Afghan Hound Breed information & Pictures

Afghan Hound Breed Description

Life Expectancy
12-15 years

Learning Rate
High

Litter Size
6 to 8

Size
Extra Large

Weight
Dogs: 50-60 pounds
Bitches: 40-50 pounds

Height
Dogs: 25-27 inches
Bitches: 23-25 inches

Country of Origin
Afghanistan

Other Names
Tazi, Baluchi Hound

The Afghan Hound is one of the oldest breeds, over 4000 years old. It is an ancient, aristocratic, beautiful dog. Afghan hounds were originally used for hunting in the mountains of Afghanistan.

Tall and slender with a long, narrow, refined head, silky topknot and powerful jaws. Its long, thick and silky coat makes the breed quite an attraction.

Temperament

This breed is very sweet and affectionate. It has a low dominance level. Firm but gentle obedience training is required. It can be difficult to housebreak. The Afghan Hound dog is suspicious of strangers, but never hostile.

It makes a wonderful companion to older, considerate children.

This dog is reserved, lively and active. This breed is gentle, friendly and makes an excellent family dog. It needs plenty of opportunity to run, preferably off the leash, and a lot of regular exercise. It is an extremely fast and agile runner. This breed is an excellent sighthound. It was used as a hunter of deer, wild goats, wolves, and even snow leopards. This breed was also used as a watchdog and herder.

Colors

All colors are permitted. White markings, especially on the head, are undesirable.

Coat

This breed is an average shedder. The long, thick coat demands a great deal of grooming. When showing, weekly bath is a must. In order to keep the coat shiny and long never brush in-between baths. Brushing a dry coat will damage the coat and make it more easily matted. Even if your Afghan won’t be shown, weekly baths will make the coat less matted. Use a special air-cushioned brush or pin brush for grooming.

Health Issues

This is a healthy, long-lived breed. It has a low tolerance of pain, thereby suffering even with minor injuries. Sensitivity to anesthesia is an issue the Afghan hound shares with the rest of the sighthound group, as sighthounds have relatively low levels of body fat. So be aware of this if yours were to require surgery. To make sure that you get a healthy dog, you should buy an Afghan Hound puppy from a reputable breeder.

Living Environment

This breed is not recommended for apartment life. As it is a large breed it needs plenty of space and would enjoy having a yard to exercise in. It loves to be outdoors and get plenty of exercise.