Top 10 interesting facts about the Afghan Hound

With an appearance straight out of a Vogue magazine cover the Afghan Hound is probably the most glamorous pooch in the K9 world with a slender build a smooth gate and an aloof personality to go with their silky coat .These dogs are undoubtedly made for the spotlight despite the fashion model looks. They were surprisingly enough bred to be hunting dogs suited to the cold mountains of Afghanistan caught you off guard well believe us when we tell you there’s more to the breed that is sure to leave you as test so come along as we go over the top 10 interesting facts about the Afghan Hound.

Facts about the Afghan Hound

Their History

Unfortunately not much can be said with certainty about the Afghan hounds origin as these dogs have been identified as a basil breed that predate the emergence of the modern breeds much of the breed’s history has also been lost to warlike factions led by leaders such as genghiskhan and Alexander the Great. Who overran the region however some speculations have definitely been made Legend has it that the Afghan Hound was the dog rescued in the Norris Ark Rock carvings and caves in Afghanistan on the other hand seem to suggest that the dogs came over to the country with Alexander the Great’s army.

However some experts today surise that the breed is related to the Saluki another dog breed with ancient Origins either way Afghan hounds have been living in the area for thousands of years now nomadic tribes used them to chase down hair and gazelle over the rocky mountainous terrain and gave the breed. Its local name tatti spay the breed found its way to England with British soldiers who brought them back in the early 1900s by this time .They earned many other names including baroy hounds Kabul hounds and past Greyhounds the dogs were later transported to America and were recognized as African hounds by the American Kennel Club in 1926.

Their Appearance

Afghan hounds are large dogs measuring about 24 to 29 in in height and 44 to 60 lb in weight their most striking feature is obviously their Regal appearance owing to their proud Carriage smooth pace and long silky coat. These dogs come in a wide variety of colors the most common of which are black black and tan red cream blue brindle Domino or white many Afghan hounds also have a black facial mask and some even have facial hair that looks like a mustache.

Their strong arched neck prominent hips large Paws seemingly exaggerated Bend at the knees and a tail ending in a donut Bend give the breed a distinctive profile the head crown four quarters chest hind quarters and legs are thickly covered with long fine hair and the coat on the face and back is short and glossy .One thing to note however is that Afghan pups do not resemble long-haired adults they have fuzzy hair on their cheeks called monkey whiskers and some over their Saddles the short fluffy puppy coat begins to fall out at about one year of age giving way to the glossy steadily lengthening adult coat.

Their Popularity

After arriving in America Afghan hounds quickly Rose to prominence gaining Fame as one of the most glamorous dog breeds they became popular with artists actors and singers with Salvador Di and MaryAnn faithful among their famous owners in the 1970s the even ended up briefly becoming a status symbol Spanish painter Pablo Picasso is even said to have been inspired by his Afghan Hound Kabul.

Who appeared in many of his paintings with his wife jacalene their distinctive appearance has also made them a favorite with filmmakers with notable screen appearances including Universal Pictures Balto Disney’s lady and the tramped second and both 101 Dalmations and 102 Dalmations .

Their Temperament

True to their origin as Hunters read to think on their feet the Afghan Hound is strong willed and independent with an aloof and self-confident personality however the temperament of this breed cannot be pined down .So easily descriptions from owners often tend to contradict each other describing the dogs as dignified and brave at times clownish and timid at others their Persona ranges from loving to downright standoffish.

So you can only hope that you don’t get the short end of the stick one thing you can be sure of however is that your Afghan Hound will not be eagerly greeting your guests they tend to be indifferent towards strangers making them terrible guard dogs in general .They’re best suited to being a one person or one family dog towards them they can be a loyal and gentle but an independent companion .

Their Fast Runners

Afghan hounds were priced by nomadic Afghan tribes as excellent Hunters they were selectively bred over the years to be better suited to the cold mountains and Rocky terrains of Afghanistan one feature that resulted from this breeding is the dog’s usual head placement .They’re higher and wider apart compared to other breeds this allowed Afghan hounds to make quick turns and maneuver around the uneven terrain of The Afghani mountains however this unusual hip placement is also the reason.

