As evident from its name this dog breed originates from Afghanistan. The Afghan hound was bred to hunt mammalian prey in the mountainous regions of Afghanistan as far back as the 1600s. With its long swishing coat the Afghan Hound is undoubtedly the most elegant and distinctive of the sighthounds and not surprisingly is commonly a showstopper at dog shows. In fact the appearance of the modern Afghan Hound is a sore point in this dog breed’s history because many lovers of the breed believe the manner in which it has been bred purely for aesthetics in the West has seriously compromised its working ability as a sighthound.
Despite its delicate supermodel appearance the Afghan Hound is a fast supremely capable hunter (or at least used to be) with incredible stamina and exceptional nimbleness and leaping ability that would have been required of the Afghan Hound dog to run its prey down in the rocky terrain of its native country.
Afghan Hound Dog Temperament
Like most of the other sighthound breeds the Afghan Hound boasts an independent streak which makes early and extensive obedience dog training a must. The Afghan Hound is not an overly demonstrative dog breed and one of the less attractive traits of the Afghan Hound is an unwillingness or apparent indifference (befitting its regal appearance some might say) to respond when called. As previously noted the Afghan Hound dog was bred and developed as a hunter and thus unsurprisingly this dog breed needs daily and sufficient exercise ideally in a safe environment where it can unleash the hunter-racer within.
Like the Greyhound the Afghan Hound is generally sweet and gentle around people but the same may not be said for small animals; their presence stimulates the hunter within. Thus it is important to remember that unless extensively socialized early on the Afghan Hound may pose a danger to cats and other small animals. The Afghan Hound gets along well with kids but in keeping with its independent nature this dog breed may not be as affectionate, playful or interactive with them as much as they would perhaps wish.
Afghan Hound Maintenance
The Afghan Hound does well as an indoor pet so long as it gets a daily dose of exercise as previously mentioned ideally in a confined safe area where it can let loose at full speed and race itself to happy exhaustion. As is to be expected from its very distinct and long coat the Afghan Hound requires extensive grooming on an almost daily basis (at least every two days) if its coat is not to become matted, knotted and shabby in appearance. When the Afghan Hound shed its puppy coat grooming in the form of combing and brushing will have to be stepped up a notch.
Afghan Hound Form & Function
Like the Greyhound Dog, its not too distant cousin, the Afghan Hound is sleekly athletic in build (as befitting a hunting dog) and when at full gallop utilizes the same double-flight gait characteristic of the Greyhound, which enables it to attain the tremendous speeds required to run down its prey. The Afghan Hound has a relatively short yet elastic back which combined with a steep pelvis affords the dog great flexibility and mobility, essential attributes required for high-speed maneuvering in rocky and difficult terrain. This dog breed boasts comparatively large feet which provided for more sure footing in rocky and dangerous terrain and thus against conveyed extra protection against injuries that may otherwise have been sustained during the hunt.
The Afghan Hound’s long and beautiful signature coat was more protective clothing than fashion statement. The dog would have had to withstand the chilly nights common to the high altitude of Afghanistan; and that’s where its lavish coat came into play. When running the Afghan Hound is a delight to behold, long coat swishing in the wind as it streaks across the terrain, all four feet off the ground at the same time, with its head and tail held high. The Afghan hound may not be as fast as the Greyhound but certainly it makes for a far more dazzling spectacle when sprinting flat out!
Weight: Male 60 lbs Female: 50 lbs
Height: Male 27 inches Female: 25 inches
AFGHAN HOUND HEALTH
Lifespan: On average the Afghan Hound lives from 12 to 14 years
Major Health Issues: None
Minor Health Issues: Cataracts; Necrotic Myelopathy (rarely seen); CHD
As dog breeds go the Afghan Hound dog breed is predisposed to few hereditary diseases but it should be noted that the Afghan Hound is extremely sensitive to barbiturate anesthesia and is also prone to tail injuries.
Afghan Hound Dog History
First introduced to the West in 1907 the Afghan Hound’s roots date back to the pharaohs of Egypt and is derived from the ancient sighthounds of the Middle East. The Afghan Hound eventually made its way to Afghanistan where it exists in three varieties: short haired; fringe haired and the long thick haired much favored in the West and a darling of dog shows.
Although the records no longer exist, the Afghan Hound made its debut to the western world around the late 1890s. The Afghan dog breed was initially met with little enthusiasm until the appearance of an Afghan Hound named Zardin in 1907 (belonged to Captain Barff) which dog fanciers in Britain were much taken with and felt epitomized how the Afghan Hound breed should look. By the early 1920s the Afghan Hound’s foray into the West was cemented much in part due to the passage of returning British military officers and their families (India-Afghanistan Border Wars)to and fro from Afghanistan with specimens of the breed.
The lineage of Afghan hounds in existence today generally hails from two variants of the breed; the more common line being described as the Bell Murray Afghan Hounds. The Bell Murray Afghan Hound strain are so designated because they were bred by Major and Mrs. Bell Murray in Baluchistan a then independent state south of Afghanistan. After eight years of breed development, the Bell Murrays returned to Scotland with their Afghan Hounds.
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