Afghan Hound – Dog Breeds – Quality Info You Must Know

To begin with we will give you some basic info on the breed and them move on to other areas of this excellent dog.

Breed group: Hound

Weight: 58-64lb

Height: Males 27 inches, Females 25 inches

Overview

Afghan hounds are a very old breed that is inhabitant to Sinai. The Egyptian papyruses mention them quite a few times. Originally it was forbidden to export these dogs which contributed to keeping this breed pure. These dogs only arrived in Europe at the beginning of this century. The Afghan hound was used as watchdogs by shepherds – they were also used to hunt deer, wolves, wild goats and snow leopards.

Temperament

Afghan hounds are very noble dogs. They can however come across as being distant, but they are also very affectionate, caring and devoted dogs. This is a tough breed, but they will fade away if they do not get enough attention. Afghan hounds will adapt best in a house with children that are older. This breed is also difficult to housebreak. Some Afghan hounds are a bit nervous, especially if they do not get sufficient exercise.

Care
The Afghan hound has very high grooming needs, and it is also a heavy shedding dog. These dogs should be groomed twice during the week for an hour at a time in order to keep their coats in an excellent condition. It is important to make sure that these dog’s ear passages are kept clean. Afghan hounds should not be bathed more than once every two months, and then a good quality shampoo should be used. Otherwise they might get a dry skin. Also try to brush the teeth of these dogs once during the day. A good dental bone might help to act as an addition to the teeth brushing. The Afghan hound will not be the ideal dog for someone that does not have enough time to properly groom these dogs. Afghan hounds are also heavy shedding dogs.
Training

It is advised that prospective owners of these dogs should have some previous experience in dog ownership. Afghan hounds are fairly difficult to train because they are so independent. They do not respond very well if trainers hit or shout at them. They will just lower the respect that they have for you. Training of these dogs should be conducted in a firm manner, but also combined with some gentleness.

Health problems

In general, Afghan hounds are healthy dogs. They do however have a very low pain tolerance, and will therefore suffer even if it is just a minor injury that they have picked up.

Get more info and advice on the Afghan hound or Afghan hound training visit this dog breeds web page.