Origin: Afghanistan
Height: 24-28 inches at
the shoulder
Weight: 50-60 pounds
Exercise Needs: High
Grooming Needs: High
Life Expectancy: 10-12
years
Good With Kids: No
Trainability: Difficult
Common Misspellings: Afgan Hound, Aphgan
Hound
Alternate Names: Firehouse dog
Credit with the development of this fine and
noble hound goes to the country of Afghanistan,
though popular belief suggests that the Afghan
Hound may have existed for thousands of years in
the lands of Egypt. Another theory is that
this elegant sighthound got his start on the
steppes of Asia, where he might have evolved
from an ancient sighthound in that territory.
Regardless of speculation and despite a lot of
research going into these different theories,
neither one has ever been proven and so, to
date, it is generally acknowledged that this
magnificent dog was developed in Afghanistan and
surrounding countries, somewhere around the 19th
century.
Created for the purpose of coursing game, the
Afghan hound was not just a pretty face, back in
the day. Used to hunt everything from
common hares to the elusive snow leopard, Afghan
Hounds were prized for their surefootedness,
swiftness and their courage, as well as their
beauty. Capable of being hunted singly or
in pairs or packs, the Afghan Hound was a
formidable hunter, capable of bringing down
large game with ease and yet these powerful dogs
were almost wiped out during WWI.
Miss Jean C. Manson and the couple, Major and
Mrs. G. Bell Murray, are responsible for
reintroducing the Afghan hound to the Western
world. Having just returned to Scotland
after an 80-year trip to Baluchistan (now known
as Pakistan), they brought with them a group of
Afghans that they had both acquired and bred
during their stay. Today, a majority of
the modern Afghan Hounds can be traced back to
dogs of their lineage.
The Afghan Hound has a distinct look that's
all his own. The head is refined and
beautiful with what is known as a level mouth
(where the teeth match up evenly - a challenge
if you are planning to breed these beauties!).
They stand an average of 24-28 inches at the
shoulder and usually weigh between 50-60 pounds
as adults. All colors are allowed in this
breed but white markings, particularly on the
head, are frowned upon.
The Afghan hound's signature is his long and
silky coat, a sharp contrast to the short hair
that is found on their heads, tails, and along
the saddle. The rest of their coat is long
and silky, with good feathering and density.
The Afghan Hound is to be shown in his natural
state, without being trimmed or clipped, and the
head is shown sporting an elegant topknot with
no other adornments.
The Afghan Hound is the epitome` of
aristocratic elegance and every aspect of the
breed reflects this. Tending to be rather
aloof and withdrawn, they are prone to
preferring to remain apart from the crowd and
can be somewhat shy at times. While very
loyal, they would still rather watch the
Christmas party from under the table than get up
and get involved with all the noisy relatives -
your best bet is to provide your Afghan Hound
with a quite retreat that he can go to, when
things prove to be too loud and boisterous.
Despite what the movies might suggest, the
Afghan Hound is not ideally suited for New York
apartments or cramped quarters. In order
to maintain a healthy standard of living, these
large and powerful dogs need to have room where
they can stretch their legs and run - a natural
love of staying active being bred into these
wonderful canines. If the Afghan Hound
does not have access to a fenced in back yard,
then he should be taken for several half-hour
walks, daily.
In order to prevent snarls and mats, the
Afghan Hound requires a daily comb-through to
keep his beautiful coat long, elegant and silky.
Bathing should be done when necessary, though
it's not uncommon for show animals to get a bath
every week or alternating weeks. Dependant
on your dog and how often he likes to get dirty,
you're sure to work out a routine that works
best for you.
Many people liken Afghan Hounds to cats,
meaning that they are notoriously aloof,
independent and can be very stubborn to train.
If an Afghan Hound doesn't feel like learning
something, you're going to have your hands full,
attempting to teach him this. Not above
simply walking off in the middle of the lesson,
training an Afghan puppy takes patience and
persistence.
Like any breed of dog, the Afghan Hound is
subject to a variety of health concerns. Your
best bet is, when deciding to choose a new
Afghan Hound puppy, check around with several
breeders and ask about the various health issues
that can affect these beautiful little dogs. A
reputable breeder should be well-versed in the
health concerns and should be able to give you
more details, as well as showing you the sire
and dam of your potential puppy. Some of the
health problems that can affect Afghan Hounds
include:
- Hip dysplasia
- Elbow dysplasia
- Cataracts
- Necrotic myelopathy
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The Afghan Hound is not for the person who
wants a loving and loyal, devoted lapdog.
