- History of the breed
The afghan hound breed is so old, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly where it originated. Legend has it that the Afghan hound was the dog rescued on Noah’s Ark. Some puppies are born with a white stripe on their forehead – Noah’s mark for the dog needed saving.
More likely,the dogs came over into Afghanistan with Alexander the Great’s Army – rock carvings of distinct Afghan looking dogs in caves in Afghanistan to support this theory.
Many experts, however point to the Saluki as the ancestor of the Afghan hound due to their closeness in appearance and both have been referred to as the Persian Greyhound. There is a lot of debate re the actual oldest breed.
These graceful dogs might look like they were bred for a life of luxury, but originally, they were bred to aid hunters in the deserts and mountains of Afghanistan. Once on the chase the dogs cornered animals, such as Leopards and Mountain Lions, and kept them at bay until their owners could catch up. These clever dogs are capable of hunting and thinking independently, which means they need very little direction out in the field.
The average Afghan hound can reach speeds of up to 60km / hr. For comparison, that’s about as fast as a Purebred Horse. The fastest horse in the world can only reach 70,75km / hr.
The Afghan hound is not only quick, but also incredibly agile and able to turn on a dime. Their unusual hip placement (wider and higher apart compared to other breeds) allows them to make quick turns and manoeuvre around the uneven terrain of Afghani mountains.
The Afghan hound is a member of a group of slender dogs known as Sighthounds. This group includes the Greyhound, Whippet, Borzoi and Saluki. As the name suggests, they have great vision. These dogs have dolichocephalic heads which gives them a 270 degrees field of vision.
The most distinctive feature of the Afghan Hound is off course its long flowing fur.
The silky mane certainly looks regal, but it has a more important function. The fur keeps the dog warm and cool in the harsh Afghani climate.
Picasso’s love of dogs is well known. In the artist’s lifetime he kept all sorts of breeds, from terriers to poodles. He was especially close with a Dachshund named Lump, but his other favourite was his Afghan hound named Kabul. Kabul appeared in many of his paintings with his wife Jacqueline. His statue Tête (Maquette pour la sculpture en plein air du Chicago Civic Center) was inspired by his Jacqueline, but if you look closely, features the long nose of his Afghan hound.
Did you know that Katherine Hepburn was a handler for Afghans before she became famous?
Afghan hounds are a sturdy breed and generally don’t have many concerns. On average the Afghan hound can live to the ripe age of 14 years. That said, they have a very low threshold for pain and will whimper at the slightest injury. Keep that in mind while cutting your Afghan hound’s nails.
Afghan hounds are sighthounds, that means they like to run. Like other dogs in their class, if they see something they want, they will take off after it. It’s important to keep Afghan hounds in a fenced-in area or on a tight leach. It’s not uncommon for afghan hounds to run across a street without looking.
Some Afghan hounds are sometimes referred to as The Scented hound because they have scent glands in their cheeks that emit a musky or vanilla odour.
Please listen or read the Afghan Hound times Extract I added below.
FEDERATION CYNOLOGIQUE INTERNATIONALE (AISBL)
SECRETARIAT GENERAL: 13, Place Albert 1er B – 6530 Thuin (Belgique)
12.12.2011/EN
FCI-Standard N° 228
AFGHAN HOUND
©M.Davidson, illustr. NKU Picture Library
This illustration does not necessarily show the ideal example of the breed.
FCI-St. N° 228 / 12.12.2011
ORIGIN: Afghanistan
PATRONAGE: Great Britain.
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE OFFICIAL VALID
STANDARD: 13.10.2010.
UTILIZATION: Sighthound.
FCI-CLASSIFICATION: Group 10 Sighthounds.
Section 1 Long-haired or fringed sighthounds.
Without working trial.
BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY:
The first Afghans arrived in Britain in the early 1900s and one, called Zardin, won in spectacular style at the 1907 Crystal Palace show in London. The breed is also known as the Tazi, supporting its resemblance to a Russian breed of that name.
One of the typical sighthounds of the world, the Afghan:
-who, as his name implies, comes from the mountains of Afghanistan
-is a hunter and will chase if given opportunity. Nowadays also a
glamorous show dog which must combine strength and dignity with
a long, silky coat as well as having an Oriental expression.
