Afghan Hound

Among the most spectacular looking dogs in the world, the Afghan Hound is an impressive dog with a kingly appearance. Despite its proud looks, it sometimes acts in a comical way.

Long and silky hair on its coats is characteristic of the Afghan Hound dog. It has a thin and athletic body, possessing speed and agility.

This breed is known for its nature of aloofness. Owned historically by the kings in the mountainous regions of Afghanistan, the Afghan Hound dog breed is known to be one of the oldest dog breeds.

Afghan Hound dogs are better trained by experienced owners.

Afghan Hound Pictures

Quick Facts

At a Glance

Size (4/5)

The Afghan is a tall dog, with a lean body, a long neck, and long legs. Its tail is long too, which curls upwards into a circular formation.

The female Afghans stand at about 25 inches in height and are weighed 50 pounds.

The male Afghans stand at about 27 inches in height and are weighed 60 pounds.

The Afghan’s size is not well suited for a small-sized apartment.

Affection Level (4/5)

An Afghan Hound puppy will want affection from its family. As a puppy, an Afghan Hound is naughty and a treat to watch.

An Afghan Hound puppy can steal things from its owner’s home as it is mischievous in nature. A mature Afghan Hound is a bit more difficult to please.

With guests, it can sometimes act indifferently, which can be offensive.

Apartment Friendly (3/5)

They are not great as apartment dogs as they become inactive when indoors, and they prefer to roam in large open spaces.

They need sufficient outdoor exercise and are only good indoors for sleeping.

Living inside a house, an Afghan most likely won’t create inconvenience or distraction.

Cold Weather Tolerability (5/5)

Being originally from mountainous regions of Afghanistan, it is well suited to cold weather. Its thick and highly furry coats prevent it from excessive cold weather.

An Afghan Hound is known to possess high stamina which makes it able to sustain harsh weather for a relatively longer duration.

Hot Weather Tolerability (5/5)

Their native place is famous for both cold and hot temperatures. So, they can adapt well even in hot weather.

Despite their coats appearing thick, the Afghan Hounds manage well in hot temperatures.

Barking Tendencies (2/5)

They bark seldom. As such Afghans don’t bark as other dogs do. They howl a little too. No typical Afghan sound is well-known among owners that is unique in nature.

Cat Friendly (2/5)

The Afghan Hound breed sees cats as natural prey, hence the Afghans will tend to chase cats when they see them nearby.

An Afghan Hound dog must be controlled by leashing it at all times when around cats.

He will tolerate the presence of other animals and sometimes will be indifferent to those in the same house.

Dog Friendly (4/5)

The Afghan Hound temperament is cooperative with other dogs of the same breed. In fact, he will be friendly and will enjoy the company of other Afghan Hounds.

He will socialize with other dogs, but wouldn’t be as comfortable along with them as he can be with those of his own breed.

Exercise Needs (4/5)

A naturally active breed of dogs, Afghans need regular exercise, preferably daily. A run in a big enclosed area or a long walk would help them.

They are quite alright staying indoors most of the time and so make sure to take them outside for giving sufficient exercise.

Grooming Needs (3/5)

Grooming an Afghan is not easy. It can be best carried out by those who enjoy grooming the Afghan and those who are well-skilled at it. An Afghan will look amazing when fully and correctly groomed.

Its coat is thin and fine and so can get easily entangled. Regular brushing and combing are necessary. Bathing it frequently is also needed. Patience while grooming will reap good rewards.

Playfulness (4/5)

A Puppy Afghan Hound is a treat for the eyes to watch. He will often come up with its own set of antics that will delight the viewers.

His acts can sometimes be comical and owners often refer to him as a “clown”. Mischiefs like stealing can be a pain but in the end, he certainly ends up amusing you.

Trainability (3/5)

An Afghan Hound is an independent thinker and so it’s not always easy to train him. In the initial period of his training, you can expect the Afghan to have accidents. Patience goes a long way in his training.

Due to his tendencies of escaping, he must be kept inside a secured fence. Giving him obedience training from an early age will help in keeping it under control.

He is known to be a very slow learner and needs multiple repetitive commands to be obeyed successfully.

Intelligence (4/5)

Afghan Hounds are intelligent dogs. They hunted by being independent and lead their humans to the prey.

Being a stubborn breed of dogs, the Afghans have the ability to make decisions for themselves.

However, they are not on top when it comes to obedience intelligence. To make them learn new commands, it takes much time and patience. Also, repetitive commands need to be given for the Afghan to obey them successfully.