In fact, many people liken these beautiful
canines to cats, due to their aloof and often
arrogant natures. Those who appreciate the
breed do so for their intelligence, their beauty
and their independence. If, however, you
want a dog who doesn't desire being underfoot
all the time and you don't mind the daily
brushing, the Afghan Hound is a very elegant and
intriguing individual to spend living quarters
with!
There are a wealth of resources online that can help you learn
more about the Afghan Hound dog breed. We've compiled a list of
Afghan Hound information sites to assist you in quickly locating
quality information about the Afghan Hound dog breed, while avoiding
the "garbage" sites that are nothing more than poor attempts to
capitalize on the popularity of dog breeds in general. If you know
of a Afghan Hound information site that offers unique, quality
information and photos of the Afghan Hound breed, please contact us
with the URL and a brief description so that our editors can
consider it for inclusion in our list below.
Afghan Hounds are a very photogenic dog breed. By looking at
Afghan Hound pictures, you can usually gain more insight into what
these dogs and puppies are like as a breed, and this can help you
decide if you really want to become a Afghan Hound owner. The
following sites below offer pictures of Afghan Hound dogs, Afghan
Hound puppy photos, funny Afghan Hound photos and more. Enjoy!
Now that you have decided that the Afghan Hound is the right
breed for you, it's time to start the process of finding a
responsible Afghan Hound breeder from which to buy a healthy,
well-socialized puppy. Not all breeders are alike; there are good
breeders - and bad breeders. Don't be in a hurry to buy the first
Afghan Hound puppy you find at the cheapest price available! To buy
a puppy from a responsible Afghan Hound breeder, you may need to pay
more and wait longer. The additional money and waiting time will be
well worth it. Buy a puppy in haste from a newspaper ad, pet store
or "backyard breeder", and you'll likely also purchase a great deal
of additional expense and heartache, since you will likely end up
falling in love with a puppy with health and behavioral problems
that will likely need special care, plenty of veterinary visits,
regular medication - or even euthanasia. But do your homework and
find a responsible, caring Afghan Hound breeder who home-raises
their puppies with love, screens their breeding dogs for health
problems, offers a health guarantee and post sale support, and who
genuinely loves the Afghan Hound breed and is in it for the love of
the breed, rather than profit, and you can be fairly well assured of
getting a healthy, happy, long lived and affectionate family
companion that will provide you and your family with many years of
joy, laughter and companionship.
Further information about choosing a responsible breeder...
Here are a few breeder directory sites that we recommend. These
sites attempt to screen advertisers to ensure that the breeders
listed are responsible and sell healthy, home-raised Afghan Hound
puppies to carefully screened buyers. There are many, many sites now
online that advertise dog breeders - many are a Mecca for puppy
mills and backyard breeders. We recommend that you steer clear of
these resources in favor of sites that are more selective in the
breeders whom they allow to advertise.
We Highly Recommend:
Afghan Hound clubs and rescues web sites can help you learn even
more about the Afghan Hound dog breed, help you locate a responsible
Afghan Hound breeder, or help you find a Afghan Hound dog or puppy
in need of a second chance for a loving, forever home. We've
compiled the following list of Afghan Hound clubs and Afghan Hound
rescues web sites for your convenience:
Choosing a name for your Afghan Hound puppy can be a daunting
task! There are so many names to choose from that it can take a lot
of thought and research to find just the right name for your Afghan
Hound. Usually, it's best to get to know your puppy for a few days
or weeks. Often your puppy's personality will help you decide on
just the right name to choose. Does he have a sense of humor? A
serious side? A goofy way of cocking his head to one side? A strange
love of cantaloupe? By observing your new Afghan Hound puppy over
the first days or weeks, you should at least have a clue about what
type of name you want to give. There are a ton of dog names and pet
names web sites on the internet. Some are wonderful information
resources, while others, unfortunately, are just "garbage" sites set
up with the sole purpose of cashing in on visitor hits for this
popular subject.
We recommend the following sites to assist you in choosing a name
for your new Afghan Hound puppy. These sites offer inventive,
unique, original and creative pet names suggestions that have helped
thousands of new puppy owners in selecting just the right name for
their new baby!
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