Sloughi

The Sloughi is a short-coated sighthound from North Africa, with Morocco recognised as its country of origin. It sits in the same broad family as the Saluki and the Azawakh, built for speed and stamina over open ground rather than short bursts. The frame is dry and fine, with long legs, a deep chest, and the racing outline typical of coursing hounds.

At home the Sloughi is loyal and closely bonded to its own household, but it tends to hold back with strangers and keeps a calm, dignified manner indoors rather than seeking attention. It is an independent dog that was bred to make its own decisions while hunting at a distance, not one that works in constant partnership with a handler, a trait shared by most sighthounds of this type.

The Sloughi suits an owner who wants a calm, sensitive companion at home and can provide secure space for it to run. It is not a breed for firm handling or for a household wanting an outgoing dog that is eager to please. Early socialisation and a settled routine help it feel confident in a new home.

Who it suits

The Sloughi fits an owner who wants a quiet, undemanding house dog that turns properly athletic once out in the open. A securely fenced garden or run for it to gallop safely is essential, since the chase instinct is strong. Because of its height and weight, this breed is unlikely to sit within the size typically approved for HDB flats, so check the latest HDB and Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) rules before committing, and consider a landed home with a secure garden instead. Anyone drawn to a dog that bonds deeply with one household, and who respects a sensitive, independent temperament, will get on well with a Sloughi.

The Sloughi took shape in North Africa and is closely tied to Morocco, the country recognised as its place of origin. Lean, smooth-coated sighthounds of this type have existed across the region for a very long time, kept by people throughout the Maghreb to hunt game over open ground.

The breed worked as a hunting hound rather than a household pet. It coursed hare, gazelle, and other desert game, relying on sharp sight, speed, and stamina across rough terrain. Hounds lived close to the family and were treated with care, reflecting the working partnership between hunter and dog rather than a purely ornamental role.

It shares ancestry and appearance with other African and Middle Eastern sighthounds, including the Saluki and the Azawakh, though it remains a distinct breed with its own regional history. Differences in coat, build, and colour set it apart from these relatives.

More recently the Sloughi has been bred and shown outside North Africa and is registered with major kennel bodies, including through the FCI standard that the Singapore Kennel Club (SKC) follows. It stays an uncommon breed here, kept by a small circle of enthusiasts who value its working heritage and quiet temperament, and most dogs in Singapore trace back to an import from a breeder in Europe or the Gulf.

The Sloughi has a dry, athletic build with almost no excess flesh. Clear bone structure shows through the skin, along with a deep chest, a tucked-up underline, and long, straight legs. The head is fine and refined on a long neck, and large, dark eyes give the breed a gentle, watchful expression. The tail is thin, carried low, and curls up slightly at the tip when the dog is relaxed. The Singapore Kennel Club (SKC), which is affiliated to the FCI, refers to the FCI breed standard when judging type at shows here.

Coat and colours

The coat is short and smooth and needs no clipping, an easy-care trait that suits Singapore's humidity well. Colour runs across the sand spectrum, from pale cream through fawn to a deeper red, and many dogs carry a black mask, a dark mantle, or brindle striping. The skin is fine, and the overall impression is of a sleek, low-maintenance hunting hound rather than a heavily coated breed, which also means it copes with our year-round heat far better than thick-coated breeds do.

The Sloughi forms a close, lasting bond with its own household and is gentle and affectionate with the people it trusts. With strangers it is reserved and can come across as aloof, holding back rather than seeking attention, and this reserve is normal for the breed rather than a sign of aggression.

Around family the Sloughi is calm and quiet indoors, often content to lie near its people for most of the day. It can live alongside children when raised together and introduced with care, though its sensitive nature means it does best in a settled home without rough handling. With other dogs it is generally sociable, but its strong prey drive means small pets such as cats or rabbits may be chased unless the dog is raised with them from puppyhood and supervised closely.

The breed is independent and was bred to make its own decisions while hunting at a distance. It is intelligent but not eager to please in the way some working breeds are, so it does better with patient, respectful handling than with pressure or repetition.

