It might surprise you that a rare West African sighthound that comes from the countries of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger is given the name Azawakh which means “land of the north.” The Azawakh is of an Afro-Asiatic type which appeared in Europe towards 1970 and comes from the Valley of the Azawakh.  Also called the Idii n’ Illeli, Idi, Tuareg Sloughi, Rawondu, Hanshee, Aidi n’Ailluli (meaning “Noble Dog of the Free People”),  the Azawakh is an exquisitely beautiful breed: Tall and elegant,  this is a particularly leggy dog that gives the impression of great fineness.His bone structure and musculature are evident beneath fine and lean skin, and to the uninformed, the dog may appear to be starving. He is most certainly not. It is a fat Azawakh that appears to be unsound.  This is a sighthound whose body fits into an imaginery rectangle with its longer sides in a vertical position.  The Azawakh excels as a companion, guardian and a lure courser in the United States, and at present, is in the #AKC’s Miscellaneous class.