Afghan Hound

Country: Afghanistan
Weight: 50-60 pounds
Height: 25-27 inches
Coat: Long, straight, think, silky; short on face
Color: Any color; white on head undesirable
Other Names: Tazi
Registry: FCI, AKC, TKC, CKC, UKC
Group: Southern

The history of the Afghan Hound is ancient, though the legend which claims the Afghan as the dog Noah took into the Ark may be a bit exaggerated. Migration of northern African sighthounds into the mountains of Afghanistan included some hounds with longer hair. In the cold mountain air, the heaviest coats were selected and bred from necessity, eventually creating the Afghan. The breed spread into the border areas and even into India and aided both the hunter and the shepherd.

His unique, upright tail with the curled end served as a marker in the heavier underbrush, and his high-set hip bones enabled him greater flexibility in the mountain ranges. The aristocratic, elegant Afghan was no pussycat, hunting big--even tough--game: wolves, foxes, and gazelles. In times past, he was a favorite of the Afghani nobility as an adjunct to the sport of falconry.

His old native name is Tazi, and his obvious resemblance to the like-named Tasy of Russia (even to ring in the tail) indicates similar histories. The proximity of southern Russia and Afghanistan geographically increases the likelihood of close ancestry.

Originally, sale of the national dog to outsiders was prohibited, and the first specimens to arrive in the United States and England did not appear until the turn of the 20th century. An English Captain Banff imported the exciting hound, "Zardin," from Afghanistan around this time. Exhibited at the Crystal Palace Show in 1907, he won spectacularly and started a true interest in the breed. Good breeding programs existed in Britain by the 1920s. AKC and CKC recognition followed in the 30s.

The Afghan coat bears singular requirements: the topknot and the distinct shorthaired saddle on the back which forms as an adult. It is permissible for the dog to display a shorthaired cuff on the feet. Frequent, fastidious combing is a neccessity. An ungroomed Afghan is not only unkempt but uncomfortable.

As well as being a highly celebrated show dog today, the Afghan participates in lure coursing. Despite their high numbers as show competitors, they have not achieved the same status as a pet, due to their size, coat care and exercise demands. Their temperament is aloof, though they can be the greatest of clowns at play time. From their origin on Mount Sinai to today's show ring, the Afghans are majesty at its peak. "At a glance, one can see the Eastern inscrutability; the conviction that they are royalty; the certainty that they are above lesser breeds."

All the information here was taken from "The Atlas of Dog Breeds of the World" - written by Bonnie Wilcox, DVM and Chris Walkowicz.