Afghan Hound Dog

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