Afghan Hound
Dogs
Afghan Hound
Afghan Hound |
A gold coated Afghan
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Alternative names |
Baluchi Hound
Sage Baluchi
Tazi |
Country of origin |
Afghanistan |
Classification and breed standards |
FCI: |
Group 10 Section 1 #228 |
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AKC: |
Hound |
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ANKC: |
Group 4 - (Hounds) |
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CKC: |
Group 2 - (Hounds) |
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KC (UK): |
Hound |
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NZKC: |
Hounds |
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UKC: |
Sighthounds and Pariah Dogs |
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Not recognized by any major kennel club |
This breed of dog is
extinct |
The Afghan Hound is a very old
sighthound
dog
breed.
Distinguished by its thick, fine, silky coat and its tail with a ring curl at
the end, the breed acquired its unique features in the cold mountains of
Afghanistan, where it was originally used to hunt
wolves,
foxes, and
gazelles.
Appearance
Afghan with reddish coat
The Afghan Hound is high-stationed, standing 24 to 28 inches (61-71 cm) in
height and weighing 45 to 60 pounds (23-28 kg). The coat may be any colour, but
white markings, particularly on the head, are discouraged; many individuals have
a black facial mask. However all Afghan Hounds have a white "blaze" on the
chest. Some are almost white, but particolor hounds (white with islands of red
or black) are not acceptable and may indicate impure breeding. The long,
fine-textured coat requires considerable care and grooming. The long topknot and
the shorter-haired saddle on the back in the mature dog are distinctive features
of the Afghan Hound coat. The high hipbones and unique small ring on the end of
the tail are also characteristics of the breed.
Temperament
The temperament of the Afghan Hound is aloof and dignified, but happy and
clownish when playing. The breed has the reputation of being the least
intelligent dog breed, though this is not necessarily true. The Afghan Hound has
many cat-like tendencies and is not slavish in its
obedience as are some other breeds. The Afghan hound has a leaning towards
independence. Owners should not be surprised if their Afghan hounds sometimes
chooses to ignore commands. Although seldom used today for hunting in
Europe and
America where they are popular, Afghans are frequent participants in
lure
coursing events and are popular as
show dogs.
Health
Afghans are a relatively healthy breed; major health issues are
allergies,
and cancer.
Sensitivity to
anaesthesia is an issue the Afghan hound shares with the rest of the
sighthound
group, as sighthounds have relatively low levels of body fat.
Afghan hounds as a whole are a fairly long-lived breed, often living 13-14
years.
History
The breed was always thought to date back at least to the pre-Christian era,
and recent discoveries by researchers studying ancient DNA have revealed that
the Afghan Hound is in fact one of the most
ancient dog breeds, dating back for many thousands of years. Its original
native name, Tazi, betrays its connection to the very similar
Tasy breed of Russia. The proximity of southern
Russia and
Afghanistan argue for a common origin for both breeds.
Initially, Afghani people refused to sell their national dog to outsiders;
the breed was not seen in
Europe and
America until after the turn of the
20th
century.
AKC and CKC did
not recognise the Afghan Hound until the 1930s.
On August 3, 2005, Korean scientist
Hwang Woo-Suk announced that his team of researchers had become the first team
to successfully clone a dog. The dog, an Afghan Hound, was named Snuppy. Later
that year, a pattern of lies and fraud by Hwang Woo-Suk came to light, throwing
in doubt all his claims. Snuppy, nonetheless, was a genuine clone, and thus the first cloned dog in history. ("The panel found
that Hwang's claims last year to have created the world's first cloned dog,
however, were genuine.")
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