Description

The Afghan hound was called "the dog of Noah's Ark" by tribesmen hunters of Afghanistan. The Afghan hound is one of the oldest, if not the first, Sighthound dog breed. The Afghan hound’s projects an aristocratic aura and an attitude of nobility and grace. They are built quite tall, usually standing 24 to 29 inches (63-74 cm) in height and weighing 45 to 60 pounds (20-30 kg) and have lengthy, sinewy-muscled limbs. They have an elongated, narrow head, with refined facial features and powerful jaws; they are aloof but can be very clown like. They have an exotic or "Eastern" expression. They have long silky hair with a profuse topknot; Short hair on the face, back and pasterns. The Afghan’s have little or no stop, which is the transition area from back skull to muzzle. The muzzle is slightly convex. Their teeth meet at a level or scissors bite. Afghan hounds have dark, almond shaped eyes, black nose, and shaggy, medium-length ears that hang flat to their heads. They have strong hipbones and large fur covered feet. They have a long tail with a ring or curve at its tip which hangs downward rather than upright or over the back. They are usually the color of sand with darker marking around the face and ear fringes. There is no white allowed on the head and all other areas white is highly undesirable. In general shape the Afghan hound appears like a very tall and long haired Greyhound and like the Greyhound, they are capable of great speed and the ability to cover long distances without effort. The Afghan hound has a very graceful pace and their remarkable ability to change directions is almost instantaneous. They have a propensity towards extremely elastic and brisk steps with the front and hind feet seeming to move at the same spacing, making their footfalls in an identical trail. The Afghan hound has grown in popularity and makes a wonderful companion. This intelligent and active breed is very often seen in the show ring. The Afghan hound is imposing but can be audacious if not trained properly. Socialization is must for this breed due to their aloof nature. Given the right home and family, this breed will become the light of your life.

Coat

The coat of the Afghan hound is thick, silky and long with a fine texture across its body except along the saddle from the flanks up to the ribs, where the hair is short in length and coarse in texture. Its thick coat is what protects it from cold weather. The legs, chest and neck have long feathered hair and there is evident feathering on the ears. The long topknot and the shorter-haired saddle on the back in the mature dog are distinctive features of this breed. The Afghan hound should be shown in its natural state; the coat not clipped or trimmed and the head surmounted with a topknot of long flowing hair, although cuffs may be clipped above the feet to accentuate the size of the feet.

History

Sight hounds are among the oldest recognizable types of dogs, and genetic testing has placed the Afghan hound breed among those with the least genetic divergence from the wolf on some markers; this is taken to mean that such dogs are descended from the oldest dog types, not that the breeds tested had in antiquity their exact modern form. Today's modern purebred breeds of Afghan hound descends from dogs brought in the 1920s to Great Britain, and are a blending of types and varieties of long haired sight hounds from across Afghanistan and the surrounding areas. This beautiful sight hound was used as a Shepherd and hunter for many centuries, hunting such game as deer, wild boars, goats, and even wolves. They were also used by Sheppard’s as watchdogs and herder due to their fast and agile running. The major role of these dogs, however, was undoubtedly that of hunting. The Afghanistan kings would breed a kennel of these hounds for many generations with these purposes alone. This dog has become a luxurious pet in America and Europe due its aristocratic look. The Afghan hound is prized and loved by many of their owners and family members. With its distinctive personality and long coat that requires regular care and maintenance, it’s not the breed for wanna-be dog owners, but when the matchup between owner and this hound is right, there is no other dog that can equal the Afghan hound as a great and welcome addition to any family.
Temperament

The temperament of the typical Afghan hound can be aloof and dignified, but happy and clownish when playing. This breed, as is the case with many sight hounds has a high prey drive and may not get along with small animals. The Afghan Hounds' reasoning skills have made it a successful competitor in dog agility trials as well as an insightful therapy dog and companion. The breed has a reputation among some dog trainers of having a relatively slow "compliance astuteness". However, these tests are contingent on swiftly obeying commands and completing obedience tasks, things for which Afghans are not naturally inclined. It is an autonomous dog, with strong pack adherence and prey drive, which has helped it survive as a breed for several thousand years. As such, Afghans are likely to refuse or ignore commands from humans or trainers with which they have not developed a close working relationship, but even owners should not be surprised if their Afghan hounds sometimes choose to ignore commands. Although seldom used today for hunting in Europe and America where they are popular, Afghan hounds are frequent participants in lure coursing events and are also popular in the sport of conformation showing. This breed can be difficult to housebreak. Can be timid and high strung if they do not receive enough mental and physical exercise.

