Afghan Hound All About The Breed

With their unique profile and movie star looks it is difficult to mistake the Afghan Hound for any other dog breed.

Standing anywhere between 24 and 29 inches at the shoulder, and weighing up to 59 pounds, these lean sighthounds are characterized by a long lustrous coat that can be any color.

Another common, characteristic is a black facemask, while some dogs also have a long Manchu-like moustache, called a ‘mandarin’. As the name suggests, the breed originated in Afghanistan where they were used for hunting small game. They were originally introduced to the west in the 19th century, but by the end of the First World War had all but disappeared.

The dogs we know today virtually all descend from a group imported to Scotland in the 1920’s. These dogs quickly became star performers at many dog shows, and soon gained recognition from the kennel clubs in all major English-speaking countries.

Despite its appearance the Afghan has much in common with the wolf, is closely related to the original domestic dogs, and is considered an ancient dog breed.The Afghan is not your typically eager-to-please pet. They can be quite aloof, and economical with their affection. They also can be hard to train, despite being quite intelligent dogs.

Some even describe their temperament as cat-like, in their ability to totally disregard you. Put it this way, an Afghan will obey if he sees a good reason to, otherwise he just won’t.

Having said that, they still make excellent pets, and are affectionate towards those close to them. With strangers though it’s a different story. When you meet an Afghan for the first time, you should expect to be ignored!

In common with many sight hounds, Afghans have a tendency towards laziness. They enjoy nothing more than to curl up on the couch or a comfortable blanket and wile the hours away.

Once they get outside though, you’ll see a different side to the dog. Suddenly, the hunting instinct kicks in and they’ll track and chase any small animal they see.Despite their glamorous looks Afghans are surprisingly robust dogs and suffer from few health problems. They are known to suffer cataracts but are not prone to any of the major canine diseases.

If you were thinking that the luxuriant coat requires a lot of work, you’d be right. The Afghan is a high maintenance dog that must be brushed daily. In addition you’ll need to to have the hair trimmed regularly in order for it to keep its shape.

Although the Afghan is a hunting dog, it much prefers the luxury of indoor living to sleeping outdoors. Anyway, the dog is not equipped for outdoor living as the coat offer very little protection from the elements.

The easiest way to find good names for your Afghan Hound is to visit an online dog names, resource, like puppy-names-hq.com. This site has tons of dog names, including 1000s of boy dog names to choose from.