Tabiri Asouf

October 11, 2017-February 24, 2025

 

"Life, if well lived, is long enough."

Lucius Annaeus Seneca

 

It was almost four years to the day from when I first met him to when I said goodbye.

 

Tabiri was born in Georgia and placed with a young man who loved him very much, but also worked full time and travelled often. Around eighteen months, Tabiri went out in the yard and returned to the back door with his skin hanging in tatters off him. His owner took him to his vet who advised that the case was beyond saving and he should euthanize. Tabiri's owner sought a second opinion - a surgical specialist. The surgeon stitched Tabiri back together - he had multiple skin grafts and countless stitches. The more than foot long wound across his back knit and them split open half a dozen times. I cannot stress to you the level of damage he suffered. While the biggest scars were from the flaps of skin that were torn away, he had a huge swathe on his neck where it's clear his collar had hung up on the fence. He had a scar across his lower jaw where he'd likely bitten at the fencing. He had scars across his legs where he'd tangled in the fence.

 

Ultimately, Tabiri went back to his breeder's to recover. Once he was fully healed, his breeder looked for a placement. I was looking for a stud dog and so I ended up bringing Tabiri home - the rest was history.

 

When he came home we wanted it to be a fresh start, so we gave him a new name to signify the start of his new life. Asouf is a character in Tuareg author Imbrahim al-Koni's book The Bleeding of the Stone. This book contains noted themes such as transformation and new beginnings, similar to Ovid's Metamorphosis. It seemed a fitting name, so more often than not, Tabiri went by Asouf at home. And, transform he did.

 

When Asouf came to us, his scars were covered in rough skin. They were tight and had little hair regrowth around the edges. The skin was taut, he couldn't move without stiffness. We gave him coat supplements, massaged his scars, and started some physical therapy exercises to help him regain mobility. He went from 66 pounds down to 54-55 pounds over the course of 6 months and his scars loosened up. He lost his stiffness and instead of curling up in a tiny ball, he would sprawl, loose. Through the course of his physical therapy, it became clear that his anticline (where the vertebra in the spine change directions) had very limited flexibility and when I did health testing XRays, we checked for old damage to the vertebra, which we found. The vertebra at his anticline had fused due to prior injury. Later, due to learning about spinal issues behind him and Ami, I had his neck XRayed and discovered yet more damage that he had been hiding. At the base on his neck, Asouf had horrible damage to the vertebra there. I consulted multiple vets who agreed that the damage was consistent with him catching his collar trying to go under a fence and then wrench on his neck to try to free himself. Up until that point, he had never once indicated an issue with his neck. Despite his traumatic medical history, Asouf was so willing, so compliant when he needed medical care. He didn't care for strangers, but always submitted to veterinary exams without complaint. He had many radiographs during the course of his life and never needed to be sedated. I think, somehow, he understood that we were trying to help him.

 

Despite this damage, Asouf lived a very normal and full life with us. He started hiking with us the day after he came home. A few days later on a hike, three off leash Labs rushed us. He didn't instigate, he simply stood his ground and countered the Lab's advances toward him. He attended a handling seminar and gathering of dog folks five hours drive south less than a week after he got home. There he stayed in an AirBnB with a dozen other dogs, ran in a paddock with not only my dogs but Veronica's, and participated in a component of the handling section.

 

Watching Asouf learn about the wideness of the world and all the enrichment it offered was one of the greatest honors of my life. He loved exploring and living life to its fullest. He loved it in the way that he loved and felt all emotions - fiercely.

 

The day, my birthday, that it was revealed the extent of damage in Asouf's neck, I spent a lot of time sobbing. In their very justified rush to stitch Asouf back together, I don't believe XRays were ever taken, so the damage to his vertebra was a surprise to everyone. Asouf's breeder had been upfront with me - his injury would likely have long term health ramifications. I had discussed this with my vet as well. I brought Asouf home knowing he likely wouldn't reach a decade of life. The discovery of the damage to his neck hammered home the reality - he would never reach a normal life expectancy.

 

I remember so clearly driving home - Asouf was curled up in his harness in the front seat, zonked out in the warmth of the summer sun. I remember looking at him through my tears and resolving that I would continue to let him live his life to the fullest. I was thankful for all the protection, love, and loyalty he brought to my life and worrying about when he might leave was doing a disservice to such a proud and impressive dog. I think I've done a reasonable job honoring that resolution.

