Afghan Hounds are one of the oldest dog breeds in the world, though they are now found in several rescue shelters around the world.
Afghan Hounds date lower back to historic times, and the pedigree database dates lower back hundreds of years in the past with the aid of using human beings of Afghanistan, North India, and Pakistan. Though they’re effortlessly located in rescue shelters, breeders may even promote them to make a take advantage of their lengthy but silky hair.
Originally bred as looking puppies, those puppies are robust and independent, requiring lots of exercising to hold wholesome and mentally occupied. They have a tendency to be on their toes constantly, displaying off their hair. However, a few proprietors hold them shaved or short-haired to assist them cool off in hotter environments.
3 Pros and Cons of Owning Afghan Hounds
To apprehend the benefits and drawbacks to adopting an Afghan Hound (specially thinking about the excessive fee of the breed), this listing offers an independent look. All of those elements have to be taken into consideration while determining if this breed is the proper animal for the household. Here are some execs and cons approximately the breed:
| Pros! | Cons! |
| Warm personalities: These dogs are social and loving with the members of their human family, making them a sweet family pet. | Needs a lot of space: These dogs usually do not stay comfortable in small spaces and need a spacious area to let their energy out. |
| Energetic: If you are looking for a dog breed that is energetic and pushes you to get out of the house, this is the right pup. With a constant desire to exercise, they are a great jogging companion. | Strong chase instinct: These dogs have very strong chase instincts, which may not be best for small animals or especially excitable children. |
| Minimal shedding: If you are someone who is looking for a minimal mess and brushing, these dogs shed surprisingly little for having such a long coat. | High-maintenance grooming: Even though they do not shed a lot, it takes a lot of time to groom these dogs because of their long, silky hair. This issue can be remedied by keeping the puppy shaved or short-haired, which some owners will do to keep their dogs cool when the weather gets warmer. |
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Afghan Hound Size and Weight
With lengthy and delightful hair, those puppies have a slender however athletic physique. Female Afghan hounds are typically approximately 25 inches tall, aleven though the men stand a touch taller at 27 inches. Meanwhile, each girl and male sorts weigh approximately 50 to 60 pounds.
Learn more about the best big dog breeds here.
| Height (Male): | 27 inches tall |
| Height (Female): | 25 inches tall |
| Weight (male): | 50 to 60 lbs., fully grown |
| Weight (female): | 50 to 60 lbs., fully grown |
Common Health Issues
The lovely look of the Afghan hound may be deceiving, because the breed comes with more than one fitness issues to be able to require normal veterinary care to save you and deal with them.
Their lengthy legs and tall construct positioned them at full-size chance of hip and elbow dysplasia, evidenced with the aid of using the misalignment of the bones withinside the joints that maintain them. Issues frequently rise up withinside the thyroid gland, which regulates numerous metabolic processes.
Juvenile cataracts may be some other situation for this canine breed. These cataracts cloud the eye, stopping the canine from seeing clearly, subsequently main to blindness.
Laryngeal paralysis is not unusualplace in those puppies. This paralysis makes respiratory difficult, aleven though the circumstance is treatable. Unfortunately, earlier than the remedy begins, it’s miles uncertain if the animal will nevertheless have an excellent first-rate of life.
One of the illnesses that this breed can completely face is Von Willebrand disease. The circumstance prevents the blood from clotting for the reason that animal might lack sure proteins which can be prepurported to manipulate the clotting. Though the trait is ingrained withinside the DNA, now no longer all Afghan’s increase it.
The fitness problems that those puppies face will frequently rely on their breeding, which may be checked in opposition to the pedigree database. Overall, a number of the not unusualplace fitness problems referring to this canine breed consist of:
- Hip dysplasia
- Elbow dysplasia
- Juvenile cataracts
- Thyroid problems
- Laryngeal paralysis
- Von Willebrand disease
Afghan Hound Temperament
Afghan hounds are very content material and easy-entering into temperament, aleven though they may be usually up and running. Due to their herbal searching desire, their intelligence is nicely-acceptable for out of doors sports that require patience or energy. They additionally have a tendency to be robust-willed and aloof.
