About the Breed: Afghan Hound

History

The Afghan Hound is a “sighthound” (it hunts by sight, as opposed to a “scenthound” who hunts by scent) and comes from the ancient family of Persian (or Oriental) Greyhounds.

​

Originally found in Afghanistan and Persia, the Afghan Hound was primarily bred and used as a hunter of gazelles, leopards and small game (such as rabbits) in those areas.

​

There were two basic physical appearance types of Afghans, the Mountain type and the Desert type, which were “blended” together to produce the Afghans we see today.

​

• The “Mountain type” was primarily found in the mountainous regions, and had a squarer, slightly stockier body, with more “coat” than his desert brothers (to keep him warmer in the colder climes). This type had to be an exceptional athlete who could maneuver over rocks, boulders, and rough terrain.

• The “Desert type” of Afghan was primarily found in the desert regions and had a slightly longer, finer bone, with a sparser “coat” than the Mountain type, and was bred to be able to run longer distances on flatter terrain.

This breed's hunting instincts run deep (the Afghan is not a “man made” breed, nor a breed that has been domesticated for hundreds of years), so Afghans must be supervised around small animals in case the “prey drive” kicks into gear. Afghans are notorious for plucking birds out of the sky, and/or hunting the interloping squirrel as favorite games in your backyard.

​

The Afghan’s unique coat is profuse enough to protect him from extremes of heat and cold, with short saddle hair on the back, neck, and extending down the hips to help diffuse the heat.