AKC Recognizes Azawakh As New Breed In Registry

by Lori Ennis

Published: January 22nd, 2019

akc recognizes azawakh as new breed in registry

There’s a new breed in town, as the American Kennel Club has given the ancient hunting sighthound from West Africa known as the Azawakh full recognition.

The new year brought a new breed to the American Kennel Club–the Azawakh. The Azawakh is an ancient hunting sighthound and originally hails from West Africa.

Related: What is a Sighthound?

Gina DiNardo is the AKC’s Executive Secretary and said that they were excited to have a breed that has been around for thousands of years join the registry and to introduce it to those American dog lovers.

The Azawakh finds its home in the Hound Group, originally a hunter and a friend and guardian to nomads in West Africa. The dogs are known to be tough and fast, and great hunters of hare, wild boars and antelopes. They’re leggy but elegant and have short, fine coats. Though they are pretty calm inside, their energy and persistence are well displayed outside. According to the AKC, the Azawakh has a strong bond with its humans and are fun and affectionate companions.

Many confuse the Azawakh with a Whippet or Greyhound, and with their tall legs, pointed snouts and incredibly lean bodies, it’s easy to see why.

In order for the Azawakh to become fully recognized, a minimum number of their breed has to be distributed geographically in the United States, and an established breed club has to be created, known and developed. The AKC Parent Club The American Azawakh Association began in 1988 with the purpose of developing the breed and help it flourish through the United States.

To become an AKC recognized breed there must be a minimum number of dogs geographically distributed throughout the U.S., as well as an established breed club of responsible owners and breeders.

Lori Ennis

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Hundreds of Cats and Dogs Saved from an Animal Testing Laboratory

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How Do I Choose the Best Muzzle for My Dog?

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A stray Great Pyrenees dog, found wandering the streets of Fort Bend County, Texas, became a surrogate mother to a litter of six abandoned puppies.In late October, a concerned citizen found an abandoned litter of puppies. After failing to locate the pups’ mother in the surrounding area, the person brought the puppies to Fort Bend County Animal Services. “They were tiny, needing immediate bottle feeding and care, they were just about a week to 10 days old,” said Rene Vasquez, the director of Fort Bend County Animal Services, to PEOPLE.Although the puppies arrived at the shelter in good condition, they were starving and needed nourishment ASAP. The Fort Bening County Animal Services took to social media to look for fosters to take in the puppies and provide them with around-the-clock bottle feedings. Around the same time, another local found a stray Great Pyrenees, named Nova, who was full of milk. While it was clear that Nova had a litter recently, her puppies were nowhere to be found. The woman who found Nova saw the shelter’s online call for help and decided to contact them with a different idea. Instead of using volunteers to do the bottle feedings, she suggested bringing Nova by to see if the dog would accept to nurse the puppies. The shelter loved this idea and decided to give Nova a chance. A few seconds after Nova met the puppies it became apparent that the shelter made the right decision. “Nova was so happy to see the puppies! She took to them right away, and they were very happy to have a mama and food,” Vasquez shared. Although the abandoned puppies aren’t Nova’s biological litter, she accepted them as if they were her own. Acting like a true momma, Nova quickly allowed the pups to nurse and cuddle close to her for warmth. Thanks to Nova’s maternal instincts the puppies are doing well and growing quickly.“We were so happy that Nova was able to step up and be a mom for them. Sometimes, it is difficult to find bottle feeders and fosters for when the puppies or kittens are so little, so to have a nursing mom available to accept the babies is definitely a good day,” said Vasquez. Nova and the puppies, five boys and one girl, are currently living in a foster home. The fosters caring for the four-legged bunch plan to adopt Nova once the puppies are weaned. “The puppies will stay with Nova until they are weaned, and then we will start looking for homes for them. They will also be vaccinated, microchipped, and fixed before going to their forever homes,” the shelter’s director added. The case of Nova and her adopted litter has a happy ending, but not all stories end on a positive note. “As an industry, we are facing a real crisis in animal welfare across the country with an abundance of stray animals and not enough adopters or fosters to help the overcrowded shelters and rescues. Nova and her puppies illustrate the importance of spaying and neutering,” said the Fort Bend County Animal Services director.Shelters around the country are struggling to take in new animals due to a lack of forever homes and overcrowding. Each year, millions of pets end up in shelters across the nation, most of which are never adopted into a forever home. If you’re looking for a four-legged companion, visit your local shelter or rescue organization to see which of their residents would make a perfect addition to your home. Join the PetGuide community. Get the latest pet news and product recommendations by subscribing to our newsletter here.

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Whether you’re stumped for a name for your new dog or cat, or you’re just curious to know what people are naming their pets these days, Rover has some answers for you. The company released a list of the most popular pet names of 2023, and the 11th annual Top Pet Names Report also sheds light on the inspiration behind the names.Here are some of the interesting findings that Rover shared.

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