Afghan Hound Dogs

A Blonde coated Afghan Hound standing tall

A Blonde and grey Afghan Hound with a beautifully groomed coat

A dark brown Afghan Hound looking forward

An adult Brown Afghan Hound with a wonderful coat

Two beautiful Afghan Hounds sat together

A beautiful dark haired afghan hound enjoying a rest on a park bench

A glamourous afghan hound looking back for a command

A glamourous afghan hound with lovely white ears

A gorgeous afghan hound showing off his huge mouth

A lovely afghan hound with fantastically groomed hair

An afghan hound having a well deserved rest

History

The Afghan Hound is an ancient breed derived from Middle Eastern sight hounds and dates back to the Egyptian Pharaohs. It is also known as the Tazi and Barluchi Hound. The first Afghan Hounds came to Britain in the 1920s. It was developed by Nomadic tribes for use as a coursing hound to provide hare, deer and mountain leopard meat. Hunting in harsh terrain, produced a very fast dog with excellent stamina and agility. It's long coat makes it suitable for colder climates. It has a Greyhound-like frame, enabling it to run and jump impressive distances. It's large feet give it a good foothold on rough ground and it walks with tail and head high.

Behaviour

The Afghan Hound likes nothing better than running around, chasing game if it gets the chance. It is best walked in a secure park or field as it has a tendency to wander off and isn't renowned for it's recall skills. In the home it can co exist with other pets and is usually tolerant and gentle with children. It is friendly with other dogs, but can be wary of strangers at first. Afghan Hounds aren't the easiest to train as they can be quite aloof or cat-like (independent). It is said that they are the hardest breed to train, but this depends entirely on the individual. With perseverance, they are trainable, however, recall will often be a problem due to their 'chase' nature. When chasing a rabbit, hare or squirrel, you are a low priority. Their energy level is quite low, but they do need a daily walk and given the chance to run around if possible (and safe). The coat requires brushing every 2-3 days to keep it tangle free. They are a healthy breed and rarely suffer problems, although cataracts can be a problem for the breed.

Male are around 27" tall and weigh 60 pounds, females 25" tall and 50 pounds.

Temperament

Afghan Hounds can be difficult to train because of their very independent temperament. They tend to be suspicious of people they don't know and may not be the best choice with smaller children or other animals. However, depending on the individual dog they can be very tolerant.

Health Problems

The Afghan hound is not predisposed to suffer any major health concerns. Health problems that can be associated with the Afghan hound include eye problems such as cataracts or ''cloudy eye'' (inflammation of the cornea) and canine hip dysplasia (CHD).