Mouthiness (3/5)

Afghan Hounds are average chewers, nippers, and biters. As puppies, mouthiness is common in them.

Even though their mouthing isn’t as aggressive, they must be trained against developing this habit.

Price Group (4/5)

An Afghan Hound costs anywhere between $1000 to $2500. Grooming an Afghan Hound is the most challenging and demanding job, hence grooming will constitute the most part of your money.

The Afghan Hound Price varies according to the reputation of the breeder among other factors.

About Afghan Hounds

Afghan Hounds were used in the desert and mountainous regions of Afghanistan. They could run over long distances and still keep themselves out of reach of big wild animals. They could hunt independently without requiring human involvement.

As puppies, the Afghans are very affectionate and playful. As they grow up, they mature and become stubborn and willful.

They find it uneasy to deal with even minor injuries. So, they often seem to complain about it.

Being kind and gentle towards them is recommended as they are very sensitive.

If the Afghan Hound puppy has grown up with children, it will find it easier to be friendly with them. Children must be taught to be gentle due to the Afghan’s sensitive nature.

The Afghan Hound breed is known to possess great beauty with its thick, shiny, and glowing coat hair. The coats also protect it from cold and hot weather.

The Afghan Hound dogs are best suited to be trained by experienced owners.

Where Afghan Hounds Came From?

In early times, the Afghan Hounds were bred as hunting dogs in the mountainous and desert regions of Afghanistan. Some say that the Afghans may be the oldest breed of dogs.

It originated in the region consisting of the present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. Afghans were the status symbols of some of the royal families of Asia.

Being sighthounds, they were built to rely on their sight to track, chase, and catch prey.

They were brought to the West in the late 1800s. They became popular in the US in the 1930s.

Size

The Afghans are large-sized dogs. They are very tall dogs with height going up to 25 to 27 inches.

They have a long neck, proud eyes, and stand tall with long legs. Their length is quite large and their feet are broad.

The male Afghans weigh at around 60 pounds whereas the females weigh at around 50 pounds.

Trainability

As the Afghan Hounds are sighthounds, they will have a tendency to chase prey as soon as it sees it from a distance; walking them without a leash is not recommended.

They have a lot of stamina and so short walks won’t help them. They need to be taken on long leashed runs. Thus, stamina on part of the trainer is also required.

It would be best to have an open and enclosed area where the Afghan can freely go on a run by itself. Make sure that he gets this chance many times in a week.

Afghans are high jumpers, so fences must be built that are high and secure.

Afghans are easy to housetrain since they are interested in pleasing their owners.

Being extremely loyal to their owners, they will find it difficult to adjust to a new home.

Training them against chasing abruptly won’t help and for this, they need to be on a leash at all times.

Grooming

The long and fine coat of an Afghan Hound requires significant care and grooming. Its coats often get entangled, so regular grooming is required.

Many hours of brushing every week are needed to prevent their hair from spoiling – getting tangled and dirty. Their neat and clean hair will give a different charm to their appearance.

As with humans, their hair requires shampooing and conditioning, though more frequently. This ensures smooth and shiny coat hair.

Since Afghan Hound shed relatively infrequently, shedding related hassles are avoidable for the owner.

Like other breeds, brushing teeth and trimming nails is vital for the Afghan Hound breed. Be careful while trimming nails as trimming deeply can make Afghans bleed.

Efficient brushing is crucial to prevent diseases of gums and bad breath.

Common Diseases

Afghan Hounds are easily affected by anesthesia due to their body fat being naturally low. Help from experts should be taken while going for surgery.

Bloating, a disease in which the abdomen swells is a life-threatening disease. Afghans are susceptible to bloating and owners should be very cautious about it.

Allergies:

Sneezing, accompanied by eye and nasal discharge, and loss of hair are seen in dogs. Treatment options include a controlled diet, modifying the environment, and taking some medications. To know in detail about specific allergies, click here.

TARGETING THE EYES

Juvenile Cataracts:

When the lenses in a dog’s eye become partially or completely opaque, a cataract is formed. This condition can entirely blind a dog. Surgery can assist in removing a cataract.

LIFESTYLE DISORDERS

Cancer:

Cancer causes swelling and pain in the targeted body part. These swells are not self-healing. Cancer can further cause bleeding from an opening.

Breathing difficulties and elimination difficulties are other causes. Chemotherapy and medication along with surgeries if required are used as modes of treatment.

Hypothyroidism:

When the thyroid gland produces lower than normal amounts of thyroid hormone, this condition occurs.

