Plate 087 · Middle East & Africa
Azawakh
阿沙瓦犬
“A Sahel sighthound named after a desert valley.”
- Origin
- Mali · Niger · Burkina Faso
- Azawagh valley and the Sahel (Mali–Niger)
- Region of origin
- Raised across the Sahel of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso and named after the Azawagh valley near the Mali–Niger border. The marker is the reference point of Niger's Tahoua region, which takes in much of the valley; the FCI lists Mali as the country of origin.
- The point marks the region the breed comes from, not an exact birthplace.
- Era
- Long-established in the Sahel; in Europe from the early 1970s
- Today
- Sighthound · Companion · Guardian
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
History
01 · Origin
Azawagh valley and the Sahel (Mali–Niger)
A tall, lean sighthound of the southern Sahara and the Sahel, kept by the Tuareg and other peoples of the region.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
Coursing hare, antelope and other game, and guarding camps and livestock.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
It is associated with the nomadic Tuareg but is also kept by Peulh, Bella and Hausa communities. The FCI accepted the breed in 1980; dogs reached the United States in the mid-1980s.
04 · Today
Sighthound · Companion · Guardian
A companion and lure-coursing dog in the United States; in its Sahel homeland it is kept mainly as a guard dog.
Personality
- Independent
- Loyal
- Reserved with strangers
- Affectionate with family
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: the AKC’s trait scores as its breed page gives them (the AKC’s 1–5 guidance for owners, not a measurement). Other profiles here use editorial ratings, a different source, so compare across them with care.
- Exercise
- Needs daily exercise and a chance to run in a well-fenced area; a good running companion.
- Grooming
- Minimal: a weekly once-over with a soft brush or hound glove.
- Training
- Intelligent and independent: start early, keep it gentle and positive; harsh handling backfires.
Living with one
- Size
- Large
- Lifespan
- 12–15 years
- Coat
- Very short, fine coat; fawn shades with white markings, among other colours
Field note
Its name comes from the Azawagh, a dry valley region on the Mali–Niger border.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Hound Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI (Group 10, standard 307)
- Popular in
- No reliable data
AKC: Hound Group, recognized 2019. Recorded in the AKC Foundation Stock Service from 1997 before entering the Hound Group.
A working dog in its homeland; uncommon in Europe and North America. AKC registrations: ranked 195 among breeds in 2025.
Sources3 references
- Azawakh — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/azawakh/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-14 · Registry status, group, size, life expectancy and registration rank; history as the AKC tells it. Ratings: the AKC's own 1–5 owner-guidance trait scores as the page gives them (energy level, trainability, barking level, openness to strangers, good with other dogs), not measurements.
- Azawakh — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azawakh
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-14 · Range across Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso; Tuareg, Peulh, Bella and Hausa owners; closer kinship to the Sloughi than the Saluki.
- Azawakh — FCI breed nomenclature — Fédération Cynologique Internationale
https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/AZAWAKH-307.html
Kennel club · accessed 2026-10-14 · Country of origin Mali; Group 10, section "Short-haired Sighthounds"; definitive acceptance 3 June 1980.
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions. Location note: Raised across the Sahel of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso and named after the Azawagh valley near the Mali–Niger border. The marker is the reference point of Niger's Tahoua region, which takes in much of the valley; the FCI lists Mali as the country of origin.
