Afghan Hound

[TexasRanger]

Afghan Hound

History: The Afghan Hound was discovered by the West in Afghanistan in the 19th century. They had been around for centuries, living with the tribes in the desert hunting rabbits and other game. Two distinct types evolved from the southern and western desert regions. During WWI the breed almost went extinct in the West. Modern Afghan's date back from the 1920's when a group was brought to Scotland.
Temperament: Aloof and dignified, happy and clownish when playing.
Grooming:They require regular grooming.
Health: Allergies, Cancer, sensitivity to anesthesia, chylothorax. They typically live from 12-18 years.
Colors: All colors, except for white markings on the head.

[Pops2]

please note the aboriginal afghan does not have the excessive coat of the kennel club types.

[MicksMom]

Originally Posted by Pops2

please note the aboriginal afghan does not have the excessive coat of the kennel club types.

Good point, Pops!

[Romy]

Originally Posted by Pops2

please note the aboriginal afghan does not have the excessive coat of the kennel club types.

It's not that they have excessive coat. In the 60s or 70s (I forget which) someone discovered that if you brush the hair while it's wet it doesn't break. So people started grooming them like that. You can take a modern AKC afghan and dry brush it, its coat will break and look like the aboriginal dog's coats. You can take an aboriginal dog and wet brush it, its coat will grow long. My uncle had an afghan while we were growing up who came from AKC parents with long flowing coats. They never showed him or groomed him specially (or even bathed him for that matter, he was pretty stinky). From years of only being brushed dry, this is what his coat ended up looking like:

Note, this is not him, just a dog that looks like him


There are also a lot of modern dogs who still have that patterned look where the hair grows in very short along the back.

Personally I like the look of the aboriginal dogs a lot better. I don't think I could live with an afghan in show coat.

[Fran101]

My mom recently acquired one of these dogs.
the dog is absolutely beautiful, blonde and graceful. but the most STUCK UP DOG ive ever met! lol I swear this dog rolls her eyes at you if you call her over and act silly

Now, the dogs original owner got her from strictly show lines.
she is in her show coat and it requires A LOT of care, my mom has to brush and detangle, and condition the coat every day to keep it looking good.

but, her exercise needs aren't very great. a stroll around the block and a run in the park and shes fine.

[animalcraker]

Originally Posted by Romy

There are also a lot of modern dogs who still have that patterned look where the hair grows in very short along the back.

Show dogs are REQUIRED to have the short hair along the back. It's called a saddle. Some dogs have a larger saddle than others, and most saddles on show dogs are inhanced so they have a cleaner line between the show coat and the saddle. When people talk about "paterned" afghans they are typically talking about dogs that have saddles further down on their sides and even down thier thighs, these are perfectly acceptable but chances are you're only going to see them at a specialty show. Afghans can also have short hair on thier pasterns, dogs with this paterning have whats called Turkish pants.