| The Afghan Hound is tall, and is distinguished by his thick, fine, silky coat and his tail with a ring curl at the end. Some Afghans, called "mandarins", have facial hair that looks like a Manchu moustache, 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. |
| Height: |
Male: 24-29 inches |
| Weight: |
Male: 45-60 pounds |
| Color(s): |
Any |
| Coat: |
Long, silky, thick, very fine-textured |
| Description: |
The Afghan Hound is a very old sighthound dog breed, from the cold mountains of Afghanistan, where it was originally used to hunt hares and gazelles by coursing them. The Afghan Hound was also bred to fight lions. |
| Temperament: |
The Afghan Hound is a sweet, affectionate, loyal dog, and can be quite sensitive. He is both elegant and courageous, and can be suspicious of strangers without aggression. He is happy and clownish when playing. He enjoys playing with children, but his large size may make him unsuitable to play with small children. Children should be taught to be kind, and not to play roughly with the Afghan Hound. |
| Training: |
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 his obedience, as are some other breeds. |
| Care & Grooming: |
The Afghan Hound requires bathing at least weekly, and coat brushing immediately after his bath. When you brush the coat when it is dry, the coat can be damaged, which can make it mat easier. His ears must be kept clean. The Afghan Hound requires regular, daily exercise, even though he appears to be a happy couch potato. |
| Shedding: |
Light |
| Health: |
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 check cavity. Chylothorax is not necessarily, but often fatal. |
| Lifespan: |
12-14 years |
| Litter Size: |
6-8 puppies |
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