Azawakh
🧠 Temperament & character
The Azawakh is closely bonded and very affectionate towards his family, while he meets strangers in a reserved and aloof manner. He is watchful and raises the alarm at anything unfamiliar, which reflects his origin as a guardian of the nomad camps. As a fine, sensitive sighthound he reacts sensitively to moods and harsh treatment and needs calm, respectful guidance. Outdoors he shows a high hunting drive and the speed and independence typical of sighthounds.
📜 Origin & history
The Azawakh has been kept for centuries by the Tuareg and other nomadic peoples of the Sahel, where he served as a hunting dog for hares and gazelles as well as a guardian of the camps. In his homeland he lives closely with people and is regarded as a valued companion who often sleeps in the tent. Only in the 1970s did the first animals reach Europe via Yugoslav and French diplomats. To this day the Azawakh is a very rare breed that has largely preserved his original character.
✂️ Grooming, care & training
The short, fine coat of the Azawakh is exceptionally easy to care for and needs only occasional brushing. As a sighthound he needs regular opportunity to gallop freely in a secured area and to indulge his urge to move. His high hunting drive makes the recall in open terrain unreliable, which is why he should mostly be walked on the leash. He is intelligent but independent and sensitive; training succeeds only with patience, calm and a trusting relationship, never with pressure.
🩺 Health
The Azawakh is regarded as a very robust and original breed with a life expectancy of about twelve to fourteen years. As with all sighthounds, particular caution is required with anaesthesia because of the low proportion of body fat. Epilepsy or autoimmune diseases occur rarely; otherwise, thanks to its natural breeding history, the breed is largely free of the typical hereditary diseases of many pedigree dogs. Responsible breeders pay attention to a healthy, balanced temperament and a broad genetic base.
🏡 Who is this breed right for?
The Azawakh suits experienced, calm dog owners who understand and respect his sensitivity and independence. He needs plenty of exercise, safe opportunities to run and a close, trusting bond; for first-time owners he is only conditionally suitable. Because of his reserve towards strangers and his sensitivity, early, gentle socialisation is especially important. In Switzerland his pronounced hunting drive, his sensitivity to cold and the cantonal leash regulations must be taken into account.