 

Asouf had been stacked a bit as a baby but came to me with essentially no show ring foundations. I had never intended to show him. For those who knew him personally, you know how unimpressed Asouf was to strangers. He was a quintessential Azawakh - he had his people who he would lay down his life for in an instant, but had zero use for anyone else. However, teaching him the foundations of showing was a way to build teamwork. I ended up entering him in UKC Premier Nationals 2022. In an entry of 9 Azawakh he went Best of Winners under Karen Hynek, who is an AKC Azawakh approved judge. The next time I showed him was at the regional UKC Western Classic where he went Best in Show under AKC/UKC judge John Booth (who I had showed to in AKC the previous year). The Classics, especially in this area, aren't small and are easily on par with smaller AKC shows in regard to size. He went on to finish his UKC Championship in five shows and was ranked third that year. For a dog that had zero use for strangers, Asouf loved to show - he loved to show off and that moment of quiet where it was just him and me in the ring despite all the hustle and bustle. I showed him once last year alongside his son, where he went Reserve Champion once and Champion of Champions once. I had been looking forward to showing him in the stud dog class in 2025, but he didn't get a chance.

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Even less than show ring foundations, Asouf came to me having never seen a lure. I had no idea if he'd have any interest. I tried him in Singles first and saint of a lure op that Jeff Falkner is, he got him around the course. It took quite awhile to get him consistently completing courses after that - he would unsight and go wander off to pee on a tree. His last lure coursing trial I ran him in, he took High Scoring Single - he was most of the way to his Total Coursing Proficiency title.

 

While he came to enjoy lure coursing, racing is what Asouf fell in love with. We threw him into LGRA. I knew he wouldn't interfere and would follow the other dogs. Despite a bit of confusion, sure enough he followed the other dogs and finished every program he ever ran. He was remarkably slow at first. He would only be halfway down the 200 yards by the time the other dogs were finishing. But he would finish strong and over time came to realize that the squawker was the single most exciting inanimate object in the entire world. It took him about a year of racing before he had the speed to start passing. He seemed almost surprised the first time he passed a dog. My friend, who was handling him was practically jumping up and down in excitement when she saw him pass two of the girls.

 

He was never fast. His fused anticline insured he didn't have much extension at the gallop. But he was fast enough and, more importantly, consistent enough to finish every race and sometimes he beat other dogs and picked up points. There were multiple meets where he drew the high point race. I never expected him to but he earned his Gazehound Racing Championship.

 

I have simply never met a dog that has as much heart as Asouf had. He gave everything he did every ounce of effort in his body. More than straight, Asouf loved oval. It has enough strategy involved and rewards smart dogs that he took Best of Breed more often than he didn't, against much faster dogs. At NOTRA National in September 2024 he was third, Best Opposite, and Best Veteran in an entry of twelve. He got to certify his son and a daughter in oval which was very special.

Perhaps my favorite aspect of racing with Asouf was how he would bay and bay and bay while waiting his turn. So many people asked if someone had brought a scent hound, because he was so ridiculously loud.

 

The titles are never my goal, they are simply a bonus. The memories earning those titles will stay with me forever and the memories beyond the show ring or the field are worth everything. Asouf loved to hike. He was great with the other dogs and they respected the hell out of him. He could correct an insolent adolescent with a look. Puppies adored him - no idea why. He found them baffling but was always, always patient and kind to them. Epiphany and Birdie (Epi especially) adored him. The past few months, both would curl up on him - I think the pressure and warmth helped his pain. He was fond of Korai, his nephew, from the very first day he met him. Usually he would be reserved with other intact males at first, but Tabiri took Korai under his wing from the first. He seemed to have a special relationship with his puppies - Quixote and Drama, but Quixote especially. He pushed Quixote in ways he needed. But he would play with him like a puppy too and they adored racing together. The very first time I brought Asouf into the house, Ami was dancing in excitement. Ami doesn't like strange dogs. She loved Asouf immediately. Asouf was one of Amalu's favorites and his most common playmate. She was the first to convince Asouf to play when he first arrived. And Anu - Asouf was always guarded with intact males - never aggressive or unreasonable, but always guarded. That was true of him with Anu too - Asouf was wary of a very confident intact male. But Anu never abused his position and instead taught Asouf so much about life. The two had a complex, deep bond.

