AZAWAKH Standard: Comparative Study between 2011 SLAG Proposal & the Official FCI Standard | ||
---|---|---|
The breed standard of the FCI (Federation Cynologique Internationale) includes a description of an ideal and a guidance for judges and breeders for the breed that all members of the countries of the FCI (the European countries, South American, Asian and more…) should follow. In general, each member is the owner and the Manager of the standards of the breeds originated from their own country. Since there is no kennel club recognized by the FCI in Mali and Niger (and there never has been) the Azawakh standard for the FCI is run by the Société Centrale Canine (SCC) in France, who filed the first standard for the breed to the FCI. SCC delegates the management of this standard to the breed club, in this case the SLAG (Club du Sloughi, des lévriers d'Afrique et le Galgo) for the Azawakh breed. Recently, some Board members of the SLAG decided, without consulting the majority of breeders, to modify this standard by dictating specific limits on colors and white markings. This standard project has been adopted by the Board of the SLAG on 22/01/2011. Next, the procedure is to forward the project to the SCC for review and possible approval in the state or not, before being validated by the FCI. If the project is accepted as is, this next Azawakh standard which all breeders and judges of the member countries of the FCI will have to comply, will restrict the genetic diversity and endanger the future of the breed : New standard project - SLAG Board. The comments - in the white areas - are from several different Azawakh breeders. | ||
Point |
|
|
F.C.I. CLASSIFICATION | Not specified | Group 10 Sighthounds. Section 3 Short-haired Sighthounds. Without working trial. |
Comment Nbr 0 | ||
Origin | Confines to northern Mali and Niger, and the slopes of the Azawakh Valley. | Mali. |
Comment Nbr 1 | * Does it matter to determine the origin of the ancestors of the breed having taken root in Europe, or the supposed origin of "ancestry"? In the latter case, on what basis can it be said that this dog was present in this region thousands of years ago ? * Origin Mali, because we can not say that the Tuareg nomads have lived in the only region of the Azawakh Valley! * The Middle Niger Basin which includes parts of the country, Mali, Niger, including the valley of the Azawakh and Oudalan province in Burkina Faso. | |
Sponsorship | France | PATRONAGE : France. |
Comment Nbr 2 | * PATRONAGE became 'Sponsorship'. * Why is it not Patronage anymore ? | |
Use / UTILZATION | Use: Sighthound for the taking of wildlife (antelope, rabbit, ostrich) and the fight against predators (hyena, jackal, lion). This dog is an important companion for the family life of the nomads, and shares their camp life. Belonging to the culture of peoples who domesticated and shaped it, it is named Oska in Tuareg language. | UTILIZATION : Sight hunting. The nomads considered the dog equally as a « show piece » and as a companion. |
Comment Nbr 3 | * Its use as watchdog of the camp in "the fight against predators" could be emphasized. Owners and breeders of these dogs are not all Tuareg language and do not use all the term "Oska" used by a fraction of the owners of these dogs. * Sight hound. Keepers of the cattle and camps and also a "show piece" and a companion. * Specifying that this dog was used for hunting purpose is sufficient. In addition, it is also the guardian of cattle and the camp of nomads, in addition to being a "show piece" animal and a companion. | |
Brief Historical Overview | This is a sighthound descendant from african models represented in rock art of central Sahara dated back several millennia.The aridity of the Sahara led the pastors-hunters Tuaregs, Dahoussahaqs and Peuls to migrate with their dogs to the more hospitable lands of the Sahel. There, in areas suitable for farming and hunting along the dry valley of the Azawakh, the European amateurs have discovered him with admiration, and selected with the help of the breeders who hold them the first lines to Europe exported, starting in 1968. |
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. |
Comment Nbr 4 | * Trying to confine its origin to the Azawakh Valley only is completely new. The description of the version of the current standard (1998) seems clear enough and representative of the area of origin of observed and imported dogs, by the 1970s and at the origin of the breed in Europe (at the crossboarders of Mali , Niger and Burkina Faso). * I agree with the previous comment. This "Saga of origins" limits completely the origins to the Tuaregs and the area of the Azawakh Valley. | |
General Appearance | especially slim and elegant, the Sighthound of the Azawakh gives a general impression of great finesse. Its bone structure and muscles show through thin and dry skin. It presents itself as a lanky dog whose body fits into a rectangle with long side vertical. | 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. |
Comment Nbr 5 | Same | |
Important Proportions | - Body length / height at withers: 0.90 (a ratio slightly higher in females is allowed) - Depth of chest / height at withers: 0.40 - Length of muzzle / length of head: 0.50 - Width of the skull / head length: 0.40 |
- 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. |
Comment Nbr 6 | Same | |
Behavior, Character |
