An Afghan hound puppy may be the perfect choice for you if you want a dog that portrays a regal appearance. These make fine show dogs. For more facts and information read our guide…
The Afghan hound puppy is born to a litter of anywhere from one to fifteen, with eight being the average litter. He will be a beautiful dog in adulthood. The male dog usually grows to a height of 27 to 29 inches, with bitches a little smaller. He will weigh approximately 58 to 64 pounds.
An Afghan hound is tall and slender. The head is long and narrow with the back of the head refined leading into a prominent muzzle that is slightly convex. The nose is black and the hair is long and silky. The slim classical lines of the dog give it a royal appearance and it has been called “the King of Dogs”.
History
The Afghan hound is native to the Sinai Peninsula. It is mentioned in several Egyptian papyruses and is pictured in ancient Afghan cave paintings. It has been domesticated for over four thousand years as evidenced by these paintings. They are hunting dogs, and are often seen in these paintings hunting along with their masters.
Characteristics
The Afghan hound is an intelligent dog, but must be trained with strong, firm kindness. It readily learns new things. It is however, hard to house train.
This dog is friendly, but may be shy with people that is doesn’t know. For this reason it should be socialized. It does well by itself, but yearns for a pack leader which the human owner provides. Because of this, it does well with older children who are inclined to lead it by giving clear commands. If a command is not clear to the hound, Afghans are very liable to seem to disobey orders. One thing to note, it is a sight hound, which means it hunts by sight. If it is to be living among other animals such as cats, it should be indoctrinated as a puppy. Otherwise it will chase everything that runs from him.
Care
The Afghan hound is not well suited for apartment living. It really needs acreage to roam. It should be taken on long daily walks or jogs. If this is not done, the dog may tend to develop behaviour problems, as it needs its exercise. The Afghan does well living outdoors or indoors as long as the exercise is provided daily. He also prefers to sleep indoors.
This breed of dog is generally healthy. They should be bathed as needed, and their long, silky hair should then be brushed. They should not be brushed between baths, as this may tend to mat their hair rather than brush it out.
The average age that an Afghan hound lives to is about fourteen years. This beautiful dog can give you and your family happiness for a long time.
