Sloughi

By Sophie Kininmonth · 30 Oct 2025 (updated 21 Jul 2026) ·6 min read

The Sloughi is a North African sighthound, a lean desert hound bred to hunt by sight across open country and built for long, efficient movement and sudden speed. In the right home it is a calm, graceful companion: quiet indoors, deeply bonded to its people, and remarkably elegant whether at rest or at a flat run. It is also uncommon in Australia and carries a strong chase instinct that shapes almost every practical decision you will make. This guide covers the breed-standard facts, what Sloughis are actually like to live with, and the care points that genuinely change outcomes.

History and Origin

The Sloughi was developed in North Africa to hunt by sight, built for long, efficient movement and decisive speed across open ground. Modern breed authorities place it within the sighthound group and recognise Morocco as the country of origin under the FCI system.¹ That working background still shows in everyday life. Many Sloughis carry a strong chase response and tend to be selective with their attention, quietly watchful rather than demonstrative.³

Appearance and Physical Characteristics

The breed standard describes a lean, athletic hound with a fine, short coat and a free, smooth, effortless gait. Height is typically 66 to 72 cm for males and 61 to 68 cm for females, with a long tail carried low and curving up at the tip.² The coat is short and can develop an undercoat in winter.²

Colour is not a wide palette. Under the Dogs Australia and FCI-style standard you will most often see shades from light sand to red sand (fawn), sometimes with a black mask, black mantle, black brindling or black overlay. Large white markings are not favoured, and excessive white is undesirable under the standard.²

Temperament and Personality

A well-bred, well-raised Sloughi is usually calm indoors, observant, and closely bonded to its people, without being everyone's mate. Many are naturally reserved with strangers, and some stay aloof even with careful socialisation.³ They are also sensitive dogs. Training that relies on intimidation tends to backfire, and you may not get open defiance, just a dog that becomes quiet, wary, and harder to reach. Clear routines, gentle handling, and patient repetition suit them better than loud corrections.³

Prey drive is the trait to plan around. As a sighthound, the Sloughi is wired to notice movement at distance and respond fast, which in everyday Australia can mean sudden chasing of cats, rabbits, wildlife, or a running small dog. Reliable recall can be difficult once the chase response is triggered, so secure fencing and thoughtful leash choices matter more than optimism.³

Is a Sloughi Right for You?

This is a specialist's dog rather than a first-choice family pet. A Sloughi that is under-exercised or given too much freedom too soon can turn its speed into a problem, and one that is handled harshly can simply switch off. The breed suits a household that can offer secure space to run, calm and consistent handling, and realistic expectations about recall around wildlife. If you want an outgoing dog that greets every visitor and reliably comes back off a scent or a bolting rabbit, this is probably not your breed.

Origin: North Africa, with Morocco as the FCI country of origin¹
Height: dogs 66 to 72 cm; bitches 61 to 68 cm²
Coat: fine and short, with an undercoat possible in winter²
Typical temperament: reserved, loyal, sensitive, often aloof with strangers³

Training and Exercise

Sloughis do best with a mix of steady daily movement and short chances to stretch out at speed, only in safely enclosed areas. Their bodies are made for running, but their minds still need quiet structure: a predictable routine, calm social exposure, and training sessions kept short enough to stay meaningful.³ Reward-based training is usually the most productive approach. Aim for calm behaviours such as settling on a mat, loose-lead walking, and coming when called in low-distraction settings before you test them around running birds or busy ovals.

The breed can also shine in sports that reward efficient movement and controlled speed, particularly lure coursing-style activities. They tend to do best when training stays calm and structured, with plenty of physical and mental recovery time between intense runs. If you are aiming for conformation showing, the Dogs Australia breed standard is the clearest guide for size, movement, coat, and colour in an Australian context.²

Health and Lifespan

No breed is problem-free, but the Sloughi is often described as generally healthy. The one point worth taking seriously is the risk of gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), commonly called bloat, which is seen most often in deep-chested dogs. It can progress quickly and is a true emergency.^{4, 5}

Know the emergency signs of bloat:

repeated retching with little or no vomit
drooling, restlessness, obvious discomfort
swollen or tight-looking abdomen
weakness, collapse, pale gums or rapid breathing^{4, 5}

If you see these signs, do not wait and see. Call an emergency vet and go straight in, because diagnosis can require imaging and treatment is time-critical.^{4, 5} Beyond bloat, ask your vet about eye screening and any breed-relevant orthopaedic monitoring, especially if you are doing lure coursing or other high-speed sports. Follow a current, vet-guided vaccination schedule based on core and non-core risk for your region and lifestyle.⁶

Grooming and Care

The short coat is low-maintenance and needs little more than routine care. The bigger consideration is the cold. These are thin, desert-bred dogs that feel low temperatures, so in winter they may need a coat for long, still outings.²

A Few Things Worth Knowing

Secure fencing is non-negotiable. Plan for speed, not just strength. A Sloughi that spots movement can cover ground before you have finished calling its name.
Introduce the world early and gently. Calm, positive exposure to visitors, handling, grooming, and everyday noises helps a naturally reserved dog feel safer in modern life.³
Keep sessions short. Two minutes of good training beats twenty minutes of repetition that turns dull.
Choose companions wisely. Many Sloughis enjoy other dogs, but rough play from pushy breeds can overwhelm them, so let them set the pace.
Adoption takes patience. Because Sloughis are relatively uncommon in Australia, rescue options may be limited. Start with reputable sighthound rescues and breed clubs, be ready to travel, and pay close attention to shyness, flight risk, and prey drive when assessing a rescue dog.

The Bottom Line

The Sloughi is a quiet, spare-limbed athlete, more observation than performance and more bond than bustle. In the right home, with secure spaces to run and training that respects its sensitivity, it settles into a steady rhythm: watchful, loyal, and graceful at rest as well as at speed.³ For a household prepared to manage the chase instinct and provide calm, consistent handling, few dogs are more elegant company.

References

Sophie Kininmonth

Dog lover and writer at My Pets Australia, sharing practical breed guides and care advice for Australian pet owners.