While it is also not unusualplace for them to live distanced from strangers, they may be particularly warm toward their human families. They can occasionally be timid with new reports and those however are typically very brave, making them an excellent breed for protective the home.
To make sure that those puppies emerge as acclimated to different breeds, they want to be added to a social circle from early on.
How to Take Care of Afghan Hounds
Before you finalize your choice to undertake the Afghan Hound from a rescue or a breeder, you want to apprehend the quantity of care that is going into them. This breed has many grooming desires, and that they want to be fed often to thrive and develop. Here are a few matters which you ought to realize approximately taking top care of those puppies:
The Best Dog Food for Afghan Hounds
Afghan puppies do nicely with a excellent protein-primarily based totally food plan. Split the canine meals into food, totaling about 2-2.five cups of excellent canine meals a day (like Pedigree) to preserve your puppy satisfied.
Some of the human ingredients those puppies revel in consist of hen and candy potatoes. However, the meals and vitamins necessities of the Afghan hound dogs are exclusive from the ones of person varities, as they want greater protein of their boom years.
With the stated chance of hip and elbow dysplasia that accompanies Afghan Hounds’ lanky frame, including glucosamine to this canine’s food plan is a superb plan. Hypothyroidism is some other severe situation, and this circumstance has an affiliation with laryngeal paralysis. Feeding Afghan Hounds an natural food plan should assist mitigate endocrine (hormonal) disruptions connected to hypothyroidism and laryngeal paralysis.
Maintenance and Grooming
Afghan hounds do now no longer shed much, however brushing via their lengthy hair takes a at the same time as, so account for the more time throughout their grooming session. These classes ought to consist of normal bathing to save you dander and to preserve their fur glossy.
Brush via the hair at the same time as it’s miles nevertheless moist, the usage of a grooming spray to save you painful tangles. Often, those puppies require a few form of oil to nourish the fur. In the equal session, proprietors ought to preserve their puppy’s nails trimmed.
If you need to spend much less time on their hair, they want to preserve their puppy short-haired.
Training
When it involves schooling, the robust-willed nature of the Afghan hounds makes them pretty stubborn. A company however superb tone is important to deliver authority, aleven though proprietors can also additionally nevertheless have a difficult time with schooling. They aren’t regarded to be obedient and frequently do now no longer reply to schooling tricks.
Exercise
Afghan hounds are extraordinarily lively puppies, because of this that that they want to have normal exercising to preserve them happy. Optimally, make certain that your canine receives at the least hours of exercising each day for it to stay suit and healthy.
They might want a variety of area to run around. Physical pastime is understood to undoubtedly effect those puppies, supporting them to preserve their top behavior.
Puppies
An Afghan hound doggy desires to be sorted in a comparable manner as you’ll cope with an person variety. However, they’ll want to have greater protein of their food plan than adults, supporting them to develop into athletic and robust adults. To make sure that the meals isn’t always overwhelming, damage their food into numerous small food.
Afghan Hounds and Children
Afghan hounds are brilliant with kids. They are playful and their electricity frequently makes them well matched to be the precise playmates with the kids. It is stated that the great could be to allow your doggy develop vintage together along with your kids to growth in addition to preserve their compatibility. However, Afghan hounds typically have low ache tolerance that could occasionally be a trouble with kids withinside the lengthy run.
Dogs Similar to Afghan Hound
Though it is easy to see the history of the Afghan hound on a pedigree database, some pet owners may want an alternative breed that would work for them. Here are some dogs that are similar to the Afghan:
- Basenji: These dogs were also originally bred for hunting purposes. They are energetic and affectionate and are often known as barkless dogs.
- Bloodhound: These dogs were originated in France and were used for hunting purposes. They are now also used for tracking people down.
- Greyhound: These dogs are known to be the fastest dog breed. They are racers and make sweet and calm pets especially when they are old.
Popular Names for Afghan Hounds
Here are some of the popular names for the Afghan hound dogs:
- Prince
- Marques
- Nicholas
- Princess
- Leopold
