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Description
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The Afghan Hound is a sighthound with an
aristocratic bearing. Tall and slender with a long, narrow, refined head, silky
topknot and powerful jaws. The occiput is quite prominent. The muzzle is
slightly convex ("Roman nose") with a black nose. There is little or
no stop. The teeth should meet in a level or scissors bite. The dark eyes are
almond shaped. The ears lie flat to the head. The neck is long and strong. The
height at the withers should be almost level and the abdomen well tucked up. The
hipbones are quite prominent. The front legs are strong and straight and the
feet are large and covered with long hair. The tail has a curl or ring at the
tip, but is not carried over the back. The long, rich, silky coat is most often
the color of sand with a darker face and ear fringes, though all colors are
permitted. White markings, however, are discouraged. |
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Temperament
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Dignified, somewhat aloof, but very sweet, loyal,
affectionate and sensitive, with a low dominance level. They must be trained
kindly. The Afghan has been described as "a king of dogs."
Majestic, elegant, noble and courageous, suspicious of, but not hostile to,
strangers. Although tough, they will pine if they are deprived of attention.
They will do best with older, considerate children. At one time, the breed had a
reputation for being untrustworthy, but has now been replaced by a character
that, while still spirited, is said to be more amenable to training and
discipline, as they can be disobedient if it is poorly trained. This breed can
be difficult to housebreak. Some are timid and high strung. |
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Height, Weight
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Height: Dogs 27 to 29 inches (68.58-73.66cm) slightly
less for bitches.
Weight: 58-64lb (26-34kg.)
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Health Problems
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Generally healthy, the Afghan has a low pain
tolerance, thereby suffering even with minor injuries. |
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Living Conditions
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The Afghan Hound is not recommended for apartment
life. They are relatively inactive indoors and do best with acreage. This breed
can live in or outdoors, although it would be happier sleeping indoors. |
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Exercise
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Afghan Hounds love open spaces and must be allowed
to run free in a safe area as well as having
long daily walks. It needs a
minimum of 30 minutes of free galloping per day. |
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Life Expectancy
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About 14 years |
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Litter Size
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1 - 15 puppies - Average
8 |
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Grooming
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The long, thick coat demands a great deal of
attention. When showing there is a must to bath once a week. Do not brush
in-between baths in order to keep coat long and shiny. Brushing a dry coat will
damage the coat and even make it more easily matted. Weekly baths
are not as important if your Afghan is a pet and will not be shown, but doing so
will make the coat less matted and will save you time in the end. Many
wear snoods
indoors to protect their ears from food bowls. A special air-cushioned
brush or pinbrush is useful for grooming. This breed is an average
shedder. |
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Origin
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This is a very ancient dog, native to Sinai, and
mentioned several times in Egyptian papyruses as well as pictured in the caves
of northern Afghanistan more than 4000 years ago. The breed was kept pure for
centuries, and its exportation was always prohibited. It therefore only reached
Europe as contraband early in this century. This elegant sighthound was
used as a shepherd and hunter of many types of game including deer, wild goats,
and even wolves and snow leopards. They were also used by shepherds as herders
and watchdogs. An extremely fast and agile runner, the Afghan Hound pursues game
by sight. His thick coat protects against temperature extremes. In Europe and
America he has become a luxurious pet because of his aristocratic beauty. Some
of the Afghan's talents are hunting, sighting, tracking, herding, watchdogging,
racing, and lure coursing. |
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Group
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Southern, AKC Hound |
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Recognition
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FCI, AKC, UKC, KCGB, CKC, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, CKC,
APRI, ACR |
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Köpek Irkları 