Behavior, character: quick, attentive, distant, reserved with strangers and can sometimes appear shy (fierce), but he can be gentle and affectionate with those he is willing to accept. | BEHAVIOUR / 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. |
Comment Nbr 7 | Same apart "appear shy (or fierce)". | |
Head | long, fine, lean and chiselled, rather narrow, without excess. |
Long, fine, lean and chiselled, rather narrow, without excess. |
Comment Nbr 8 | Same | |
Skull |
The skull is almost flat, rather long, its width should be significantly less than half the length of the head. The planes of the head and the muzzle are sometimes slightly divergent [not parallel]. The brow ridges and the frontal furrow are slightly marked. On the other hand, the occipital crest is clearly protruding, and the occipital protuberance, marked. Stop: very slight marked. |
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. |
Comment Nbr 9 | The head axes are in fact often slightly divergent (not sometimes). Pity that the direction of the divergence of the axes is no longer specified. | |
Stop | Stop: very slight marked. (noted under 'Facial Region') | Stop : Very slightly marked. (noted under 'Skull') |
Comment Nbr 10 | Same | |
Facial Region | - Nose: obligatory black, the nostrils are well opened, - Muzzle: long, straight, fine without exaggeration towards the end, - Jaws / Teeth: Jaws long and strong with scissors bite, - Flat cheeks, - Thin lips tightly fitting, color is black, little or no lip, - Almond eyes, rather large, slightly oblique palpebral opening, color is dark, sometimes amber, never blue - Eyelids well black pigmented, - Ears: Set quite high. They are fine, always drooping and flat, broad based, lie flat against the cheeks, and never "rose ear". The shape is that of a triangle with the tip rounded. The base of the ears pricks up when the hound is attentive. |
Nose : Nostrils well opened. The nose is either black or brown. Muzzle : Long, straight, fine towards the front without exaggeration. Jaws/Teeth : Jaws long and strong. Scissor bite. 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. |
Comment Nbr 11 | * Requiring for the nose, lips, eyelids and lips a mandatory black color is not realistic in accordance with the genetics of colors. Nose: In genetics, in the case of fawn coat, the nose may be black, brown or tan. Moreover it is not uncommon to see lighter, gray-looking or brown noses, or eyelids, due to seasonality. Excerpts of the book "List of coat colors in the dog" of the SCC Commission Zootechnique and Professor Denis: "With the fawn color, the nose may be black, brown or tan." * The color of the nose and lips as well as pigmentation of the eye is subjected to the color of the coat, so a light fawn dog can have a pigmentation accordingly to the color of his hair. The pigmentation of the nose may be, for example, black in summer and clearer in winter. * I agree with both previous comments. The pigmentation of the lips, eyelids and nose, match the color of the coat and are not always black. The eyelids and lips color other than black is considered a disqualifying fault. It follows that about half of all current Azawakhs would no longer be in the standard. Red dogs, as well as black brindle, show rather brown lips and eyelids (especially in times of no sun). What is the distinction between, on one hand the amber eyes that is permitted, and the clear or pale eyes, said "bird of prey eyes", eliminating fault ? | |
Neck | Good reach, long, fine and muscular, with upper end slightly arched. The skin is fine and does not form a dewlap. | Good reach of neck which is long, fine and muscular, slightly arched. The skin is fine and does not form a dewlap. |
Comment Nbr 12 | Same | |
Body | - Top line straight, horizontal, slightly raised towards the hips, |
Topline : Nearly straight, horizontal or slightly rising towards the hips. |
Comment Nbr 13 | * If the top line should be raised towards the hips, it can not be horizontal. The description of the current standard is more accurate. * The top line: Nearly straight, horizontal or slightly rising towards the hips. This is what appears in the current standard and defines it more clearly! * Note on the loin. The description in the new project has abandoned the "often slightly arched", which is emphasized in the current standard. In this regard, I find the new description better, because a arched loin is in contradiction with a straight or slightly raised towards the hips top line. It is anatomically impossible to have both an arched loin with a top line that raises to the hips. A contradiction in terms! | |
Tail | Set low, long, thin, lean and tapered. Covered with the same type of hair as the body, it must have a white brush on the end. The tail hangs with the tip slightly raised, but it can rise above the horizontal when the dog is excited. | 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. |
Comment Nbr 14 | * Will all the dogs who are missing a white brush be therefore excluded from breeding ? * With our dogs, it is about the Irish spotting Si, so the presence of white brush at the tip of the tail may be more or less important to even be partially reduced to a hair, these dogs will they be removed from breeding ? It should say: white tip of the tail like a brush or limited to a hair ! | |
Forelimbs | Long, thin, vertical. Legs perfectly set. Shoulders long, muscles dry and slightly oblique viewed in profile. The scapulo-humeral angle is very open (about 130 degrees). Metacarpal (pastern) slightly oblique. |
FOREQUARTERS : |