GENERAL APPEARANCE:
Gives the impression of strength and dignity, combining speed and power. Head held proudly.
BEHAVIOUR AND TEMPERAMENT:
Eastern or Oriental expression is typical of breed. The Afghan looks at and through one. Dignified and aloof, with a certain keen fierceness.
HEAD:
CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: Long, not too narrow with prominent occiput. Well balanced
and mounted by a long “top-knot”.
Stop: Slight.
FACIAL REGION:
Nose: Preferably black, liver permissible in light-coloured dogs.
Muzzle: Long, with punishing jaws.
Jaws / Teeth: Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete
scissor bite, i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth
and set square to the jaws. Level bite (pincer bite, edge to edge)
tolerated.
Eyes: Dark for preference, but golden colour not debarred. Nearly
triangular in appearance, slanting slightly upwards from inner corner
to outer corner.
Ears: Set low and well back, carried close to head. Covered with
long silky hair.
NECK:
Long, strong with proud carriage of head.
BODY:
Back: Level, moderate length, well muscled.
Loin: Straight, broad and rather short.
Croup: Falling slightly away to stern. Hipbones rather prominent
and wide apart.
Chest: A fair spring of ribs and good depth.
TAIL:
Not too short. Set on low with ring at end. Raised when in
action. Sparsely feathered.
LIMBS:
FOREQUARTERS:
Shoulder: Long and sloping, set well back, well muscled and strong
without being loaded.
Upper arm: Long and sloping.
Elbow: In profile vertically below the withers. Close to rib cage,
turning neither in nor out.
Forearm: Forelegs straight and well boned.
Metacarpus (Pastern): Long and springy.
Forefeet: Strong and very large both in length and breadth, and
covered with long, thick hair; toes arched. Pads well down on
ground.
HINDQUARTERS:
General appearance: Powerful. Great length between hip and hock, with comparatively short distance between hock and foot.
Stifle (Knee): Well bent and well turned.
Hind feet: Long, but not quite as broad as forefeet; covered with long thick hair; toes arched. Pads well down on ground.
GAIT / MOVEMENT:
Smooth and springy with a style of high order.
COAT:
Hair: Long and very fine texture on ribs, fore and hindquarters and
flanks. In mature dogs from shoulder backwards and along the
saddle, hair short and close. Hair long from forehead backwards,
with a distinct silky “top-knot “. On the foreface hair short. Ears and
legs well coated. Pasterns can be bare. Coat must develop naturally.
Any evidence of clipping or scissoring should be penalized.
Colour: All colours acceptable.
SIZE:
Ideal height at the withers:
Males: 68 – 74 cms.
Females: 63 – 69 cms.
FAULTS:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be
considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be
regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect
upon the health and welfare of the dog.
DISQUALIFYING FAULTS:
· Aggressive or overly shy dogs.
· Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
N.B.:
· Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully
descended into the scrotum.
· Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical
conformation should be used for breeding.
I AM …… AFGHAN
IF YOU LOVE ME, FEED ME, GROOM ME AND TAKE ME FOR DAILY WALKS, I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU, ALWAYS BE LOYAL AND ALWAYS PROTECT YOU.
BUT…I CANNOT PROMISE TO………..
- COME IMMEDIATELY IF YOU CALL ME, BECAUSE I MIGHT BE BUSY WITH THE FOLLOWING AFGHAN WORK:
- GARDENING
- FURNITURE ARRANGEMENT AND PILLOW TO FLOOR DISTRIBUTION AND LET’S SEE WHAT’S INSIDE THE PILLOW?
- RE-MODELLING OF ALL UNATTENDED PLASTIC LIDS AND TUPPERWARE
- READING THE NEWSPAPER
- QUALITY CONTROL OF ALL TOILET PAPER AND TISSUES
- AND SOMETIMES I MIGHT EVEN BE PROMPTED TO TEST TOILET WATER
- BRING IN A SAMPLE FROM OUTSIDE FOR MY “SHOW AND TELL” SUBJECT: “I HAD A POO” OR MAYBE I WANT TO KEEP IT FOR LATER ON MY BED (OR YOURS) WHEN I AM HUNGRY?
