Tazy is a breed of sighthound hunting dog originating from Kazakhstan.[1][2][3] Though it looks similar to the Saluki sighthound, it is a related but different dog breed.[4]

Tazy
OriginKazakhstan
Breed statusNot recognised as a breed by any major kennel club.
Traits
Height Males 60 to 72 centimetres (24 to 28 in)
Females 55 to 60 centimetres (22 to 24 in)
Weight Males 32–35 kilograms (71–77 lb)
Females 20–30 kilograms (44–66 lb)
Coat short coat
Life span 9–12 years
Dog (domestic dog)

Tazys are used in Kazakhstan primarily for hunting and are considered one of the oldest dog breeds in the world.[5] Tazys are not recognized by any major kennel clubs, including the American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club, Canadian Kennel Club, or the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.[6] Presently, there are barely 300 purebred dogs and the Kazakhstan government is trying to prevent the dog from becoming extinct.[5][6]

History edit

Ancestry edit

The ancestry of this breed is unclear.[1] The Tazy shares DNA with many similar-looking dog breeds in North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.[1] The breed has a high level of genetic diversity.[4][7]

Ancient History edit

In nomadic times, Tazies were prized for their skill at running down and killing wolves.[1] They were also used to hunt hares, wild boars, foxes, badgers, deer, and saigas.[4] They had a special status in Kazakh culture, with it being considered taboo to refer to this breed merely as a dog.[1] It was said that a Kazakh would trade 47 horses for a single Tazy.[1]

Modern History edit

In 2014, the national hunting group Kanzonar organized a Tazy dog show in Astana.[1][8] This was done to spread awareness of the breed.[1]

Appearance edit

Tazys are medium-sized, deep-chested, and long-legged dogs, with short length hair on the body and longer hair on the tail and ears.

Temperament edit

Tazys tend to be independent and aloof to strangers.[6] The Tazy is known for their playfulness, endurance, and vigilance. Tazys can run long distances at speeds of 12-15 kilometers (7–9 miles) per hour.[5]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Tazy: Speedy Dog of the Steppes in a Race Against Extinction – National Geographic Blog". blog.nationalgeographic.org. 15 January 2016.
  2. ^ "Kazakhs in bid to save endangered dog". BBC News. 1 October 2014.
  3. ^ "Tazy Dog Breed to be Recovered – The Astana Times". 23 June 2014.
  4. ^ a b c Perfilyeva A, et al.(2023) Kazakh national dog breed Tazy: What do we know? PLoS ONE 18(3): e0282041. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0282041
  5. ^ a b c "Я пришёл к тебе с тобетом - Архив новостей - Общественно-политическая газета "Время"". www.time.kz.
  6. ^ a b c "Каждый охотник желает тазы - Спорт и около - Общественно-политическая газета "Время"". www.time.kz.
  7. ^ Perfilyeva, Anastassiya; Bespalova, Kira; Bespalov, Sergey; Begmanova, Mamura; Kuzovleva, Yelena; Vishnyakova, Olga; Nazarenko, Inna; Abylkassymova, Gulnar; Perfilyeva, Yuliya; Plakhov, Konstantin; Djansugurova, Leyla; Bekmanov, Bakhytzhan (2023-07-03). "Homozygosity mapping in the Kazakh national dog breed Tazy". Scientific Reports. 13 (1): 10735. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-37990-5. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 10318078.
  8. ^ tengrinews.kz (2014-09-29). "Efforts to preserve rare nomad dog breed in Kazakhstan". Главные новости Казахстана - Tengrinews.kz. Retrieved 2023-12-01.