Breeds / Large
Azawakh puppies
Reserved, elegant and deeply loyal to their own household, the Azawakh is a lean African sighthound that doubles as a camp guardian. They are aloof with strangers, independent to train, and their visible bone and muscle are normal condition for the breed.
The facts
- Size class Large
- Country of origin Mali
- Adult weight 15 to 24.9 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 33 to 55 lb
- Adult height 60 to 74 cm
- Energy level Moderate
- Grooming Moderate
- Coat type Short smooth
- Shedding Low
- Typical lifespan 12 to 15 years
- Good with children Fine with supervision
- Good with other dogs Fine with supervision
About the Azawakh
The Azawakh is a sighthound from the Sahel, kept by nomadic peoples of the Azawagh valley as a hunter and a camp guardian. They are extremely lean and leggy, 60 to 74 centimetres tall at only 15 to 24.9 kilograms, with thin skin through which bone and muscle show plainly, and that is correct condition for the breed rather than a sign of neglect. Temperament is reserved and watchful with strangers, deeply affectionate inside their own household, and more territorial than most sighthounds.
Exercise is a daily run in a well fenced space, or road running alongside an adult dog, and an Azawakh will not exercise themselves alone in a garden. Grooming is a weekly once over with a hound glove or grooming mitt. They feel the cold badly and want a coat in winter. Trainability rates two out of five, so patient reward based work rather than repetition. Visible ribs and spine are how this dog is built to look, so try not to read them as thinness and overfeed.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Azawakh puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Hypothyroidism, diagnosed on a thyroid blood panel
- Seizure disorders, diagnosed by a vet once other causes are ruled out
- Cardiac disease, screened by a cardiac exam of breeding stock
- Autoimmune mediated disease, diagnosed by blood work and veterinary investigation
- Anaesthetic sensitivity, common in lean sighthounds with little body fat
Your Azawakh puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a Azawakh.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 15 to 24.9 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Kit sizes: crate 36 inch (36 x 24 x 26 in, 91 x 61 x 66 cm) for an adult of up to 24.9 kg; chew toys made for large breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.
Buying guides for this
Other large breeds
More on the Azawakh
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.
Sources
- akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
- fci.be for country of origin
- Health notes from Azawakh breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/azawakh/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Photo: Pat028, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.