What is an Afghan Hound?
The Afghan hound is an old breed of dog that originates in Afghanistan. More specifically, the Afghan hound is native to ancient Sinai. Early Afghan hounds were used for hunting and herding dogs as well as watch dogs. Today, Afghans are mostly companionship dogs and show dogs. Tall and slim with a long, flowing coat, the Afghan hound also has a long tail, muzzle, neck and ears. The overall appearance of this breed tends to be one of aloof elegance and many Afghans do not like to be handled too much. Afghan hounds usually have sand-colored coats with a darker-colored face, but other colors are common. Apricot-cream, silver-cream, and red and black color combinations are usually acceptable Afghan hound colors, but white patches are often not considered desirable for breeding. Some Afghan hounds have brindle coats that resemble tiger striping. As the Afghan hound’s long coat is also thick, the grooming required for this dog is high maintenance. The coat should not be brushed when dry as i
Afghans come from the hound group, or to be more exact are from the Sighthound family, of which all extremely fast, greyhound-like coursing dogs are a part. The Afghan dog stands from 26 to 28 inches at the withers, while the bitch stands 24 to 26 inches tall. Males weigh approximately 60 pounds and females weigh about 50 pounds. The most arresting feature of the elegant Afghan is his coat, which is long and silky everywhere on the dog, except on the face and back, where it is short and glossy. The Afghan excels as a broken field runner, and the breed’s agility, endurance, tenacity and cunning are legendary. Afghans can double-suspension gallop at speeds of at least 35 to 40 mph and turn on a dime, can take a broad jump of 20 feet and can leap 7 feet straight up from a standing position.
Afghans come from the hound group, or to be more exact are from the sighthound family, of which all extremely fast, greyhound-like coursing dogs are a part. The Afghan dog stands from 26 to 28 inches at the withers, while the bitch stands 24 to 26 inches tall. Males weigh approximately 60 pounds and females weigh about 50 pounds. The most arresting feature of the elegant Afghan is his coat, which is long and silky everywhere on the dog, except on the face and back, where it is short and glossy. The Afghan excells as a broken field runner, and the breed’s agility, endurance, tenacity and cunning are legendary. Afghans can double-suspension gallop at speeds of at least 35 to 40 mph and turn on a dime, can take a broad jump of 20 feet and can leap 7 feet straight up from a standing position.
