Azawakh
Overview
The Azawakh is a medium dog from the Hound group — a moderately energetic dog that enjoys regular activity. In temperament it's very affectionate and people-oriented, responsive to training with steady guidance and it tolerates some alone time once settled. With a typical lifespan of 12 to 15 years, the Azawakh is a long commitment.
Is the Azawakh right for you?
A good match if — you live in an apartment or smaller home; you want a closely bonded companion.
Think twice if — this is your first dog — it asks for experienced handling; you have very young children.
What a Azawakh needs from you
Day to day, the Azawakh needs a lot of daily time from you and substantial daily exercise. It does best with a moderate amount of space and solid, confident handling.
Living with a Azawakh
At home, the Azawakh adapts well to apartment living. It's can do well with respectful older kids, reserved with new people, very quiet and rarely barks, and a tidy, low-drool breed.
Key facts
- Size
- Medium
- Height
- 1 foot, 11 inches to 2 feet, 5 inches tall at the shoulder
- Weight
- 33 to 55 pounds
- Life span
- 12 to 15 years
- Group
- Hound Dogs
What it needs from you (at a glance)
| Space needed | |
| Experience needed | |
| Maintenance | no data yet |
| Time per day | |
| Need for company | |
| Handling / closeness | |
| Cost level |
Health & what to watch for
The start matters most: get a Azawakh from someone who health-tests their lines — ask to see the results — or from a reputable rescue, and register with a vet early. Ask the breeder which screenings they run for the breed, and keep it lean and well-exercised. Across every breed the single biggest lever you control is weight — a lean dog lives longer and has fewer problems. Food intolerances usually show as itchy skin, recurring ear trouble or an upset stomach; if that turns up, a vet-guided elimination diet beats guesswork. This is general guidance, not veterinary advice — your vet knows your individual dog.
Best toys
Good toys for a Azawakh: toys that burn real energy — a ball launcher, a flirt pole, fetch and tug. Rotate a few at a time rather than leaving everything out — novelty is half the value — and always supervise a new chew.
Growing up
The first months are the socialization window: calm, positive exposure to new people, sounds, surfaces and other animals now shapes the adult dog more than almost anything else.
What it costs
Scaled to this breed’s roughly 20 kg and a ~14-year life, keeping an Azawakh works out at about:
Rough cross-breed averages in USD — a planning guide, not a quote. Break it down by life phase in the Cost Calculator →
Temperament (at a glance)
| Affection | |
| Energy | |
| Vocalness | |
| Trainability | |
| Tolerates alone |
Its presence, grown
Raised with patience and consistency, the adult Azawakh settles into a balanced, companionable presence. It attaches closely to its people and is happiest when they are near. It is reserved with new faces and slow to give its trust.
As your partner
Picture it as a grown partner at your side: a comfortable balance of activity and rest — an everyday companion for ordinary life. It can settle on its own once it trusts the routine. It does best in a calmer, adult-centred home.
What makes it unique
What sets the Azawakh apart is a nose or an eye that locks onto a trail and a single-minded drive to follow it.