The Afghan Hound: «Fast as the wind, brave as a lion, and faithful unto death»
– an Afghan proverb that perfectly describes the graceful greyhound!
Today we will tell you everything about the appearance, temperament, diseases, attitude, training and possible problems with the Afghan Hound.
At the end of the article you will also find 2 interesting fun facts about the extraordinary four-legged friend.
Afghan Hound Wanted Poster
For a first overview you will receive a short profile of the Afghan Hound:
Size Male: 68-74cm, Female: 63-69cmWeightMale: 23-34 kg, Female: 23-34 kgColorsCream, Silver, Red, Sand Yellow, Ivory, Black, Black-Brown, DominoLife expectancy10-13 yearsOriginAfghanistancharacter/temperamentHeadstrong, dignified, proud, spiritedFCI groupGroup 10: Sighthounds, Section 1: Long-haired and feathered sighthounds
Look
The Appearance of the Afghan Hound is unique. No other breed of dog resembles the graceful greyhound.
The Afghan owns one long, silky coat with thick hair.
Even if his appearance is very elegant, he is a robust dog whose magnificent hair protects him optimally from the weather in his area of origin, the highlands of the Hindu Kush.
The color spectrum of the lush coat of fur ranges from Cream, silver, black, black-brown, silver-black and ivory color above Red and sand yellow up to domino.
The head can be immersed in a black or blue mask.
Striking is that elegant and bouncy gearto which great value is also attached in the breeding of Afghan Hounds.
He has a narrow, long muzzle and fluffy hanging ears. The tail is lightly feathered and ringed.
Males of this breed achieve a Shoulder height from 68 to 74 centimeters at a Weight from 23 to 34 kilograms.
Bitches are slightly smaller at 63 to 69 centimeters in height, but can weigh almost the same.
History & Origin of the Afghan Hound
The History of the Afghan Hound can be traced far back. Already 4000 years before Christ there were cave paintings depicting the fascinating dog. She come from the highlands of the Hindu Kush and are still considered a real treasure today!
His Breeding started in Afghanistan, where the export of the precious animals was forbidden for a long time.
The Afghan Hound first came to Europe in the 19th century and has always been bred in different variants.
The strong hunting and guard instinct the Afghan nobility in particular made use of these dogs.
There the dogs were used to hunt hares, gazelles, snow leopards and falcons.
The former desert and mountain dog is bred today as a show, racing, companion and breeding dog with different characteristics.
He has been officially recognized by the FCI since the 1930s and is listed in group 10 of sighthounds, section 1, long-haired and feathered sighthounds without a working test.
Nature & Character of the Afghan Hound
Not only in appearance does the Afghan hound resemble any breed of dog, neither does it Nature and character are unique.
He is considered brave and independent. The independent and sometimes stubborn nature of this sighthound makes its attitude quite interesting and demanding.
Furthermore, the Afghan Hound is very sensitive and reserved.
He is rather skeptical towards strangers and animals. With his excellent memory, he remembers well who is kind to him.
One keeping as a family dog is an option, but only makes sense when the children are a bit older and can understand the often unusual behavior of this dog.
The Afghan Hound is very alert and watchful, but does not bark.
attitude & upbringing
The Keeping and training an Afghan Hound is definitely something for lovers.
One looks in vain for blind obedience and subordination in these dignified animals.
You should never try to suppress an Afghan because it won’t work anyway.
At worst, he will punish you with indifference, or the lack of understanding of his character will lead to aggression.
The active dog has a distinct temper and is not for lazy people.
Even if he is quite quiet at home, outside he sets pronounced hunting and hunting instincts a.
To keep an Afghan busy you should give him the opportunity to greyhound racing and coursing to participate.
In addition to daily, long walks, he likes to accompany you jogging, cycling and horseback riding.
You will definitely not find an obedient dog that you can leash anywhere in the Afghan Hound!
You can’t teach him obedience – he chooses when to do what.
Important!
At best, Afghan Hounds are well socialized from puppies. Leaving alone with this sensitive dog also has to be trained well from the start!
Health & Care
The long and silky fur of the Afghan Hound requires a lot of grooming.
After every walk you can remove small branches and leaves from the fur and look forward to every day that it doesn’t rain.
You need to brush him regularly to keep his fur from matting. You should always be careful not to hurt him.
At best, Afghan Hounds are accustomed to the procedure when they are puppies so that they can enjoy it for a lifetime.
Every few weeks you should get this dog wash with a mild dog shampoo and always keep a close eye on your skin.
Also the ears and eyes you can regularly check for inflammation and conscientiously claw care dedicate.
As with all dog breeds, the Afghan Hound also has one species-appropriate and balanced diet to pay attention to, because this contributes significantly to his health and vitality.
Despite its elegant appearance, the original hunting dog is considered to be extremely tough and robust when it comes to health.
However, there are also some Afghan Hounds breed-related hereditary diseases like Afghan myelopathy, an inherited disease of the spinal cord that causes paralysis.
Hip dysplasia and torsion of the stomach are also more common than in other dog breeds.
Is the Afghan Hound right for me?
You should think twice about whether the Afghan Hound suits you or not!
It is about a very demanding dog breed with extremely independent behavior.
Added to this is the pronounced hunting instinct, which has already driven many a dog owner to despair.
If you looking for a really special dog and you want to deal intensively with his nature and inclinations, you will find him a fascinating companion.
As The Afghan Hound is not necessarily suitable for beginnersbut it always depends on your own character!
Tip:
Before you decide on a dog breed, get to know as many of its kind as possible personally!
2 fun facts about Afghan Hounds
Finally, two interesting fun facts about the Afghan super athlete:
- Even Picasso was infatuated with these dogs! His Afghan hound was named Kabul and can be seen in many of his paintings.
- You sit unusually! It’s not uncommon to find your Afghan Hound with its bottom on the couch and its front legs on the floor.