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Afghan Hound
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The Afghan Hound is a very old sighthound dog breed.
Distinguished by its thick, fine, silky coat and its tail with a ring curl
at the end, the breed acquired its unique features in the cold
mountains of Afghanistan, where it was originally used to hunt
hares, and gazelles by coursing them.
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Description
Appearance
The Afghan Hound is tall, standing 24 to 29 inches (61 to 74 cm) in
height and weighing 45 to 60 pounds (20 to 27 kg). The coat may
be any color, but white markings, particularly on the head, are
discouraged; many individuals have a black facial mask. Some
specimens have facial hair that looks like a Manchu moustache
that are called "mandarins." Some Afghan Hounds are almost
white, but particolor hounds (white with islands of red or black) are
not acceptable in competition and may indicate impure breeding.
The long, fine-textured coat requires considerable care and
grooming. The long topknot and the shorter-haired saddle on the
back in the mature dog are distinctive features of the Afghan
Hound coat. The high hipbones and unique small ring on the end
of the tail are also characteristics of the breed.
Temperament
The temperament of the typical Afghan Hound can be aloof and
dignified, but happy and clownish when playing. The breed has a
reputation among dog trainers of having a relatively slow
"obedience intelligence" as defined by author Stanley Coren. The
Afghan Hound has many cat-like tendencies and is not slavish in
its obedience as are some other breeds. The Afghan Hound tends
to be independent. Owners should not be surprised if their Afghan
Hound sometimes chooses 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.
Intelligence
Afghan Hounds are not known for their intelligence. A recent
survey of dog obedience judges ranked the Afghan Hound dead
last out of 110 breeds in intelligence.
One may infer that the strong emphasis of breeding Afghan
Hounds for their beauty has sacrificed the breed's median
'intelligence' score as reported by this battery of exams. However,
these tests are subjective - testing a canine's ability to understand
concepts that are not necessarily relevant within the dog world,
and does not account for the willingness of the participant.
Health
Mortality
Afghan Hounds in UK surveys had a median lifespan of about 12
years and 18 years if the dog is taken care of which is similar to
other breeds of their size. In a 2004 UK Kennel Club survey, the
most common causes of death were cancer (31%), old age (20%),
cardiac (10.5%), and urologic (5%).
Health Concerns
Major health issues are allergies, and cancer. 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. 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 the dog's chest cavity. This condition commonly results in a
lung torsion (in which the dog's lung 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 causing 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.
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A gold coated Afghan Hound
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Country of origin
Afghanistan
Weight
Male: 45-60 lb
Height
Male: 24–29 in
Coat
Long and fine
Color
Any
Litter size
6-8 puppies
Life span
11-13 years
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