Signs of its presence include long-term ear infection, skin infection, hair loss, and depression. Medication is needed for the treatment.

Feeding

Don’t confuse the Afghan’s projecting hipbones as a sign of being underweight. Being an active and athletic dog, the Afghan needs a sufficiently good amount of nutrition to fulfill its energy needs.

2 to 2.5 cups of good quality dry food per day is a must. Feeding it two times in a day in this way is ideal. Both dry, as well as wet food, is good for the Afghan.

Feed the Afghan according to his age. For an Afghan Hound puppy, feed puppy dog food, whereas for an adult Afghan Hound, feed him adult dog food.

Suggested: Senior Dog Food

Diet should be according to the dog’s activity level. If the Afghan is doing regular exercise, feed him that much more food. If regular exercise isn’t happening for it, feeding too much can lead to obesity.

An Afghan may be reluctant to eat if his stomach is upset. He is very likely to vomit during a stomach upset.

Also, with a change in his lifestyle, he may find it difficult to adjust to regular eating habits.

Vaccination and Care

Afghan Hounds are vulnerable to infections such as bacterial and viral. Some common infections are parvo, rabies, and distemper.

Read our Guide To Dog Vaccination to know a little better about vaccines.

These infections can be prevented by vaccinating the Afghan early on. Be sure to do regular checkups for these infections and other diseases.

Afghan Hound dogs are active and lively, but they like to stay indoors with the family. They have a laid back attitude when in the house.

The fencing in the area for running must be high as the Afghans are good jumpers. Also, keep their escape artist tendency in mind while making a fence.

Monthly Expense Estimation

The Afghan Hound dog breed is a costly dog breed. Buying and maintaining an Afghan Hound will make you spend good money.

The buying costs depend on age, gender, quality, and breeder. The cost of buying a new Afghan can be from $1000 to $2500.

Per year expenses incurred could normally be $800, excluding any illness or surgery-related costs.

An Afghan Hound Grooming session can cost around $65; grooming an Afghan Hound is a costly affair.

The monthly food costs will be high. They go up to $15 to $20 per month.

Behavior

Children:

Afghans’ large size and independent nature suit them as an adult companion. However, they are not appropriate for children.

Afghans are less likely to become close to children. The abrupt movements of a child and its noisy behavior can shock an Afghan.

If Afghans are given proper social training, they can learn to become loving and friendly with children.

Dogs:

To make Afghans friendly towards dogs of other breeds, appropriate early training is necessary, as Afghans do not usually enjoy the company of other breeds.

An Afghan Hound will be friendly with other Afghan Hound dogs and will cherish their companionship.

Cats:

Cats, like other small animals, are considered as a natural prey by Afghan Hounds. They may give cats a sudden chase when around and within sight. So, it is recommended to keep them cautiously leashed.

Overview

The original name of the Afghan Hound breed was Tazi. It was born millennia ago in the areas within and surrounding present-day Afghanistan.

Afghan Hounds are beautiful dogs with shiny coats, lean body, and a dignified appearance. Their grooming needs are high, where they ought to be given quality grooming. Professional grooming is recommended.

There exist a variety of Afghan Hound colours including black, black and tan, red, cream, and white. The Afghan Hound lifespan is about 12 to 18 years.

This breed can be loving and good with children if the Afghan Hound puppy is brought up to live along with them from the beginning. Subsequently, children would know how to deal with the Afghan’s sensitive nature.

The cost of the Afghan dog’s maintenance and the purchase is expensive. A significant sum of money has to be spent on grooming, food, health, care and other necessities.

Provide your Afghan enough protein for its body, water for keeping it hydrated, and fats are useful too.

Something Fun About Afghan Hounds!

The Afghan Hounds are considered as one of the most uniquely elegant and regal dogs in the world. They were once used by the rulers of the kingdoms of mountainous regions in Afghanistan.

Scientific evidence says that they are one of the oldest breeds of dogs in history. They date back thousands of years.

The great painter Pablo Picasso once owned an Afghan Hound who he had named Kabul. His painting of his own Afghan got sold for $10 million in the year 2012.

The famous toy Barbie Doll featured the Afghan Hound as its pet, which had become extremely famous among kids.

Surprisingly, the Afghan Hounds were used for hunting in both the desert and the mountainous regions. Thus, they are naturally well accustomed to both the cold and hot climates.

Due to their stately and glossy appearance, they have been used many times in famous movies such as Disney’s 101 Dalmatians. They have also appeared in novels, television advertisements, and fashion magazines.

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