5 Things You Didn't Know about the Azawakh Dog Breed
The slender greyhound Azawakh has been known for centuries in the desert regions of the Sahel, Niger Basin, where it has always been a proud travel companion of the Tuareg people.
The Azawakh dog is extremely intelligent and vigilant, always alert to everything that moves. With a proud stature and a leadership attitude, they almost know that they are the family protectors.
It is considered an extremely rare breed, which is why it is also highly appreciated and in demand.
If you've ever considered maybe owning an Azawakh dog, it's important to know they are great companion pets, are generally healthy, and can live up to 11-14 years. Other aspects to consider:
Pros:
Protective and loyal
Low maintenance care regime
Great energy level
Cons:
Not friendly with strangers
Territorial and prone to barking
Harder to train
1. Where Do Azawakh Dogs Come From?
Azawakh is a tall, elegant hound that comes from the West African Sahara Desert, where they were first raised to guard the animals of their nomadic owners, especially those in the Tuareg region. They were praised for their hunting skills and often lived in packs.
Their name comes from the Azawakh Valley, which is in the desert between Mali and Niger and translates as "land of the north."
The Tuareg nomads - who are among the several tribes that traditionally own this race - call it "idii n' illeli," which means "the sight of the free people."
Tuareg is an Arabic word meaning "the one cast out of God." It was the upper caste of the extremely rigorously hierarchical society that selected this dog breed for hunting, guarding, but especially for company because it was an honor for any nobleman to raise an "Oskas" as they called it.
Even today, these dogs live with nomadic tribes in the Azawakh Valley, a "dry" river that crosses the Sahel in sub-Saharan Africa, in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
2. How Many Azawakhs in the World?
The breed was first introduced to the US in the 80s, and later on, in 1997, it was added to the American Kennel Club (AFC).
In 1998, the American Azawakh Association was founded, today listing around 100 members. According to the club reports, there are around 400-500 Azawakh dogs spread across the United States at the moment.
Mostly bred in Europe and the United States, less often in West Africa, this breed is now extremely rare around the world.
France is considered a patron country for this breed as they have played the biggest role in exporting these dogs.
There are not many Azawakh dogs for sale, and those that are come with a high price tag, between $2,000 and $5,000 for a puppy. It's very, very unlikely that you will ever find one in an animal rescue shelter or animal foster care.
3. How to Pronounce Azawakh?
Officially recognized by the AKC on January 1st, 2019, the breed's name is pronounced 'oz-a-wok.'
The leggy canine's name originates from Africa, the Azawakh Valley, where for centuries they acted as livestock protection dogs for African tribesmen.
The official name was established in 1982, but there is still a lot of confusion around the name of this breed, also known as "Mali Greyhound," "Sahara Greyhound," and even "Sudanese Hound."
4. How Fast Can Azawakh Run?
Tall, lean, and very mobile, the Azawakh is amongst the world's fastest running dog breeds, next to Doberman, Dalmatian, and other Greyhound types (Arabian Greyhound, Spanish Greyhound, Afghan Greyhound, English, and Russian Greyhound).
Thanks to its long, tall legs, the Azawakh has an incredible running speed of up to 40 miles/hour or 64km/h. They are also very resistant to increased temperatures and can run in weather over 100 Fahrenheit. No wonder, given its historical background as a trusted hunting companion of the Tuareg people in the hot Sahara desert.
Today, the breed can be seen as a participant in many dog running competitions.
To keep them healthy and happy, these dogs require regular runoffs in fenced areas. They should also be kept on a leash when you walk them around because they are always alerted by the objects and animals moving around and might run off.
5. How Tall Is Azawakh Compared to People?
Azawakh is a large breed of dog, with a tall and long body, very slender, the bones and muscles being very visible through the skin, with long and elegant legs.
At maturity, the breed reaches a height of 25 inches to 29 inches (male), 24 inches to 28 inches (female), and a weight of 44lbs to 55lbs (male), 33lbs to 44lbs (female).
It has a narrow head, quite small compared to the impressive length of the body, a long and thin snout, almost conical, and a black nose.
The ears are medium-sized, triangular in shape, folded next to the head. The neck of the Azawakh dog is long and thin, ending abruptly towards the stomach.
The eyes are medium-sized, oval, and dark, and the fur is short and fine. It can be reddish, brown, gray, cream, reddish with black and white, and in some cases, Azawakh dogs have white paws and tufts of white fur or white spots on their foreheads or chest.
Final Words
Being a high-energy dog, it is recommended for active people to allow the greyhound to consume its energy. This dog is best kept in a fenced yard where it can move freely and burn at least some of the energy.
Being quite difficult to train, the Azawakh dog needs a firm master, who can train them with a lot of patience, but also with a lot of consistency and firmness, so that they can gain both trust and respect.
As gentle as the dog is with its owners and family, it can be suspicious and reserved, in some cases even aggressive, with strangers or other dogs. The Azawakhs have not forgotten their hunting origins, so they find it difficult to make friends with smaller pets or potential competitors.
Since they are desert dogs, they are quite sensitive to cold weather, so it is recommended to get them dressed in thick, special clothes for dogs during wintertime.