- ALWAYS DO MY STUFF OUTSIDE, BECAUSE I MIGHT HAVE BEEN TOO BUSY TO NOTICE THAT I NEEDED TO GO…UNTIL NOW?
- PRETEND I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU SPEAK TO ME, IT MIGHT BE A LANGUAGE BARRIER …OR I JUST DID SOMETHING WRONG AND I BECAME DEAF?
- NOT RUN AROUND IN THE HOUSE, OVER FURNITURE AND BEDS AND YARD TWICE A DAY FOR 10 MINUTES AS IF I HAVE THE DEVIL HIMSELF ON MY TAIL
- JUMP ON YOUR BED…WHEN I GOT SCARED…OR JUST TO DO A QUALITY TEST ON BED LINEN
- BITE MY SQUEAKY TOY CONTINUOUSLY WHILE YOU ARE BUSY, WHEN I AM FRUSTRATED AND NEED YOU…
- STEAL STUFF THAT YOU DON’T WANT ME TO PLAY WITH….YOU DO KNOW THAT STEALING IS PART OF MY DNA, DON’T YOU?
- LOOK AFTER MY COAT …BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN TOO BUSY JUST BEING A PUPPY OR A DOG
- LIE DOWN OR SLEEP ON THE COUCH, FLOOR, AGAINST THE WALL OR BED ……AS IF I HAVE BEEN SHOT
- NOT SNAP AT SOME SMALL HUMAN IF THEY HIT ME FIRST – YOU KNOW I DON’T NORMALLY DO THAT?
- NOT BARK OR HOWL WHEN YOU COME HOME AFTER YOU HAVE BEEN AWAY FOREVER AND LEFT ME ALL ALONE
- PRETEND I LIKE YOUR FRIENDS…. SOMETIMES I DON’T WANT TO BE SHOWN OFF AND MAYBE I DON’T TRUST OR LIKE THEM AND I HAVE TO RELY ON MY OWN GUT FEELINGS…
- JUMP UP WHEN I SEE YOU …EVEN IF YOU JUST WENT TO THE KITCHEN, I MISSED YOU….
- NOT TO SULK… WHEN YOU REPRIMANDED ME
- NOT TO STARE OUT IN THE DISTANCE… BEING AN AFGHAN REQUIRES A LOT OF DEEP THOUGHT… I AM REGAL AND MY SOUL IS OLD, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT DON’T YOU?
PRETEND TO LIKE BEING A SHOW DOG…I MIGHT HAVE A HEADACHE, OR HATE THE WAY THE JUDGE TOUCH MY B…., OR BARK AT THE FUNNY SMALL DOGS WALKING PAST MY GAZEBO, AND IN ANY CASE, WHAT DOES JUDGES KNOW ABOUT CLASS ANYWAY..
(written by Elsie de Bruin 2018)
Grooming the Afghan Hound
By Anna Stromberg
Without a question, the way to achieve the best results for a beautiful coat on your Afghan Hound is to have your dog, healthy, happy, clean and well-conditioned. The Afghan Hound coat goes through at least four different stages that are divided by age and sex.
The original article can be found on www.afghansofgrandeur.com
The older the dog gets, the easier the coat care becomes. As babies, they do not have much more than fuzz – this is the time when you are training your pup and yourself for a problem-free future. It is not that difficult, but it is a lot of work teaching the pup to lay down and stay still, to get used to having a bath and to accept the hair dryer without having a screaming fit.
Everything has to be introduced gradually, but it’s very important to do it. If you cheat because the dog is young and really does not need the everyday attention to the coat, you are going to have some serious problems in the future. You will end up losing control over your dog because of his or her fear of the water in the tub and the noise of the hairdryer. So if you do not want to end up wrestling a 50 to 60 pound distressed yearling full of mats, you will work hard and long with your pup. I have had to retrain many Afghans because their novice owner did not know how important it is to teach them the ropes as a puppy. I hope that I have stressed this enough so we can discuss how to groom your Afghan properly and easily.
THE BABY:
With a baby, I mean the 8 to 16 week old cutie, the one that will be rolling in the dirt, mud and worse things, it is important not make a big fuss. Just put the baby in the tub and rinse it quickly, and then shampoo it with almost anything. It’s more important that the puppy gets the feel for water and the fragrances than anything else. Count on the pup to scream and want to get out of the tub. Having a collar to grab onto is a good idea. Rinse the puppy as well as you can. If he or she is an instant star, you can rinse everything out and then put cream rinse on. If the pup is a maniac, just get done as quickly as you can. Thoroughly wash all the cream rinse out; I never leave anything on. Towel the pup in the tub and praise it and calm it down if necessary.
