The Afghan hound is a noble and reserved dog breed. It has a great hunting ability, but people mostly admire it for its stunning looks and as a show dog.
Physical Characteristics:
The Afghan Hound has a thick, silky coat that can be any color. It looks like a greyhound in shape and can run very fast and smoothly. It has a high backside and a short back, which help it turn quickly and jump high. These are important traits for a dog that used to hunt on rocky land. The Afghan Hound’s large feet also protect it from getting hurt by rough ground, while the silky coat keeps it warm.
The Afghan Hound carries its tail and head high, showing its pride and confidence. It walks with a springy and graceful step.
Personality and Temperament:
The Afghan Hound is a shy and quiet breed, but it enjoys hunting and chasing. It can adapt to living indoors, as long as it gets enough attention and affection. The breed is gentle with children (who find its playful and cheerful temperament amusing), but it can also be temperamental and mischievous. Some people compare the Afghan Hound to a cat, because of its independent and aloof nature.
Care:
This ideal house dog needs regular brushing and grooming of its coat. Special attention should be paid when the dog loses its puppy coat. The Afghan Hound also needs daily exercise, such as a long walk or a quick run. This hound likes to sprint at a high speed in small spaces. Afghan Hound lovers should make sure to give the dog outdoor access and a cozy, soft bed.
Health:
The Afghan Hound, which has a typical lifespan of 12 to 14 years, is not prone to any serious health problems. However, the breed can have tail injuries and reactions to barbiturate anesthesia. Health issues like canine hip dysplasia (CHD), cataract and necrotic myelopathy are also sometimes seen in the breed.
To detect some of these problems, a veterinarian may perform hip and eye exams on the dog.
History and Background
The Afghan Hound is a very old breed. It came from the Middle Eastern sighthounds, and its ancestors go back to the time of the Egyptian pharaohs. At first, the breed was used as a hunting hound by nomadic tribes to hunt for meat and hare, with the help of falcons, who dived at the prey. Slowly, after many generations on the hilly lands of Afghanistan, the Afghan Hound became a quick, agile dog with great endurance and jumping ability.
For a long time, the breed was cut off in the Afghan Mountains and was first brought to England during the first part of the 20th century. These dogs were first called Barukhzy Hounds or Persian Greyhounds. Different in nature, it was the Zardin variety that finally became the most popular.
The breed soon became the star of the glamour world, and also became popular in other groups, such as dog shows. The Afghan Hound reached the peak of its popularity in the 1970s, but still well known around the world.