Afghan Hound Dog Tazi Spay, Sag-e Tazi public domain image for free download
Afghan Hound Dog
Height: 24 to 28 inches
Weight: 50 to 60 pounds
Size:
Coat:
Lifespan: 12 to 14 years
Description:
This large breed can be nervous, dignified, or even clownish. Their
long, silky coat comes in black, cream, silver, brindle and other solid,
exotic patterns. These dogs excel as broken field runners with their
characteristic agility and cunning.
History:
This dog is believed to have existed more than 7,000 years ago in the
desserts and mountains of present-day Afghanistan. The wealthy nobles
and royalty of Afghanistan hunted extensively with these dogs, and the
breed takes its name from its geographical origins. These dogs hunted
snow leopards, wolves, deer, and gazelle, among others. They hunt with
their keen eyesight, commonly designated as a Sighthound breed, and
their agility allowed them to cover extremely rugged terrain. The breed
came to the U.S. in the 1920's.
Fun things to do:
The Afghan Hound loves to run, and needs plenty of exercise, even in the
city. Try several long walks, or a bike ride with a leashed Afghan, if
it is trained well, can provide you and your dog with loads of
excitement. Finding a large, fenced in area where you Afghan can run
freely is ideal, only make sure that your dog will not be able to get
out or hurdle the fence and escape!
What we like about this breed:
This breed requires little trimming or clipping, and is very active when
indoors. It loves tons of exercise when out of doors, however. This
dog is unbelievably fast, with high hip bones for incredible agility and
fence-jumping ability, so make sure you keep your pet leased. In
addition, this breed gets along well with other dogs and can be trained
to be considerate of cats and other small pets, making it an ideal
addition to an active family with older, considerate children.
Health Risks:
The most common health problems of the Afghan Hound include hip
dysplasia, cataracts, and paralysis. In addition, this breed is
sensitive to drugs and caution must be taken when anaesthetizing your
dog for its hip dysplasia x-rays. It is recommended that other
medications, like flea and tick powders, not be used with this dog
because of its sensitivity.
Things to watch out for with this breed:
The Afghan Hound can be a nervous dog, reserved and often timid with
strangers. This breed should be watched with smaller pets, however, and
requires gentle and patient training. This dog can display its
resistance as stubbornness rather than as destructive behavior, so
training can become a very trying endeavor. Therefore, this breed is
recommended for experienced owners only.
Misc:
These dogs are fast and agile, so high fences and leashes are mandatory!
In addition, lots of brushing is required to keep this breed's coat
shiny and healthy.