Lift the puppy out onto a grooming table and make sure it won’t fall off. Never leave it unattended. If you have it attached to a grooming table with a leash, make sure that the leash is long enough that if your puppy jumps or falls off the table, it will not strangle itself. Start brushing it with a slicker or a pin brush. You really can’t destroy the puppy coat with a slicker, so it’s OK to use at this point. Make sure you can touch and lift the feet and that the puppy will let you touch its stomach and groin. If it’s a male, be sure to regularly feel for testicles.
When first using a dryer on your puppy, do not point it at the dog, but turn it on and let him get used to the noise. I always recommend a dryer with a lot of output of air where you can regulate the heat. Put your hand in front of the nozzle and you should be able to keep it there without it getting too hot. Try to blow-dry the dog as much as you can and then let the dog air dry or cage dry until the dog is completely dry. When bathing your dog, you should cut his nails, brush his teeth and clean his ears. This hygienic routine should become part of your dog’s grooming schedule. Snooding should be another standard rule to follow while your dog is eating. Getting the baby used to a snood while eating is as every bit as important as getting it used to the dryer. Long ears and silky topknot will be protected from chewing teeth and food leftovers with the use of a snood.
The next time you bathe your pup, it will be easier, I promise!
THE YOUNGSTER – THE HAIR BEAR
Hopefully you now have a good behaving dog on the table that might even be laying down on its side while being brushed. Some people prefer the dog standing the whole time and others would rather have them lay down while battling mats and knots. It is up to you and your dog. The really heavy coat starts to come around 8 to 12 months of age in both bitches and dogs unless you have a patterned one that might not carry much of a coat. The difference is that it takes longer to dry the dog and as soon as it starts shedding the puppy coat is going to mat, and it will mat like crazy! Normally, bitches shed before dogs and as soon as they have come into season they will have a heavy coat drop. The good thing about it is that the girls normally get through it faster than the boys do.
During this period, you probably will have to put your Afghan on the grooming table and work on risky spots; behind the ears, elbows, side coat and mid thighs. This should be done daily to make sure the huge mats will not occur. Trust me, mats will pop up overnight and be a tangled, twisted mass. This is not the time when you cheat on grooming or think “I’ll do that tomorrow” because the mats will be out of control “tomorrow.” If the weather is bad during this period, I would suggest a serious brush through almost every day and baths every 4 to 5 days. It’s tough, but worth it. You will be able to show the dog afterwards. If you don’t do the daily check-ups, you can count on holes behind elbows and other such attractive attire.
First use a clarifying shampoo, then a conditioning shampoo for the second wash, and finally a really good heavy conditioner. You have to make sure you have the coat super clean before you condition it. Wrap your dog in towels and let it sit 10 to15 minutes with the conditioner. (I even warm the towels in a tumble dryer first to get the full impact!) This is a good time to clean your dog’s ears and teeth.
Take the towels off and use the other side of them later to dry the dog. It is very important to rinse out all the conditioner. After 10 to15 minutes, the wrapped-up hair has sucked up all the goodies it needs and you can rinse the excess off. If you don’t, the leftovers will just sit on the hair cuticles and make the surface of them rough and dull, and the coat will appear wooly and full of static. The more gunk you leave on the coat, the faster the next bath will have to come. If you keep the coat clean and untangled, it will last longer.
If your Afghan Hound is changing coat and there are still mats in the coat, the product “Showsheen” is very good to use. It’s a non-oily and non-silicone based shining spray for show horses, available in tack and western stores everywhere. When you start to put oil and silicone on the coat you are killing the cuticles. Oil clogs up the pores on the hair and suffocates it almost immediately. Try to stay away from that and it will help you in the long run. I can use Showsheen on the youngsters when I brush them out during the week. Always lightly mist a dry coat with water before brushing.
