 

FEET
The feet are lean and have the shape of an elongated oval. In many lightly-built Sloughis, the foot is shaped like a hare-foot. The nails are black or just pigmented. 
Faults: Feet flat, toes not tight, toes turned in or out.

TAIL
The tail is long, thin and set in line with the croup, carried low with a typical upward curve in the resting position. The tail should be long enough to reach the point of the hocks. When the Sloughi trots, the tail should be carried below the horizontal line of the back.
Faults: Tail too short, coarse, with too much hair and too thick, badly carried.

COAT
The coat of the Sloughi is always smooth. It is short, tight and fine all over the body. The Sloughi is presented in natural condition and any tampering with its looks should be strongly discouraged.
Faults: Coat hard and coarse.
Disqualifications: Coat too long and feathering on the tail and/or legs. 

COLOR
The coat colors of the Sloughi are all shades of light sand (cream) to mahogany red fawn, with or without black markings such as brindling, black mask, black ears, dark overlay and black mantle, with no invasive white markings. The darkest coats are red black brindle and red brindle with black mask and black mantle. A white patch on the chest and a few white hairs at the tip of the toes, difficult to detect on light coats, should be tolerated in otherwise outstanding specimens with darker coats.
Faults: Large white patch on the chest.
Disqualifications: Color not in accordance with the standard. Extensive white markings such as parti-color, white socks and white blaze.  Albinism.

HEIGHT AND WEIGHT
For mature males, height at the withers ranges between 26.4"-28.3" (66-72 cm), with the ideal size being 27.6" (70 cm). Weight ranges between 55 and 65 pounds. For mature females, height at the withers ranges between 24"-26.7 " (61-68 cm), with the ideal size being 25.6" (65 cm). Weight ranges between 45 and 50 pounds. 

GAIT
The Sloughi has a smooth, featherlight, floating and effortless gait, tail held low, head at a moderate angle to the body.  As a result of the squarish built and moderate angulations, there is no exaggeration in extension. The front paw does not reach beyond the tip of the nose. The  racing style resembles that of the Greyhound but, because of its straighter topline, the Sloughi cannot flex its back as much as the Greyhound. 
Faults: Hackney gait, gait restricted, uneven and loose, not covering enough ground.

DISQUALIFICATIONS
Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid. Viciousness or extreme shyness. Overshot or undershot. Ears erect or with tips drooping forward, or small and folding backwards in a "rose ear". Coat too long and feathering on the tail and/or legs. Color not in accordance with the standard. Extensive white markings such as parti-color, white socks and white blaze.  Albinism.