Health

Afghan hounds are a healthy breed and infirmities are rare, but they have an inclination towards allergies and cancer. Sensitivity to anesthesia is an issue the Afghan hound shares with the rest of the Sight hound group, as sight hounds have relatively low levels of body fat. Afghan hounds are also among the dog breeds most likely to develop chylothorax, a rare condition which causes the thoracic ducts to leak, allowing large quantities of chyle fluid to enter their chest cavity. This condition commonly results in a lung torsion in which their lungs twists within the chest cavity, requiring emergency surgery, due to the breed's typically deep, "barrel"-shaped chest. If not corrected through surgery, chylothorax can ultimately cause fibrosing pleuritis, or a hardening of the organs, due to scar tissue forming around the organs to protect them from the chyle fluid. Chylothorax is not necessarily, but often, fatal.

The Afghan hound needs to be taken on a long daily walk or jog. While out on the walk the dog must be made to heel beside or behind the person holding the lead, as in a dog's mind the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human. Dogs that do not get to go on daily walks are more likely to display behavior problems. Teach them to enter and exit door and gateways after the humans. They will also enjoy running free in an open fenced, safe area. In general, Afghan hounds are long-live breed, averaging 12-14 years in many cases and they can have anywhere between 1-15 puppies, but the average litter size is 8.

Grooming

Afghan hound’s rich, luxurious coat demands a great deal of attention towards its maintenance. Afghan Hounds should be given a weekly bath for maintaining optimum shine and length of their coat and keeping it off from knots and tangles. To keep an Afghan hound’s coat in good shape it normally takes an adherence towards several hours of clean up time every week.  Skimping on brushing a dry coat of this breed can make it more easily disheveled and can cause problems. Even if you don’t have a show dog, a clean and healthy coat will enhance your pleasure of owning this graceful breed. Hair is the signature feature of the Afghan and, when properly cared for, it brings drama and elegance to the Afghan’s every move. Afghan puppies require little grooming as they have a short, plush coat of hair. At this age, daily brushing is more for getting the animal used to grooming than for necessity. Afghans begin to shed their puppy coat and the silky adult coat begins to grow in. Daily brushing is an absolute necessity during this period to remove the old puppy hair. Afghans are a breed that must be blown dry. Allow your dog to drip dry for about an hour on towels. Brush from the skin out and allow the blow dryer to part the dog’s coat. Another important part of Afghan maintenance grooming is using a ’snood.’ These protective tube-like head covers keep the dog’s long ear fringe out of the way when it is eating.

Exercise

The Afghan hound should always have a secure and fenced area to run. A regular walk daily is a must for this breed. When the Afghan hound is at a budding stage they will often go through development spurts at which time they are inept and tacky. It is very important to monitor exercise at this time and not exaggerate these puppies to prevent muscle and bone expansion issues. While out on the walk the dog must be made to heel beside or behind the person holding the lead, as in a dog's mind the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human. Fresh water should always be available as this breed has a long coat, which can cause him to become hot. Thirty minutes of running per day is recommended.

Training

The Afghan’s are a free thinker. This was a necessity in a dog bred to course big cats. Afghans can outrun just about anything on rocky and uneven ground, and were often left to themselves in the "catch." While an Afghan is very intelligent and cunning, he will use this to his own advantage. The trick is to make your Afghan think that whatever you wish him to do is really his own idea, and then to praise him for being so smart. Afghans do not take to callous training methods and if treated roughly, will often simply refuse to EVER do that exercise again. The Afghan can be selectively hearing-impaired when asked to do something that he deems to be beneath him. They can also be incredibly creative when doing obedience, much to the chagrin of aggressive owners. In general, when training any Afghan, endurance and tenderness is required. A good sense of humor helps too!