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Saturday 9 July 2011

Afghan Hound


The Western world did not discover the Afghan hound from Afghanistan until the late 19th century, when it was brought to Europe by British soldiers returning from Indian-Afghan border wars.

Afghan Hound Wikipedia


One dog in particular, Zardin, was brought to London in 1907 from India by Captain Bariff. It became the early ideal of breed type for what was then called the Persian Greyhound. 

The Afghan Hound was brought to the United States in the 1920s and the breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1926.

The Afghans used the hounds to aid them when hunting in the country's deserts and mountains of Afghanistan. Once on the chase, the dogs cornered animals and kept them at bay until their owners could catch up.

The breed is no longer used for hunting, although it can be seen in the sport of lure coursing.

Today's modern purebred Afghan Hound descend from dogs brought to Great Britain in the 1920s which King Amanullah of the Afghan Royal Family gave away as gifts.


Pablo Picasso owned two Afghan hounds, Kabul and Kasbac (sometimes spelt Kasbec). Kabul appeared in many of his paintings with his wife, Jacqueline.

The Afghan Hound weighs about 27 kg (about 60 lb) and stands about 69 cm (about 27 in) high.

It has a narrow head, a long neck; straight, strong forelegs; and thick, silky hair.

The Afghan's long, silky fur keeps the dog warm even in the harsh Afghani climate.

The Afghan has scent glands in their cheeks that emit a pleasant, musky odor. 

The average Afghan hound can reach speeds of up to 40 mph—nearly as fast as a purebred racehorse. It can also jump up to a remarkable seven feet from a standing position.


They have a very low threshold for pain and will whimper at even the slightest injury.

If stressed, an Afghan Hound's natural reaction will be to refuse to move. It sometimes even falls asleep to deal with something it finds unpleasant.

Although its large, dark eyes and long, drooping ears give it a somewhat sad expression, the Afghan Hound is actually a cheerful animal that makes a friendly pet

This elegant, dignified breed has a reputation among dog trainers of having a relatively slow "obedience intelligence;" Stanley Coren, in his book The Intelligence of Dogs, ranked the Afghan Hound last among 138 breeds mentioned in ability to understand and obey commands. However, what they lack in smarts, however, they make up for in affection towards their owners.

In 1974, the owner of an Afghan hound entered his chewed-up mitten in an art contest hosted by the Davenport Art Museum. The entry won a blue ribbon.

Sources Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia, Mental Floss, The Scotsman

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