Afghan Hound
Breed Profile
Afghan Hounds are an ancient breed. Despite its glamorous reputation, the Afghan hound is a hunter at heart and is born to chase down game over rugged terrain. These sight hounds are graceful, fast and display an overall majestic appearance. Afghan hounds exhibit long bodies, possess noticeably thick and long coats, and are known to prance around with their heads up. Afghans date back to Ancient Egypt, 4000 years. Their huge paw-pads, which act as shock absorbers allow them to endure long hunting days. In Afghanistan they chase down gazelles, hares, and snow leopards.
Temperament
Whilst the typical Afghan Hound can be characterized as being rather aloof and dignified, they are also known to exude happiness and clownishness when it’s playing. This breed, as is the case with many sighthounds, has a predatory behaviour and may therefore not get along with small animals in its entourage. Genomic studies have suggested the Afghan Hound to be one of the oldest of dog breeds.
Color & Coat
Coat: Afghan puppies have short, fuzzy coats (including adorable facial hair called “monkey whiskers” As one can very well imagine, the long, silky coat of an adolescent or adult Afghan can benefit from regular grooming.
Color: All solid colors are allowed by standardized guidelines for the breed with certain color combinations considered the most pleasing.
Health
Sighthounds such as Afghans have naturally low stores of body fat, so they tend to be sensitive to anesthesia; breed experts recommend seeking out a sighthound-savvy veterinarian for surgical procedures. Like other deep-chested types of dogs, Afghan Hounds can experience bloat, a sudden and life-threatening swelling of the abdomen, and owners should educate themselves about its symptoms and what to do should bloat occur.