Azawakh

General Information - Azawakh

 

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History

Azawakh

A breed standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament, and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function with soundness essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be careful to avoid obvious conditions and exaggerations, as well as being mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.

Breed Standard - Azawakh

History: Sight hunting. The nomads considered the dog equally as a show piece and as a companion.It is an African sighthound of afro:asian type which appeared in Europe towards 1970 and comes from the Nigerian middle basin, among others from the valley of the Azawakh. For hundreds of years he has been the companion of the nomads of the South:Sahara.

General Appearance: Particularly high in the leg and elegant, the Azawakh sighthound gives a general impression of great fineness. His bone structure and musculature are transparent beneath fine and lean tissues (skin). This sighthound presents itself as a racy dog whose body fits into a rectangle with its longer sides in vertical position.

Important Proportions: Length of body/height at the withers = 9: 10. This ratio may be slightly superior in the bitches.
Depth of chest/height at the withers = about 4: 10.
Length of muzzle/length of head = 1: 2.
Width of skull/length of head = 4: 10.

Characteristics

Temperament: Quick, attentive, distant, reserved with strangers and may even be unapproachable, but he can be gentle and affectionate with those he is willing to accept.

Head and Skull: Long, fine, lean and chiselled, rather narrow, without excess.

Skull: It is almost flat, rather elongated. The width of the skull must definitely be inferior to half the length of the head. The directions of the axes of the skull and the muzzle are often slightly divergent towards the front. The superciliary arches and the frontal furrow are slightly marked. On the other hand, the occipital crest is clearly protruding and the occipital protuberance marked.

Stop: Very slightly marked.

Nose: Nostrils well opened. The nose is either black or brown.

Muzzle: Long, straight, fine towards the front without exaggeration.

Cheeks: Flat.

Eyes: Almond shaped, quite large. Their colour is dark or amber. Eyelids pigmented.

Ears: Set quite high. They are fine, always drooping and flat, quite wide at the base, close to the skull, never a rose ear. Their shape is that of a triangle with a slightly rounded tip. Their base raises when the hound is attentive.

Mouth: Jaws long and strong. Scissor bite.

Neck: Good reach of neck which is long, fine and muscular, slightly arched. The skin is fine and does not form a dewlap.

Forequarters: Seen as a whole: Long, fine, almost entirely vertical; legs perfectly well:set.
Shoulders: Long, lean and muscular and only slightly slanting seen in profile. The scapula:humeral angle is very open (about 130°).

Body
ForeChest: Not very wide.

Chest: Well developed in length, deep but without reaching elbow level. It is not very wide but must have enough space for the heart, so, the sternal region of the chest must not abruptly become narrow.

Hindquarters: Seen as a whole: Long and lean; legs perfectly vertical.

Feet

Tail: Set low, long, thin, lean and tapered. Is covered with the same type of hair as that of the body and has a white brush at its extremity. Is carried hanging with the tip slightly raised, but when the dog is excited, it can be carried above the horizontal.

Gait/movement: Always very supple (lissom) and with particularly high action at the trot and the walk. The gallop is bouncy. The Azawakh gives a great impression of lightness, even elasticity. The movement is an essential point of the breed.

Coat: Skin: Fine, tight over the whole of the body

Hair: Short, fine, down to none on the belly.

Colour: Fawn with flecking limited to the extremities. All shades are admitted from light sable to dark fawn. The head may or may not have a black mask and the blaze is very inconstant.The coat has a white bib and a white brush at the tip of the tail. Each of the four limbs must have compulsorily a white stocking, at least in shape of a trace on the feet. The black brindling is admitted.

Weight: Dogs about 20: 25 kg. (45lbs - 55lbs). Bitches about 15: 20 kg. (35lbs - 45lbs)

Very SeriousFaults:

• Timid character, panicky or aggressive with attack.
• Lack of type (in particular when showing a recent crossing with another breed).
• Strong non:accidental anatomical deformation.
• Disabling anomaly: not acquired.
• All obvious redhibitory vices (anything that prevents the dog from carrying out its normal functions).
• Upper or lower prognathism (projecting jaws)
• Light eye: i.e. bird of prey eyes.
• Ribs curving in at the base of the chest which thus takes on the look of violin box.
• Coat not conforming to the standard.
• Harsh or semi:long coat.
• Absence of any white marking at the extremity of one or more limbs.
• Size out by more than 3 cm (1 ½ in.) from the standard measures.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities.
FCI No 307
Copyright Dogs New Zealand
10 Apr 2013
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.