Grooming

• Brush the short coat weekly with a soft brush or grooming mitt to lift out loose hair
• Bathe only when needed, since the coat stays clean easily even in humid weather
• Check and trim the nails regularly, as overly long nails throw off the dog's gait
• Clean the ears and brush the teeth on a routine schedule

Exercise

• Give daily exercise, including chances to run flat out in a safe, enclosed area such as a fenced field or an NParks dog run
• Use a long lead or a fully fenced space, since the chase instinct is strong and recall can be unreliable around moving animals, joggers, or cyclists
• Exercise in the cooler early morning or evening where possible, as Singapore's heat and humidity make midday runs risky for a lean, thin-coated dog
• Combine free running with walks to keep muscle tone and mental stimulation up

Environment

The Sloughi settles well into a calm home and stays quiet indoors, but it needs regular access to space where it can gallop properly. Because of its height and weight, it sits above what is usually approved for HDB flats, so check the current HDB and AVS rules before committing to flat living, and a landed home with a secure, fenced garden is a better fit. The thin coat and low body fat do not trouble the dog in our tropical climate, but strong aircon and cold tiled or marble floors can leave it chilled indoors, so a padded, draught-free bed matters more here than a winter coat ever would.

The Sloughi is naturally lean, and a slight visibility of the last ribs is normal for the breed rather than a sign it is underfed. Feed a complete, balanced diet suited to a medium-sized active dog, and adjust the amount to the individual dog's weight, age, and exercise level. As a deep-chested breed, the Sloughi may carry a higher risk of bloat, so splitting the daily ration into two meals and holding off on hard activity right after eating is a sensible precaution, especially after exercising in the heat.

Treats and supplements

Keep treats to a small share of daily calories to protect the breed's lean condition. Most Sloughis on a complete diet need no extra supplements; check with a vet before adding anything, especially for puppies, pregnant dogs, or seniors with existing health concerns.

The Sloughi is typically a robust breed with a lifespan of 12 to 15 years. As a sighthound it carries a low percentage of body fat and reacts strongly to certain anaesthetics and drugs, so it matters to use a vet familiar with sighthound physiology; flag the breed clearly at any Singapore clinic before a procedure. Responsible breeders screen for known concerns, and routine veterinary care supports a long, healthy life.

Preventive care

• Keep vaccinations and parasite control up to date; ticks, fleas, and heartworm risk are present all year in Singapore's climate
• License and microchip the dog with AVS, as required for pet dogs here
• Schedule annual vet checks, including teeth and eyes
• Keep the dog at a lean, healthy weight with good muscle tone
• Use a sighthound-aware vet for anaesthesia and medication
• Watch for heat stress on hot, humid days and give the dog a break from strong aircon extremes indoors

The Sloughi is a thinking, independent dog rather than a handler-focused worker, so training calls for patience and consistency. It learns quickly when motivated but loses interest in repetitive drilling and reacts poorly to harsh corrections, which can damage trust with such a sensitive breed. Short, upbeat sessions work better than long ones. Because the chase instinct is strong, off-lead reliability around moving animals, joggers, or cyclists is hard to guarantee, so a secure area or a long line stays the safer default even for a well-trained dog.

Basics

1. Start socialisation early, gently exposing the puppy to people, places, lifts, and other dogs
2. Teach name response and a solid recall in a fenced space before trusting it off-lead outdoors
3. Build basic cues (sit, down, stay) in short, calm sessions
4. Practise lead walking and quiet behaviour around distractions such as void deck traffic or busy corridors
5. Reinforce a reliable recall and a strong "leave it" given the breed's prey drive

Sloughis generally reach physical and mental maturity slowly, like many sighthounds, and breeding is best left until the dog is fully grown and health-tested. Responsible breeders confirm temperament and screen for known concerns before mating, and register litters with the Singapore Kennel Club (SKC) or the relevant club in the country of birth. Gestation in dogs averages about 63 days, and Sloughi litters are usually moderate in size.

Raising Sloughi puppies centres on gentle, early socialisation, since the breed's reserved nature means confident exposure to people and situations in the first few months shapes how the adult dog turns out. Puppies should be kept warm, fed well for steady growth, and introduced to handling, everyday sounds, and other animals at a measured pace. Reputable breeders place puppies only with owners who understand the breed's exercise needs, its sensitive character, and the space a Sloughi needs to thrive in a Singapore home.

Registering a Sloughi in Singapore

Key in your Sloughi's name, his date of birth, and a clear photo, attach your mobile, and save: a lifetime record, no charge now or later. Dog registration sits happily alongside the AVS paperwork and takes the chip number whenever you have it.

The AVS listing and a searchable contact record are two different things, and the second one is yours to set up. Register the microchip on the free lifetime plan: any chip brand a local vet implants qualifies, updates after a move between flats stay free, and the record can be pulled up 24 hours a day from anywhere. Create your free account and settle it tonight.