Afghan Hound - Training

The Afghan Hound is a very intelligent dog but it does have an independent streak that requires patience and understanding. They need consistent and firm training but should never be treated harshly either in voice or correction as they will quickly become timid and may exhibit signs of becoming very nervous, anxious and high strung. Calm, gentle training as well as an understanding of the breeds needs to run and exercise on a daily basis is essential.The Afghan Hound will often become bored of the same types of routines and training activities. Try to provide as much of a variety as possible. Never punish the dog for being itself, remember they...

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Afghan Hound - Exercise

As a small pup let the dog play at its own pace. See that is does not run up and down too many stairs as it is hard on the developing shoulders. Never let the young dog jump off the grooming table and if you are a jogger, do not take him/her along until he/she is at least eight months old. Do take your pal for walks but gradually lengthen the distance as he/she gets older. One of our dogs did marathons with us. Be a playmate and play ball or another game but remember not to play games that the dog will win as he/she thinks that they are the master andd you are under them in the pack pecking order. You must always be the pack leader or alpha....

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Afghan Hound - Matting

Should you happen to find a mat in the dogs coat - dont panic. You may be able to pull it apart with your fingers or split it with scissors or anothr special tool. Spray "The Stuff" into the mat, work it into the matt with your fingers and let it sit for at least ten minutes. Attempt to pull it apart with your fingrs and brush out the area. If this doesn't work then use a pair of scissors or a detangling tool or matt splitter and use a sawing motion from the skin outward and downwards. Never, Never Cut The Mat Out Of The Coatthis leaves a hole in the wonderful coat and you should have purchased a Saluki. Promptly remove twigs, leaves and any...

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Afghan Hound - Shedding

Although the Afghan is a single coated dog and does not shed like double-coated breeds (their hair compares to human hair) and may break and fall out. Split ends are a problem and proper hair care will reduce them. At approximately nine months of age the puppy starts to loose its puppy coat/wool. Simultaneously the adult silky coat is growing in and both types of hair entangle and create the dreaded matte. During this period examine the puppy and brush it daily to avoid creating apples under the arms and behind the ears. You'll find Afghan hair on couches, the best suit and all your visitors but with proper hair care the amount of loose hair...

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Afghan Hound - Grooming Procedure

Using a spray nozzle attached to your tap/shower will prove most effective when bathing the Afghan. The use of a raised tub will make the bathing process easier on you and allow eye contact with the dog. The procedure should be a fun experience for the dog as it is a life long task. Ensure that everything is within reach and you do not have to leave the dog alone. The first time a pup is bathed will be a frightening experience and you must ensure that you do everything in your power to soothe the dog and keep it relaxed. Do not loose your temper, think about your first visit to the dentist or barber and how you felt. Your pup feels very much...

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Afghan Hound - Grooming Tools

Grooming Tools - You will need the following items:nail clippersa pin brusha slicker brusha comb with medium and coarse spacing between the teetha pair of pointed barbers scissorsa pair of rounded barbers scissorsa few spray bottlesa grooming tablea grooming arma hair dryer (1500 Watt or profession...

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Afghan Hound - A Snood

Something that is very useful is a Snood. This is a tube that slips over the dogs' head when he/she eat and prevents the ears from dangling in the dinner bowl. This way your dog can grow those long feathered ears you've admired on other adult Afghans. A snood is easily made from the leg of a mans sock or if you're handy with a crochet hook you make a rectangle of double crochet and fold it in half to make the tube, sew together and presto, instant snood. You can also take a rectangular piece of material and stitch it across several times with elastic thread and then stitch it together. If you get your dog familiar with the snood from the start...

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Afghan Hound - Diet & Feeding

Diet - Your puppy eats an excellent puppy food. You have enough food to last one week. If you can not find a dealer that handles the brand of food in your area you can change the puppy's food to another quality puppy food. I suggest Iams, Technical or ANF. If you do find it necessary to change your puppy's food, do so gradually, over a two week period. Start by putting approximately three quarters of the present food with one quarter of the new food for three or four days. Then increase to fifty-fifty and so on until you are only feeding the new food. Ensure you maintain this schedule to avoid loose stooles or diarrhea, which could lead to dehydration...

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Afghan Hound - Grooming

The long, thick coat demands a great deal of attention. When showing there is a must to bath once a week. Do not brush in-between baths in order to keep coat long and shiny. Brushing a dry coat will damage the coat and even make it more easily matted. Weekly baths are not as important if your Afghan is a pet and will not be shown, but doing so will make the coat less matted and will save you time in the end. Many wear snoods indoors to protect their ears from food bowls. A special air-cushioned brush or pinbrush is useful for grooming. This breed is an average shedder.The long, silky beautiful hair of the Afghan Hound requires regular, daily...

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Afghan Hound - Origin & History

OriginThis is a very ancient dog, native to Sinai, and mentioned several times in Egyptian papyruses as well as pictured in the caves of northern Afghanistan more than 4000 years ago. The breed was kept pure for centuries, and its exportation was always prohibited. It therefore only reached Europe as contraband early in this century. This elegant sighthound was used as a shepherd and hunter of many types of game including deer, wild goats, and even wolves and snow leopards. They were also used by shepherds as herders and watchdogs. An extremely fast and agile runner, the Afghan Hound pursues game by sight. His thick coat protects against temperature...

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Afghan Hound - Health

Morbidity and Health ConcernsMajor health issues are allergies, and cancer. Sensitivity to anesthesia 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 are also among the dog breeds most likely to develop chylothorax, a rare condition which causes the thoracic ducts to leak, allowing large quantities of chyle fluid to enter the dog's chest cavity. This condition commonly results in a lung torsion (in which the dog's lung twists within the chest cavity, requiring emergency surgery), due to the breed's typically deep, "barrel"-shaped chest. If not corrected...

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Afghan Hound Breed Standard

Afghan Hound Breed StandardAppearanceThe Afghan Hound is tall, standing 24 to 29 inches (63-74 cm) in height and weighing 45 to 60 pounds (20-30 kg). The coat may be any colour, but white markings, particularly on the head, are discouraged; many individuals have a black facial mask. Some specimens have facial hair that looks like a Manchu moustache that are called "mandarins." Some Afghan Hounds are almost white, but particolour 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...

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Afghan Hound - A Description

An Ancient Breed - Origins Lost In the Mist of Time?It was near Jebel Musa or the Mountains of Moses, on the peninsula called Sinia, between the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba, that the breed known as the Afghan Hound first became a recognized type of dog. This place, long held sacred by Hebrew and Christian alike, was part of ancient Egypt when the Afghan Hound's existence was first mentioned on a papyrus.The document, which forms the cornerstone of the history of the Afghan Hound, is from the period 3000 TO 4000 BC, and mentions the dog so often that there is little doubt of the afghans existence at this time. According to Major Blackstone,...

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Afghan Hound - An Introduction

CONGRATULATIONS! You have just become the proud owner of one of the worlds most beautiful and elegant breeds of dog - The Afghan HoundThe 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 hares, and gazelles by coursing them. Its local name is Tāzhī (Pashto: تاژی) or Tāzī (Persian: تازی). Other alternate names for this breed are Balkh Hound, Baluchi Hound, Barutzy Hound, Shalgar Hound, Kabul Hound, Galanday Hound, or sometimes incorrectly African...

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