Why these dogs are among the fastest canines out there the average Afghan Hound can reach speeds of up to 40 mph allowing them to go toe to- Toe with some purebred race horses for reference. The fastest race horse ever measured achieved a speed of 43.9 7 mph models hunters and athletes too seriously what’s there not to like about these dogs .

Their Training

As hunting dogs that chased after prey and held it down till their humans are arrived Afghan hounds needed to be able to think for themselves as a result .They’re extremely independent by nature and they don’t really like being told what to do this makes them a challenge to train as they do not possess a strong desire to please like many other breeds do Stanley Corin in his book .

The intelligence of dogs ranked Afghan hounds last among 138 breeds in their ability to understand and Obey commands in his findings these dogs needed more than 80 repetitions to understand a new command and obeyed a command on the first try less than 25% of the time. Time to further consolidate his findings he even asked 199 breeders for their opinion on the most obedient dogs and the majority ranked the Afghan Hound among the lowest 10 breeds. So if you’re looking to have an Afghan Hound for yourself be prepared for some long frustrating training sess and remember positive reinforcement and patience work much better than trying to scare your dog into doing your bedding .

Their Exercise

In general dogs with a history of working are athletic by nature and they need fair share of daily exercise Afghan hounds with their history as hunting dogs are no different .They need to be walked for at least a mile or two daily and a big yard for them to run around in is ideal on top of that a few games and tricks provide them with much needed mental exercise as s hounds .

These dogs will chase after small animals and cars on site so never let your Afghan off leash with proper training and vigilance though this can be minimized to some extent .They’re also excellent jumpers so make sure your yard is secured with a tall fence as long as you can meet your dog’s exer needs there’ll be a quiet and well behaved house dog a lack of exercise however can lead to destructive Behavior so make sure to dedicate some time every day for shaving off your dog’s Energy .

Their Diet

For dog owners a Telltale sign of whether the dog is being fed too much or too little is the dog’s weight however when it comes to Afghan hounds that method is not as helpful as high hounds. These guys have a naturally slim physique so even when they’re perfectly healthy their protruding head bones look quite prominent which is definitely definely not a sign of being underweight that said Afghan hounds are athletic active dogs.

So be mindful that your dog is getting enough nutrition to meet their needs we recommend around 2 to 2 and 1/2 cups of high quality dry food a day divided into two meals .However dogs are individuals too and each dog has different dietary needs depending on various factors like age activity level and size consult your vet and your breeder for advice on your pups nutrition and work together with them to formulate an effective diet plan .

They’re Grooming

While the glamorous and silky coat of the Afghan Hound may look absolutely stunning eye-catching coats like these are almost always high maintenance when properly groomed the Afghan coat is very fine in texture similar to human hair and thick and silky .However if the grooming needs are not met it Tangles and mats very easily keeping the hair clean and matte free is the key to keeping the Glorious coat looking.

It’s best as such daily brushing and combing along with frequent bats using dog friendly shampoo and conditioner is a must for your Afghan Hound don’t forget to brush their teeth daily and trim their nails regularly as well their hanging ears tend to have issues with infections so check your dog’s ears weekly and clean them using cleanser recommended by your vet this time-consuming and difficult grooming routine makes .These dogs ill suited for newer dog owners who will likely have to hire a professional groomer .

Their Health

Similar to other breeds of their size Afghan hounds live for around 12 to 14 years and are prone to a few health conditions these include allergies infections cancer cataracts and hypothyroidism .Which is a disorder of the thyroid gland one thing that owners have to be wary of though is anesthesia as site H these dogs have naturally low stores of body fat .

So they tend to be sensitive to anesthesia so your pup is having surgery that requires anesthetic application make sure to let your vet know ahead of time just in case breed experts even recommend seeking out a sound .Savvy veterinarian for surgical procedures aside from that though there’s not much for owners to worry about as these dogs are quite robust by Nature remember to schedule a routine visit to the vet and don’t forget to get all necessary Health clearances from your breeder when getting an Afghan Hound all right and that brings us to the end of our list of top 10 interesting facts about the Afghan Hound .