Comment Nbr 15 | * With white socks, pads are not always pigmented, even with an overall good pigmentation. * For dogs with white socks and nails it is common to see the pads often incompletely pigmented even if the dogs have a good pigmentation. * I agree with your comments. This is also valid for the comment No. 16. | |
Hindquarters | Long and lean, legs perfectly vertical. Thigh muscles with long projecting and dry. Coxal-femoral angle is very open (130°). |
Seen as a whole : Long and lean; legs perfectly vertical. Thighs : Long with prominent and lean muscles. The coxo-femoral angle is very open (about 130°). Stifle : The femoro-tibial angle is very open (about 145°). Hock : Hock joint and hock are straight and lean, without dewclaws. Hind feet : Round shaped. Pads are pigmented. |
Comment Nbr 16 | * With white socks, pads are not always pigmented, even with an overall good pigmentation. * For dogs with white socks and nails it is common to see the pads often incompletely pigmented even if the dogs have a good pigmentation. * I agree with your comments. This is also valid for the comment No. 15. | |
Gait | Always very supple and with particularly high action at the walk and the trot. The gallop is bouncy. The Azawakh sighthound gives an impression of lightness, even elasticity. The movement is an essential characteristic of the breed. | GAIT / MOVEMENT : Always very supple (lissom) and with particularly high action at the trot and the walk. The galop is bouncy. The Azawakh gives a great impression of lightness, even elasticity. The movement is an essential point of the breed |
Comment Nbr 17 | ||
Coat | The skin is thin, stretched over the entire body. The hair is short, fine, and down to none on the belly. Tawny with flecking [marking] limited to the extremities. All shades are admitted, clear sand to dark fawn (mahogany), with or without brindle, which should be black as excluding any other shade. |
Described under 'Coulour' |
Comment Nbr 18 | * The brindle is, fortunately, finally an integral part of the accepted colors instead of just "admitted". "With the exclusion of any other shade": is it related to brindle or shades of tan ? There are a range of shades and colors of the coat worn by the dogs in Europe and in their countries of origin which has been arbitrarily excluded from this "European" standard (accordingly to the confession of the editors of the first standard). Many good testimonials throughout the ages corroborate this fact. The exclusion led to further reduce the genetic potential of the breed in addition to eliminating these colours. * The black brindle color is finally accepted. The diluted colors and shades must be taken into account in the standard. * The description of the varieties of colors and markings should finally match the results of two decades of gathering empirical datas, photos and video clips. I agree with the comments above. | |
Skin | Décrit sous 'Robe' | Fine, tight over the whole of the body. |
Comment Nbr 19 | ||
Details on the white markings | A - for limbs: B - for the breastplate [bib]: The white may be present as white spots more or less extensively, confined to the base of the neck. This bib shall not extend past the lower end of the scapula, or go up on each side of the neck. A small white spot on the neck, reduced size, is tolerated. C - for the chest: As a continuation of the bib, white spots can appear below the chest, but must not in any case go up along the ribs. D - for the blaze |
Described under 'Coulour' |
Comment Nbr 20 | * Good luck to the judges! * It is indeed encouraging that even in the lack of white socks, it is still an Azawakh. * I have nothing to add to previous observations. I agree. | |
Hair | Described under 'Coat' | Short, fine, down to none on the belly. |
Comment Nbr 22 | ||
Coulour |
Described under 'Coat' and 'Details in the white markings' | 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. |
Comment Nbr 23 | ||
Size and weight | - Height at withers: Between 64 and 74 cm for males and between 60 and 70 cm for females. - Weight: about 20-25 kg for males and 15-20 kg for females. |
Height at the withers : Dogs : between 64 and 74 cm. Bitches : between 60 and 70 cm. Weight : Dogs : about 20 - 25 kg. Bitches : about 15 - 20 kg. |
Comment Nbr 24 | ||
FAULTS | Any deviation from the above should be considered a fault, which will be penalized according to severity: - General appearance heavy, |
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. · General appearance : heavy. · Skull too wide. · Accentuated stop. · Body too long. · Hip bones placed distinctly lower than the withers. · Distinct depigmentation of the nose. |
Comment Nbr 25 | ||
ELIMINATING FAULTS | 1 - Taking the general expression: - Lack of type in general appearance, going as far as showing a cross with another breed, 2 - Taking the color and the coat: - Coat does not conform: invasive white, white collar, other than black brindle, 3 - Other features: - Presence of dewclaws or traces of removal of dewclaws on hind legs, |
· Timid character, panicky or aggressive with attack. |