 

Asouf trusted me from the beginning. I'm not sure why, but he did. He never once outright refused to do what I wanted and as our working relationship grew, he was eager and bouncy to try everything. He was slower to warm up to Whitman - largely because usually him interacting with Whitman meant that I was elsewhere and Asouf had been left behind, which he never enjoyed (all he ever wanted was to go with). But he still loved Whitman dearly, even if he did try to steal his pillow constantly. Theresa was the only other person that Asouf took to nearly instantly. The first time she came over, he climbed into her lap. He still bayed at her (he bayed at everything) but she could ask him to do anything and he would. He was less sure about children, to which he had little exposure, but he came to love Jolene and Maddie deeply and would have given his life for them in a moment.

In a relatively short time span, I have been very fortunate to share my life with remarkable dogs. Anyone who has owned enough dogs knows that some of them worm their way into your heart in a way that fuses a piece of them to your soul. They understand you and vice versa and would do anything for you. Those are the dogs that teach you lessons about life that you'll never forget. They make you a better person. Asouf was one of those dogs. We only had four short years together, but they were full of life and love. We didn't waste time.

Asouf cherished going with. He enjoyed hopping in the front seat, or even his crate, as long as he got to accompany me wherever I was going. He didn't even need to get out of the car, just being with me was enough to make him happy. The Wednesday before we let him go, I brought him with me on errands. I wanted company without any demands, just company. Asouf was always good for that.

Multiple vets have said it's remarkable Asouf survived his accident and remarkable he wasn't neurological with the extent of damage to his vertebra. The past two years, it became clear he'd been compensating for orthopedic deficiencies by putting that burden on his muscles (that and sheer will power). That was not sustainable. Particularly in the cold, damp of winter, he has struggled the past two years. He has needed pain management, his back on track jacket, stretching, and to be kept warm. He'd been functional but the weather change hurt his old injuries.

 

Over time, he got a lot more painful. We've been managing it pretty heavily since the start of this year. At his wellness check early February, we changed his pain management regiment. We knew this was likely his last year- his pain was chronic and progressive. I have absolutely no regrets about the life he has lived and I will forever be grateful we've had the time we had, even though I would give a lot to have had more than four years together.

 

We'd chosen to let him hike and run and be a dog because he loved it and a couple more heavily managed years wasn't worth keeping him from all the things he fell in love with when he came to me. He loved his people, he loved his pack. Isolating him from that would have been cruel to him.

 

One weekend, it became clear that something changed abruptly and his muscles just weren't capable of holding him together anymore. There were moments where he was in so much pain he didn't recognize me or Theresa or Whitman or the other dogs. He was on a high dose of pain killers, muscle relaxers, and sedatives to keep him comfortable.

 

We could have chosen to manage him carefully and get more time. But he wouldn't have been able to be himself, his mind got cloudy with the level of painkillers he was on and he wouldn't have gotten to be with his pack like he deserved and wanted.

 

His last few days we did an end of life photoshoot which included taking some pictures with two of his puppies. He had the best snacks, got to curl up in the bed, curled up with the other dogs (his favorites to curl up with were Amidi, Birdie, Epiphany, and Anubi), had brief moments of play with his favorite playmates (Quixote, Amalu, and Epiphany) and we went for a last hike in the rain. He felt good enough to play and run a bit and take off after a deer before recalling him back. I am glad I brought him with me for more car rides his last few weeks. On one of our last hikes, we randomly found a river beach and he got to run on the beach again. I didn't get the chance to show him again, but he got to play in the AKC show ring, the only time he ever got to set foot in an AKC show ring, for judge's education at Rose City. He was so excited he pranced half the time instead of gaiting properly - he so loved showing. And he did get to race one last time - he ran with Ami, Quixote, and Epiphany - three of his favorite dogs. He got to do all of his favorite things one last time this year. I have no regrets - no regrets for loving him as fiercely as he loved me, no regrets for letting him live life in the way he desired.