Breed All About It – Dog Breeds Starting With A – Afghan Hound

02/06/2017

https://youtu.be/Ri7u62lS2M0

Breed All About It – Dog Breeds starting With A – Afghan Hound

Often described as the king of dogs, the Afghan Hound is a majestic and elegant sight hound that many believe is one of the most ancient dog breeds. Legend has it that the Afghan Hound was the dog rescued on Noah’s Ark.

The first known country that we’re absolutely sure that it came from Afghanistan hence name Afghan hound.
And if you go back to Afghanistan you can see Afghans depicted on the walls in the northern caves of Afghanistan.

Instead of hunting by scent and endurance, Afghan Hounds like other sight hounds hunt by speed and sight.

Afghans were actually bred to hunt a gazelle and deer and leopards. So you can imagine how fast they must be.

In fact the Afghan hound can reach speeds of up to 40 miles per hour. That’s as fast as a thorough bred racehorse.
What makes these dogs so fast and sure-footed is the confirmation of their hips. Set high and wide apart they enable the Afghan to change direction quickly and to cover the uneven terrain in the Afghanistan mountains.

Today this breed has become a luxurious pet in America and Europe because of his aristocratic beauty.
Afghans are definitely sort of like the runway supermodel of the dog world.

This cover model canine has been featured in print, film and television, even inspiring Picasso to create his untitled sculpture molded after one of his own beloved Afghan Hounds.

There are not many things that are as beautiful as watching an Afghan with that flowing coat and the very elegant way they hold their head up high. They’re beautiful, beautiful dogs.

Developed to protect them from the harsh weather at high altitudes the first characteristic that makes this dog so remarkable is its long silky coat.
And the flowing coat is really their signature look.

The second characteristic is their Dolichocephalic skull. This is a long narrow shaped skull with a length being three times longer than the width. Shorter nose dogs like the boxer have a narrower field of vision, as low as 180 degrees, while a sight hound like the Afghan Hound has a field of vision up to 270 degrees. The third characteristic is their distinctive ringed tail.

Afghans have a very striking tail that actually curls into a point at the end. They also have a tendency to get that beautiful curled tail stuck in things or injured.

While they might have fragile tales, the bonds Afghans developed with the humans they love are unbreakable and profound. If you’re thinking of owning one of these extraordinary dogs, here are some things to know.

The average lifespan of these dogs is 14 years and they’re quite healthy. However they are hyper sensitive to pain and even small injuries can cause them great discomfort.

The Afghan Hound needs at least one hour of physical activity every day where they can run at full speed. But remember these dogs are sight hounds.
If they see something small running they’re going to chase it.
So they should be fenced in and they should always be monitored whenever they’re being exercised.

Experienced and gentle dog owners do best training this breed. Their sensitivity has an upside, making these dogs delightful family companions that thrive with loving and calm owners.

While beautiful, their long thick coat demands an enormous amount of grooming.

You do need to make sure that every day you at least run a brush through their coat to make sure they’re not matted.

So in general Afghan Hounds do best in calm environments and need about an hour of exercise every day. While a sturdy breed Afghans are hypersensitive to injuries. Their long coats require daily grooming. And their best trained by an experienced gentle hand.

Lastly the Afghan thrives in a family with older children.

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This post was created for your dogs pleasure by Rover, our roving reporter
Your hound on the ground

This article was first published at https://www.passpawt.com/tag/breedallaboutit

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