Comment Nbr 26 | * The hips lower than the withers was a defect "in exact proportion to its severity" and is now an eliminating fault. In show conditions the intimidated Azawakh that does not stand correctly is subject to be unfairly disqualified. By classifying the defect as eliminating, would it not be more appropriate to stipulate "hips placed significantly lower" as in the current version? * I refer to comment 20, the color of the eye depends on the color of the coat and can vary in intensity of color, dark eye is preferred. * My proposal on the low hips... one should judge dogs in motion. Because that is how you can see if the level is really low (which could be just a posture of fear in a static position). The semi-long hair, a lack of type, etc. ... it's very subjective ... Coiled tail (not often seen since the tail is almost always bent under his body by anxiety in the ring), Tail thick and a little more hairy, are easily controled by breeders. The use of dogs with these characteristics, in recent decades, is enough proof. Consideingr them as eliminating faults, and not a "simple" fault will unnecessarily restricts the genetic potential. | |
|
||
* The Azawakh is a rare breed according to its low representation and the few births outside of Africa. Despite of the contribution of some dogs of the countries of origin these last years to the European lineages, some foundation dogs of the breed are genetically in a very large proportion in the current lines. It is important to increase, or at least try to maintain a high genetic variability of the breed to save the morphological, functional qualities and health of future generations. The use of imported sighthounds from the countries oforigin of the breed is the most logical way to increase the genetic variability. The recent amendment (2004) in European health legislation had already drastically reduced the possibility of importing new lines from Africa. In addition, the security situation in Mali and Niger now makes the countries of origin of the Azawakh, almost inaccessible. Therefore, opportunities to increase the genetic variability of the breed are currently almost impossible. It is therefore essential to maintain sufficient genetic variability for the future of the Azawakh enabling as many of its representatives, of correct morphology, to be used for breeding - especially those whose lines are less represented. It is absolutely inappropriate to further restrict coat colors and markings of the standard and risk seeing a large number of subjects excluded from breeding for very bad reasons. Exactly the opposite should be done. Because the standard allows some flexibility, SLAG club in France, following the desire of some to establish a more strict selection, has already been able to set up for judges issues of non-confirmation validated by the SCC, ie the refusal of breeding rights and to participate in canine events (like coursing, for example) to Azawakhs showing, among other points : Assuming that you actually fear a "drift" of the entire breed to excessive extension of white, which is unlikely to happen due to the low enthusiasm for large white colors markings, the description of the coat on the spotting could specify that irish spotting is more common and preferred (but not excluding the lack of white on a leg or tail...). This would favor this marking, usually more frequent in the breed, without excluding subjects with more white that could be interesting for the purpose of genetic variability of the breed. It also seems righteous for the same reasons, to accept the different coat colors, worn by very typical Azawakhs, observed and reported repeatedly in the Azawakh Valley (PhD thesis of Dr. Roussel in 1975, "Afrikanische Impressionen" Ursula Arnold, "Der Azawakh"of Strassner & Eiles, Dr. Gabriele Meissen Study, and others). Regrettablly this project wich could modify the standard of the breed and the breeding policies, exactly goes against the interest of the breed and against its future survival. Indeed, for the following diverse reasons there will be fewer births, the use of fewer different dogs in breedings, an opposite extreme effect in white markings and finally in a genetic impoverishment of the breed : - For an Azawakh which is not a dog to be put between all the hands, the responsible breeder who selects carefully the right family does not easily find to place its puppies. Most of the buyers are knowledgeable amateurs of the breed who wish to acquire a dog with which they can participate in some shows and\or coursings-racings. A greater number of "not standard" puppies will not find buyers. Unless eliminating puppies at birth, the breeders will not dare to make any more matings with their dogs, even successful ones. The speech, which wants to be reassuring on behalf of certain members of the Committee, ensuring that a high-quality dog, but non-standard in matter of white (white collar), may obtain a "waiver" to the breeding right cannot be trusted since one canotn predict the future high quality of a newborn puppywith too much or not enough white. - Breeders will not want to take risks to ensure proper placement of their puppies and will only use the few high award-winning standard dogs that have madetheir proofs in production of perfectly "standard" puppies with the minimum of white . - The dogs will have the minimum of white and finally, very quickly, breeders will be confronted with litters of puppies wich the majority will miss the white brush and white stockings required. - The used dogs will be more inbred, since the risk of heterogeneity (leading to a greater variety of types, colors and spottings) will be avoided. This will result in an increased risk of homozygosity at genes carrying defects, ie risk of genetic diseases, immune impairment and birth, not to mention problems of characters. * I agree with this final remark! |
||
Last updated 29/03/2011 |