08/12/2024
🌟 Today, we are going to tell you the story of:
“Sidi-Pitou: The Giant Sloughi of Algeria” 🐕✨
📖 Sidi-Pitou was a giant Sloughi in 19th-century Algeria, who is still remembered today. Known for his extraordinary size (he was described as being as large as a calf), Sidi-Pitou was not just a hound but a living symbol of power and grace.
🏹 Bred to hunt large game such as deer and hartebeest, his presence and ability drew the eyes of all around. Sidi-Pitou was owned at the time by Bedouin sheikhs in Algeria who valued that giant type above all other hounds. His remarkable stature and hunting prowess made him an irreplaceable companion, and the sheikhs refused to part with him at any price, no matter how high.
⚔️ However, during a French military campaign in Algeria, Sidi-Pitou was captured and sent as a gift to the French emperor Napoleon III. His majestic and dignified appearance was remembered by all who saw him. As reported in Le Figaro on December 28, 1869, the newspaper described the arrival of Sidi-Pitou:
📰 “Avant-hier matin est arrivé d'Afrique, à l'adresse de Napoléon III, un magnifique chien sloughi, offert à l'Empereur par le maréchal gouverneur. Ce superbe animal, dit le Figaro, est de la taille d’un jeune veau; sa robe d’un noir de jais, est marquée, au front et sur les flancs, de larges taches d’un jaune d’or. Les chefs arabes possèdent seuls ces sloughis; ils se servent, pour chasser en plaine de ces chiens, si merveilleusement organisés pour la course, qu’ils rendent des points aux lièvres. Les cheiks refusent souvent les offres les plus brillantes pour céder un de ces beaux animaux. L'Empereur et le Prince impérial, prévenus de l'arrivée du sloughi, sont descendus pour le voir dans la cour du palais. Invitée par son père à donner un nom au nouvel arrivant, l’héritier présomptif l’a baptisé: Sidi-Pitou.”
🔍 Translation:
“In the morning, two days ago, a magnificent Sloughi arrived from Africa, offered as a gift by the governor general of Algeria to Napoleon III. This magnificent animal, says Le Figaro, is the size of a young calf and has a jet-black coat with gold-coloured markings on forehead and flanks (possibly brindle black mantle under modern day descriptions). Only Arab chieftains were entitled to own such Sloughis, which they used for hunting on the plains, since these hounds were so swift that they could even outpace hares. Sheikhs were known to refuse even the most amazing offers to part with one of these beautiful animals. The Emperor and the Crown Prince, as soon as they were informed of the Sloughi’s arrival, hurried down to see him in the palace courtyard. When his father suggested he should give a name to the newcomer, the heir apparent named him Sidi-Pitou.” 🏰🐾
📚 One of the most remarkable accounts of Sidi-Pitou comes from George Cupples, author of “Scotch Deer-hounds and Their Masters”, who described the giant Sloughi in his 1894 book:
✍️ “A magnificent Sloughi arrived a few days ago from Algeria, as a gift to Emperor Louis Napoleon from Marshal de MacMahon, the Governor. This splendid animal is the size of a small calf, its colour jet black, marked on the flanks and front with yellow spots; only the Arab chiefs possess them. They are used for hunting, their speed being extraordinary, and the sheiks refuse the most brilliant offers for these beautiful animals.”
💔 Sadly, despite the admiration and royal treatment, Sidi-Pitou's life in Europe was tragically short. He died just a few days after his arrival from Algeria. His death marked the end of a brief but unforgettable chapter in the history of this magnificent breed.
📉 Today, the giant type of Sloughi is becoming increasingly rare. The disappearance of many of the large animals they once hunted (such as hartebeest and deer), combined with modern changes in the traditional Bedouin way of life, has contributed to this decline.
💪 We are now working to help preserve what remains of these magnificent dogs and hope to ensure that the legacy of the giant Sloughi endures for future generations. 🌍🐕💖
T.Tarek