Afghan Hound What You Need to Know
The Afghan Hound originated from Middle Eastern Sighthounds dating to the Egyptian Pharaohs. Most of these dogs were used by nomadic tribes to hunt gazelles, hare, and other small animals for food. For centuries, this breed remained isolated in the almost impenetrable mountains of Afghanistan.
Afghans often hunted in partnership with falcons. These dogs spent many centuries hunting in rough, harsh mountain conditions.
Afghan Hounds developed great stamina, strength, and speed from such hard labor. Because of their thick, long coats, these hounds could hunt in the frigid mountain climate. The Afghan’s most striking physical capabilities were its leaping distance and skill.
Arrival in Europe
It wasn’t until sometime during the early 1900s that the first Afghan arrived in England. At that time, these dogs were called “Barukhzy Hounds.” Others called them “Persian Greyhounds.”
At first, Afghan Hounds were a very diverse breed. A progenitor dog was used to develop a breed standard that best illustrated the elegant look of today’s Afghans. That founding dog was named Zardin.
The Afghan Hound quickly became famous as one of the ring’s glamorous yet competitive dogs. The breed’s popularity grew very slowly, but it was successful in the show ring. During the 1970s, the breed was popular, but its status as a household pet has dwindled.
As a Family Pet
The average Afghan Hound has an aloof, dignified disposition that can become joyful and clownish when playing. Like many sighthounds, this breed has a high prey drive and may not get along with tiny animals. The Afghan Hound may excel in dog agility competitions and make an intelligent therapy dog and friend.
Because of its incredible speed, the Afghan Hound can be in the next country before you can start after him. You should never let your Afghan run free unless in a fenced area. Afghan Hounds have springs in their legs and can jump quite high, even from a standing start. So, the fence must be high enough to prevent them from jumping over.
They are not the smartest dog in the kennel. The breed has a reputation among dog trainers for having a relatively slow “obedience intelligence”; Stanley Coren placed the breed last among 138 breeds mentioned in his book “The Intelligence of Dogs: regarding the ability to understand and obey commands.
The dog needed more than 80 repetitions to understand a new command and complied with it less than 25% of the time. All of the trainers Coren consulted consistently put Afghan Hounds among the least obedient dog breeds, with the majority (121 out of 199) placing them among the bottom ten breeds out of the 133 identified.
Personality
The glamorous, striking appearance of the Afghan makes it hard to believe that it began as a skillful hunting dog. However, this dog breed is peaceful and gentle, especially with children. It can be somewhat shy and reserved around strangers.
Taking Care Of Your Afghan Hound
Both mentally and physically, daily exercise will keep the Afghan Hound happy. This dog loves to run at full speed. They prefer living indoors with the rest of the family but should have access to an enclosed, outside area. Grooming does take a bit extra work with the Afghan Hound. Its coat is long, and you should brush it thoroughly every other day.
Movies and Television
The Afghan is very popular in film and onscreen due to its distinctive appearance and has been represented in animated feature films and TV shows. In the episode “Meet the Dog Stars,” Brainy Barker from Krypto the Superdog claims to be an Afghan Hound, but her appearance resembles a Saluki.
An Afghan hound appeared in the movies “101 Dalmatians” and “102 Dalmatians” as one of Cruella de Vil’s party dogs. The Afghan hound also appeared on the television series What-a-Mess (Prince Amir of Kinjan; based on children’s books by Frank Muir) and as Prissy in the 1961 film “Prissy.”
During her son Sterling Archer’s early years, Malory Archer from the television series Archer owned an Afghan hound named Duchess. The dog is a source of friction between the two because Malory prefers it to her son.
Persia, the captain of the Space Rovers in the television series Road Rovers, is an Afghan Hound. In the television series Foofur, Burt, an Afghan Hound, competes with Foofur for Dolly’s affection.
Afghan dogs have also appeared in fashion magazines and television commercials.
Health Concerns
The average lifespan of a healthy Afghan is between 12 and 15 years. These dogs are usually very healthy with few significant health issues. One heal concern is cataracts. Occasionally they may have CHD and necrotic myelopathy, but these health problems are rare.
Enough exercise, proper coat grooming habits (including attention to the teeth and nails), cleaning your dog’s ears, and checking for parasites inside and out are all part of health care. By working with your veterinarian, develop healthy practices for looking after your Afghan Hound’s health.
More Information
The Afghan Hound Club of America is the AKC parent club for this breed. According to their website, the club’s goal is
To preserve and protect the breeding of pure-bred Afghan Hounds and to do all possible to bring their natural qualities to perfection.
