Afghan hound
Features
The Afghan Hound, which belongs to the large dog breeds due to its height of up to 74 cm, impresses above all with its dignified, elegant appearance and its long coat.
Important to know
The Afghan Hound is a demanding, intelligent, proud, graceful dog that has a mind of its own and does not take orders easily. The dog with a strong character is an excellent hunter and needs a lot of exercise and care. At home he likes to come to rest.
Independent & quiet
Personality
- Very independent
- Quiet and unobtrusive
- Family friendly
- Suspicious
- Rejecting
- Vigilant
Body & Appearance
- Size: Large
- Height: 63-74 cm
- Weight: 15-34 kg
- Life expectancy: 10-13 years
- Coat type: Long hair
- Colors: Black, Cream, Red
Attributes
Features
However, despite its size, it is not sluggish or cumbersome, but extremely elegant and graceful. Characteristic is the approximate 1:1 ratio of shoulder height and length of the dogs.
Afghan Hounds have a slender figure, which is covered by long, silky fur. The coat colors range, for example, from black to cream to red tones. The dogs’ fur is most distinctive on the elongated, narrow head, where it forms a mop of long, thick hair that looks as if it had just been shaped in a barbershop. On the curled tail, which the Afghan Hound usually carries raised, the coat is quite short.
The back of the dogs is straight and slopes slightly towards the tail . Although the hip bones should be visible, the dog should not be too lean. The Afghan Hound has very muscular forelegs and large paws covered with long, thick fur. The gait of the dogs is elegant and slightly springy.
The graceful dogs weigh between 15 and 34 kg and live between 10 and 13 years.
Personality
Afghan Hounds are, above all, very independent and self-reliant. They are proud animals that can form close bonds, but do not like to be oppressed . It is interesting to note that the Afghan Hound can behave in very opposite ways, depending on the environment in which it finds itself.
In his own 4 walls, he can in spite of his independence quite
be comfortable and cozy and is usually quiet and unobtrusive. However, if he leaves his home, the very pronounced hunting instinct sets in. Because the dogs, once the hunting fever takes over, can hardly be persuaded to come back by shouting, it is almost impossible to let them run without a leash. The Afghan Hound will only return when he himself thinks it is right.
It makes an excellent family dog, although it is important that all family members, especially children, treat the dog with respect, as it is very sensitive and does not appreciate hectic at all. With other dogs, the greyhound usually gets along well, but he is rather a loner. As for strangers, it can be extremely suspicious and dismissive. Although the dogs do not yelp, they are very alert and can remember possible threats for years due to their excellent memory.
Afghan Hounds are, in short, very demanding, thoughtful and proud personalities.
Posture
The most important thing when keeping an Afghan Hound is to make sure that he gets enough exercise. The very athletic dog and fast and skillful runner, you can take, for example, jogging or cycling, or even dog racing with him, so that he can really spend.
It would be optimal if you are athletic yourself, as occasional walks are not enough for the Afghan Hound. Ideally, you’ll also have a large, fenced-in yard where he can roam freely.
It would also be advisable to clarify in advance who can take care of the dog when you are on vacation, as it is not so easy to give him enough exercise. If you want to take it with you when you travel, it is best to find out in advance about suitable destinations and local conditions.
Since the dogs act very independently and do not blindly obey their mistress or master, a good education is particularly important. You will achieve the most with a lot of patience, consistency, clarity, but also empathy. Harshness does not go down well with Afghan Hounds, as they quickly become suspicious and shy.
If you want to get an Afghan Hound, it is best to have previous experience with dogs and appreciate its strength of character, otherwise the demanding dogs can quickly become overwhelming.
Nutrition and care
Like all dogs, the Afghan Hound is a carnivore, so you should make sure that there is always enough meat and therefore protein in his food.
Since they are very athletic, you should adjust the amount of food to the dog’s activity level. They do not tend to gain weight, but it is best to keep an eye on the slim waistline and adjust the amount if you notice a decrease or increase.
The care of the Afghan hound is relatively complex. The largest part of this is the daily grooming of the long, thick coat. Specifically, you need to brush the hair in several layers so that it does not mat. However, be careful not to pull out any hair. After walks or spending time outdoors, pay particularly close attention to leaves or twigs that can get caught in the dense fur.
In addition, you should wash the coat thoroughly every few weeks. It is best to use a mild dog shampoo and optimally a conditioner, which will make brushing easier in the future. Note, however, that you should never cut the fur, as it should develop naturally.
A tip from us, get your puppy used to this routine as early as possible as it is essential.
In addition to grooming, you should also checkyour dog daily for parasites, especially around the ears, otherwise they can easily go undetected in the thick coat.
As for the teeth, we recommend dental care snacks such as special chews. In addition, you can also take care of your teeth by brushing them regularly with a special toothpaste.
If your dog struggles with his ears while eating, you can help him with an ear protector that holds them together in a way that prevents the ears and fur from being accidentally chewed along or ending up in the food bowl.
With proper husbandry and sufficient exercise, Afghan Hounds usually enjoy excellent health. Unfortunately, however, a slight tendency to hip dysplasia and cataracts. There is also a risk of Afghan myelopathy, which is unique to this breed, in which complete paralysis occurs within a few weeks, usually in the 1st year of life, due to a presumably hereditary disease of the spinal cord. Serious breeders do their best to exclude this disease by targeted selection.
History
Afghan Hounds are one of the oldest breeds of dogs that people live with. As their name suggests, the dogs originally come from Afghanistan, where they were used as early as 4000 BC by nomads, primarily as hunting dogs. In the often barren landscapes, hunting was especially important for survival, which is why the talented dogs were considered a treasure even then. Although therefore smuggling the breed was punishable by death, British officers managed to bring Afghan Hounds to Great Britain towards the end of the 19th century, where various breeding lines were then created. The increasing popularity of the breed was accompanied by a trend to use the Afghan Hound also as a show dog. In the course of this, the coat became more and more voluminous, which entailed losses in success in hunting and sport.
Nowadays there are different breeding lines, depending on whether the dogs are to be used as companion dogs, sport dogs or show dogs, which accordingly differ from the standard in different ways, especially in the coat.
Conclusion
The Afghan Hound is a demanding, intelligent, proud, graceful dog that has a mind of its own and does not take orders easily. The dog with a strong character is an excellent hunter and needs a lot of exercise and care. At home he likes to come to rest. Without experience, the Afghan Hound can easily become overwhelming, but with proper care and commitment, patience and empathy, you can win him as a friend.