Afghan hound breed information

Afghan hound and afghan hound pictures

Tall, slender, long haired sighthound with a dignified, loyal, affectionate personality. The Afghan has a low dominance level and must be treated kindly. They can be playful and they enjoy walking and other forms of exercise. They are suspicious of strangers, but not threatening to them. Some can be timid or high string, so they tend to do best with older children that will be gentle with them. They do better with training as they can be disobedient if they are not trained with structure. Housebreaking can be a difficult task with some.

Afghan hound

Life expectancy: 12 to 14 yrs
Color: All colors are permissible, but color or color combinations are pleasing; white markings, especially on the head, are undesirable.
Eyes: almond-shaped, dark.
Coat type: Long, straight, thick, silky; short on face
Size: males: 26-28 inches; females: 24-26 inches
Health issues: Generally healthy. Potential for juvenile cataracts and possible hip dysplasia. Sensitivity to drugs, flea powders and tickicides. Rare cases of progressive paralysis.

The breed was always thought to date back at least to the pre-Christian era, and recent discoveries by researchers studying ancient DNA have revealed that the Afghan Hound is in fact one of the most ancient dog breeds, dating back for many thousands of years. Its original native name, Tazi, betrays its connection to the very similar Tasy breed of Russia. The proximity of southern Russia and Afghanistan argues for a common origin for both breeds.

Initially, Afghan people refused to sell their national dog to outsiders; the breed was not seen in Europe and America until after the turn of the 20th century. The AKC and CKC did not recognize the Afghan Hound until the 1930s. Originally export of this dog was prohibited and the first to arrive in England and the United States was at the turn of the 20th century. Captain Banff imported "Zardin" from Afghanistan around this time and he was first shown at the Crystal Palace Kennel Club Show in 1907, making a tremendous impact.

In 1983, Chris Terrell was the last breeder-owner-handler to win Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, with his Afghan Hound Ch. Kabik's The Challenger, also the last time a dog from the Hound group has been awarded Best in Show. An Afghan Hound has taken the top honor at just one other WKC Dog Show, in 1957.

On August 3, 2005, Korean scientist Hwang Woo-Suk announced that his team of researchers had become the first team to successfully clone a dog. The dog, an Afghan Hound, was named Snuppy. Later that year, a pattern of lies and fraud by Hwang Woo-Suk came to light, throwing in doubt all his claims. Snuppy, nonetheless, was a genuine clone, and thus the first cloned dog in history.