The greyhound that cannot hunt at two years old, will never be able do so. There is a saying to this effect,
A greyhound after two years
And a man after two fasts [fifteen years];
meaning thereby that that is the proper age to judge what either will ever be worth.
The greyhound is an intelligent animal and full of self-love. If, in slipping him, a fine gazelle is pointed out to him, and he kills only a common looking one, he is very sensible of the reproaches addressed to him, and slinks off, ashamed of himself, without claiming his portion. He has no lack of vanity, and indulges much in fantasia. A thoroughbred slougui will neither eat nor drink from a dirty vessel, and refuses milk in which the hand has been dipped. Has he not been taught this disdainful daintiness? And yet the utmost that is done for the common dog, their faithful and vigilant guardian, is to let him find his food among the offal and bones that are lying about. And while the latter is driven with hootings from tent and table, the greyhound sleeps in the compartment reserved for men, on carpets by his master's side, or on his very bed. He is clothed and sheltered from the cold, like the horse, and is even preferred for being chilly, as that is an additional proof of the purity of his race. The women take pleasure in bedecking him with ornaments, in tying collars of shells round his neck, and in securing him from the evil eye by fastening talismans on him. He is fed with care, nicety, and caution, kouskoussou being lavished upon him. In summer-time, to give him strength, they make a paste of milk and dates, of which the stones have been extracted. There are some who never feed their greyhounds during the day. Nor is this all. The slougui accompanies his master when on a visit, and receives the same hospitality with him, having a portion of every dish.
A thoroughbred greyhound will hunt with no one but his master. By his cleanliness, his respect for decency and the graciousness of his manner, he shows that he recognizes the attention paid to him. On his master's return after a somewhat prolonged absence, the slougui leaps with a bound on to his saddle, and caresses him. The Arabs talk to him: "O friend, listen to me! You must bring me some meat. I am tired of eating dates," and flatter him in many ways. The petted animal leaps about in a frolicsome manner, and seems not only to understand but to wish to reply. The death of a slougui fills the whole tent with mourning, the women and children bewailing him as if he were one of the family. Sometimes it falls to the greyhound to find food for all, and one that nourishes a family can never be for sale. Now and then, however, he may be given away in compliance with the supplications of women and relatives, or of the most respected marabouts.
A greyhound that catches with ease the sine and the ademi, is worth a she-camel; but one that can overtake the rime is priced as a valuable horse. They are very generally named ghezal or ghezala, "a gazelle." Frequently wagers are laid on such or such a slougui, the stakes being sheep, or a feast of taam, dates, etc.
The greyhound of the Sahara is far superior to that of the Tell. He is of a tawny colour, and tall, with a sharp snout, broad forehead, short ears, and muscular neck; the muscles of the hindquarters being, also, very prominent. He has no belly, clean limbs, well detached sinews, the hock near the ground, the under part of the paw small and dry, the palate and the tongue black, and the hair very soft. Between the two ilia, there should be the breadth of four fingers, and the tip of the tail should be able to pass under the thigh and reach the hip-bone. Both the fore-arms are generally fired in five lines to harden the muscles.
The most renowned greyhounds of the Sahara are those of the Hamiân, the Oulad-Sidi-Shikh, the Harar, the Arbâa, and the Oulad-Naïl.