The hair can take more of a beating while wet because it has more elasticity. This is the time you should be getting the mats out and detangling your dog. Start the drying process and make sure that the finished dog is completely dry to the skin, with no damp spots on the elbows, back knees, or the belly. Dampness will miraculously transform itself into mats by the next day. Surprise! Use a sturdy quality pin brush with long pins that have a rubber bottom and pins without balls on the ends. A slicker brush has to be used very carefully and one must be very cautious not to do any damage. I might use them on heavily coated feet to make sure there are no mats left. Go through the finished dog with a steel comb with long teeth and a cold airflow on your dryer. The cold air helps close up the hair cuticles and relaxes the hair a little. Make sure you check between the toes for mats and between the pads for objects such as burrs, twigs and grass. This will prevent the dogs from getting any sores. During this time, plucking out unnecessary hair with your fingers is important, but that is another whole discussion of caring for and grooming the Afghan Hound.
THE ADULT AFGHAN:
Getting through the difficult times with your young Afghan Hound is such a relief and satisfaction that you will not notice the weekly grooming of your now fully coated and hopefully silky coated beautiful companion. The coat will just continue to grow and get longer and more beautiful, and now you are so good with dealing with it. Normally it is the drying time that increases, but not necessarily. A mature dog that has no major stress factors in its life; such as, serious infection, anaesthesia, surgery, hormonal changes such as whelping a litter or a false pregnancy, will have an easy coat to maintain. You will probably just have to deal with poor weather conditions.
If a situation as mentioned above occurs, you will immediately notice a change in the dog’s coat. Shedding might occur and then you are back at the yearling stage. Check the coat daily and make sure any illness gets treated promptly and properly. When bitches come in season they can start dropping coat approximately 10 to 12 weeks afterwards. Some bitches drop more, others less and sometimes it goes by unnoticed. Infections and injuries treated with antibiotics or any type of cortisone-type medication can cause a coat drop and it can be a difficult time if the dog is not feeling well enough to deal with coat care.
Wrapping the coat of the adult Afghan Hound is a good way to band the side coats up on the males to protect the groin hair from damaging urine. To wrap the hair, you start from the groin and wrap the side coat forward and the leg coat downwards. Take a two inch piece of hair and band it up and then connect it to the next two inch piece to get a “French braid” effect along the chest. For the legs, take two to three inches of hair from the front and then connect it to the next piece of hair.
I normally do not do more than three bands on each side, but dogs with ample coat may require more.
The ponytail cannot be too tight to the skin, or it will prevent the dog from moving out. I will band the end ponytail to the tip.
The head is banded differently. It is important not to get close to the ear leather, because you will stop the circulation in the ear. Always run a comb between the ear leather and the top wrap. Be sure to see the teeth of the comb from the opposite side.
The topknot is banded separately from the ears. I band the ears all the way out to the tip. For each of the bands I put in, I make sure it is tight around the hair but not too tight to the skin. The bulk of the topknot may require a few bands, and be careful not to band too tight at the base – if the corners of the eyes are being pulled or tilting upward, it’s too tight!
THE SENIOR:
When age starts to creep up on your Afghan Hound, you may feel it necessary to clip back some parts of the coat to reduce the rigors of grooming. Again this is up to you, if the dog is alert and healthy, a full bath of a completely coated dog is fine. However, if you feel it necessary you can always clip the belly and the inside of the dog’s legs. No one likes to see a naked Afghan, but sometimes it is necessary. Don’t be afraid to do it if you absolutely have to, but have someone help you, because in most cases the dog is either badly injured or gravely ill.
DIET AND EXERCISE
A good diet and exercise is every bit as important as caring for the coat with good tools and good products. A poorly nutritioned dog will never carry a good coat, and poorly conditioned flabby body will never have the metabolism to get good nutrition out to the hair tips. Everything goes hand in hand. A dog that feels good will look good. If you have a picky eater, a little cottage cheese or chicken and noodles will boost the appetite. Don’t get the dog into the habit that he or she only eats the treats. A dog that eats its portion with a good appetite will not need any extras. Exercising the Afghan Hound should be done on a regular daily basis. They should free run in an enclosed area, have long walks and jog either next to you or alongside a bike. Never crate your dog just to grow coat. The above is a good mixture to have a nice mellow dog, whether in the house or in the kennel.
Good Luck with your Afghans and their care!
Anna Stromberg