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About Us and Our Goals
Kel Simoon Azawakhs came into existence in the spring of 1989 with the
arrival of my first Azawakh, Reckendahl's Kiffah. Our kennel name means, Kel, "from
the tribe", and a Simoon is a ferocious, hot, dry wind which blows across the
Afro-Asian deserts.
Our goals are to:
 | Breed Azawakhs you can live with (ie, good temperament)
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| Breed Azawakhs that can live (ie, good health)
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| Breed Azawakhs that are functional and are beautiful to look at.
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To this end, we breed only dogs with good temperament. We screen our
breeding dogs for thyroid and autoimmune function, hip dysplasia, and eye problems. We
will willingly share and discuss these test results with potential Azawakh owners, feeling
that it is vitally important that people should be able to make an informed decision about
the dog with which they choose to share their life
Our dogs are raised as naturally as possible. We feed an all natural raw diet, vaccinate
according to homeopathic protocols, use no chemicals and encourage potential Azawakh
owners to do likewise. We feel that the dogs are healthier and happier when raised this
way.
ABOUT DEB
Deb and Kiffah
Winter 1989
I've been really "in" dogs for about 20 years now. I was raised
with Dobermans and finished a CD on my first Dobe, Bonnie. Unfortunately, Bonnie wasn't
show quality. Friends commented that her front looked like a freight train! Oh well, I
loved her anyway.
My first show dog was a Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Am, Can CH Vestavia's Molly D Mahoney, CD,
Can CD bred by Cathy Ochs-Cline. Molly was the youngest CH and CD in the history of the
breed at that time (10 months old). She was a sweet dog but after a few years, I decided
that the Corgis really weren't "my" breed.
From there, I went to Pharaoh Hounds. I loved my Dobes and wanted a breed that was similar
in look without the cropping/docking issues. I had also hoped to get away from the health
problems in the Dobes but, unfortunately, did not. The Pharaohs were nice dogs too and I
was successful with them, but they still weren't the breed for me.
Enter the AZAWAKH!
After watching the sighthound journals for several years and seeing the occasional mention
of the breed, I got fired up when Dog World did a feature article on the breed in 1988. I
just had to have one and went after getting one with a mission. Several weeks later, my 5
month old Kiffah arrived and I knew I had found "my" breed. Shortly thereafter,
Kiffah was joined by Kel Tarbanassen Etambo, a brindle male from France and Dayyat 'n
shat-ehad, a red male from Germany.
I just love to watch the Azawakhs move around the yard. They are so beautiful and elegant.
I love their devotion to their person. They are great ego builders for they love their
people so unreservedly and their adoration for you shines in their eyes. I had never
experienced such an exquisite animal and never have since. Other breeds pale in comparison
to them in my eyes.
Things continued to progress from there. I spent years making mistakes and learning from
them. My best friend and mentor in the breed is Ursula Arnold (Azawakh 'n shat-ehad,
Germany). From her, I have learned more than I ever thought possible. Health &
temperament problems in the different lines, how to feed them, how to make informed
breeding decisions, etc. etc. The list is unending. I feel lucky to have such a
relationship with a person who is truly interested in the survival of the breed and not
wrapped up in a personal ego trip.
Since getting Kiffah, I have been deeply involved in the workings of the breed club, the
American Azawakh Association. I was instrumental in achieving recognition for the breed by
the UKC and helped revise the standard to match their format. For the last 6 years, I
served as Secretary and for 4 years was the newsletter editor.
My goals in the breed are to have dogs that are easy to live with, that are healthy and
that are beautiful to look at. What more could a person want?
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