AÏdi   

      HISTORY     

There are no sheepdogs in the Atlas. The Morrocan dog who lives in our mountains has never guarded the flocks in the same way attributed to that type of work in Europe. The Aidi is a mountain dog so called to defend the tent and belongings of his masters as well as protecting the stock from the wild animals which could cause damages. Whether the Aidi crossed into Africa from Spain or was carried from Italy (or beyond) by the globe-trotting Phoenicians matters little. He is a classic flock guard, although a bit smaller and with less coat due to his semi-arid environment. This breed guards flocks, tents, camels and other belongings of the nomadic tribes in the northern African hills. Several are selected for their attentiveness and aggression, being staked out at night around the campsite. With each other and their masters, they are tractable. They have exceptional noses, able to track even in the sands of the Sahara and join in the caravan's hunts. They are paired with a Sloughi, the Atlas dog finding the game by scent, then the Sloughi slipped for the chase. In the past he may have been used as a dog of war. The Atlas Sheepdog is versatile, performing as a shepherd, drover, gun, guard, war and police dog. He is lively and high-strung, but with a job to do, he can be kept in the country or city, even though correspondents say the breed is a dog "of the rural zones." Confident and alert, the Aidi makes an outstanding watchdog. Moroccans say that a club was organized to promote this national breed only recently. This group is proud of the breed's heritage and wants to preserve the purity of the Atlas Dog. The current standard supplied by the Moroccan Kennel Association describes the thick fur and heavy plume of tail as a sign of purity. Its thick "mane" and "fleece" shelter it from the arid heat and the mountain cold, also protecting the Aidi in fights with jackals and other predators. His ears are tipped to the front; sometimes dogs with cropped ears or a short tail are seen, although the natural condition is the only one recommended.


 

GENERAL APPEARANCE ***  Very rugged solid dog, remarkable for his strength and mobility; he is muscular, sensitive, powerfully built, without any heaviness and has a thick coat which protects him as much from the sun as the cold of his original mountains; this coat forms an armour in the fights the Aidi has to sustain with the jackals and other predators. His expression is lively, direct and decisive as befits a vigilant dog always ready to fulfill his role as guard dog. In certain regions, it is customary to crop the ears and dock the tail of working dogs; this practice is not desirable.

FACIAL REGION ****  Nose ***  Black or brown according to the coat colour, quite wide and the nostrils well open.
Muzzle ***  Cone shaped like the head; slightly shorter than the skull in ratio of 5 to 6.
Jaws  *** Strong, firmly planted teeth, white and even; no prognathism is acceptable.
Lips *** Lean, tight, black or brown according to the coat.
Eyes ***  Medium size, of a dark colour whatever the colour of the coat; the eyelids, slighlty oblique and well pigmented, appear penciled in the light-coloured dogs; the expression is very lively, attentive and searching.
Ears ***  Of medium length with the tips slightly rounded; the ears are set obliquely so that they free the skull; they are carried semi-drop, turned forward when the dog is alert and sometimes laid back when at rest.

BODY ***  Topline ***  broad back, muscular, of moderate length, followed by a powerful, muscular and slightly arched loin; the back line must show, without being a saddle back, a slight sunken profile.
Shoulder ***  Well directed, withers definitely appparent.
Chest ***  Of sufficient width, very deep and well let down, at least to the elbows; ribs lightly sprung.
Belly ***  Tucked up behind the false ribs without however giving a whippety appearance.

QUARTERS *** The hip bones are very pronounced; the thighs muscular without heaviness and rather well let down.
Forearm solidly built, moderately muscled. Pasterns are short and almost straight. The angles of the stifle and the hock are very obtuse; this raises the rump and gives the aspect of the back sloping down towards the withers. Dewclaws are not admitted

TAIL ***  Long, at least reaching the hocks, set in the prolongation of the loin, carried low, and slightly curved when at rest. The tail is very bushy and the richness of this is a sign of purity of the breed. In action, the dog carries the tail much more gaily, but in no case must the tail curl over the back.

HAIR ***  Very thick, fairly long, dense, about 6 cm in length except for the face and the ears where it is shorter and finer. On the neck and under the throat, the hair forms a mane, especially in the males. The buttocks and the tail are covered with very dense and long hair.

SIZE ***  Height at the withers : 52 to 62 cm.

FAULTS ***  Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

ELIMINATING FAULTS ***  Hawk eyes, short coat, curled tail, plume (flag) insufficient, pointed muzzle, ears carried erect.

Note ***  Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

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