Afghan Hound. Bryony Harcourt-Brown
and insisted on having a place on the sofa myself.
MEMORY LANE
Afghan Hounds appear to have remarkably long memories. Afghan Hounds often seem to recognize their breeders with affection despite a long absence from their birth home. Afghan Hound dams also often appear to retain extremely strong ties with their offspring and frequently seem to recognize their grown puppies when they meet them.
Who can resist a face like this? Although not the breed for everyone, the Afghan’s personality is like no other in dogdom and has won the breed its share of devout admirers.
Who knows what an Afghan Hound sees as he gazes into the distance?
It is not really sensible to acquire an Afghan Hound if you wish to have a dog that you can “master.” Although you should not be mastered by your Afghan Hound either, you can expect to have an equal in your family when you have an Afghan Hound in it. Typical Afghan Hounds are not subservient to anyone and will sometimes show passing aggression if they are pushed to prove this.
Although, as individuals, many Afghan Hounds are excellent and trustworthy with children, this is not a breed that could really be recommended as a dog universally suitable for children. This is mainly because Afghan Hounds do not suffer teasing well, as a rule. Obviously no dog should be subjected to teasing, but many breeds will overlook innocent, childish, irritating behavior that an Afghan Hound would, perhaps, find relatively difficult to bear. Teasing a dog with the sensitive personality that many Afghan Hounds have could result in the dog’s becoming withdrawn and anxious around children. In some instances, this might even lead to aggression due to the anxiety and stress caused to the dog. This is not to say that all Afghan Hounds are the same, and I have seen adult males lying under toddlers as the toddlers have climbed on top of them, with no hint of concern or unpleasantness from the dogs! With any dog, it is necessary to supervise all time spent with young children.
A leash is necessary for your Afghan Hound’s safety in open areas, not meant to restrict his response to “the call of the wild,” but rather a necessary preventive measure to keep him from running away and possibly into danger.
One of the Afghan Hound’s truest and, indeed, unique characteristics is the expression, which is interestingly described in the British standard as looking “at and through” one. This, I feel, is saved by Afghan Hounds for studying the horizon and surveying strangers and minor acquaintances. I find that the privileged inner circle of an Afghan Hound’s closest and dearest people is often accorded a loving and intimate gaze. There can be nothing more rewarding to an Afghan Hound lover than this gaze—it is confidential, it is personal and it speaks totally from the heart. It is possible, when you really know your dog, to communicate in total silence. On the subject of communication, I believe that the Afghan Hound is able to acquire one of the largest understandings of human vocabulary of all of the breeds that I have lived with. However, words such as “Come,” “Stay” and “No” are often carefully considered first before an acceptance can be negotiated.
BORN TO RUN
Afghan Hounds have a reputation for running away when off the lead. I prefer to think of this as the dog obeying his natural instinct in the call of wild and open places rather than naughtiness. However, it is still rather annoying and could be quite dangerous for the dog. Don’t expect to be able to teach your Afghan Hound to come back to you when he is running free. You should practice the “come” command, but you will never have a 100% reliable response. It is better to deal with this aspect of the breed than to fight it, so you must find safe, securely enclosed areas for free running and always keep your hound on lead in open areas.
All of this independence makes the Afghan Hound more of a specialist breed than a typical “pet” breed. This does not mean that Afghans do not make good companions to the non-exhibiting owner, it just means that they are not necessarily the sort of dog to fit into all households. In this discussion of Afghan Hound temperament, I have described the temperament that has typified the breed for generations. It could be argued that, in recent years, the trend has been toward a somewhat easier temperament in some ways, due to selective breeding. Many Afghan Hounds nowadays are more outgoing toward strangers, bouncier and more similar to other, less aloof, breeds. Whether this is a satisfactory trend is a point for debate; many who know the Afghan Hound temperament in all its glory would vehemently defend the original traits as superior. I, personally, would prefer not to be greeted as a long-lost friend by an Afghan Hound who does not know me, but I can see that it is easier to walk in public places with this type of dog than with a reserved, shy and sometimes anxious dog.
Majestic dignity is a defining trait of the Afghan Hound breed.
To appreciate these dogs, it is essential to understand them. It is necessary to think like an Afghan Hound to see the world through the dog’s eyes. Afghan Hounds I have lived with have held strong links to their historical origins, have had strong opinions of their own self-worth and have expected a high degree of comfort and respect around their home. I do not believe that Afghan Hounds function well as kennel dogs, as these hounds require the proximity of like-minded humans in order to be undemanding and relaxed companions. These are not lap dogs, they are deeply committed friends.
Breeders strive to produce Afghan Hounds with healthy hips that will have the speed, agility and stamina so typical of the breed.
BREED-SPECIFIC HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS
Afghan Hounds are fortunate in having a reputation for being prone to very few of the more well-known canine hereditary problems. There are, however, some conditions that the would-be owner should know more about.
HIP DYSPLASIA
Hip dysplasia is a distressing condition that affects the hip joint. The hip is a ball-and-socket joint that may be affected by, mainly, the socket’s not being deep enough or being incorrectly formed or the incorrect formation of the head of the femur. When this occurs, a general laxity of the hip results. Often, the consequences are changes of an arthritic nature that take place in the joint. This condition is a painful one, and the dog suffers lameness and pain if arthritis is present.
Potential breeding stock should be x-rayed for signs of this condition, and a number of breeders will take the opportunity of having their dogs routinely x-rayed. A veterinarian takes the x-rays, which are sent to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and examined. A panel of vets checks the x-rays and grades them according to a specific system. The grading system used gives breeders the opportunity to ascertain if a dog’s hips are affected and, if so, to what degree.
Dogs 24 months of age and older should have their hips x-rayed and the x-rays evaluated to determine if any degree of dysplasia is present. There are seven possible OFA grades: Excellent, Good, Fair, Borderline, Mild, Moderate and Severe. Excellent, Good and Fair are considered normal, and dogs with these gradings will receive an OFA number. The other four gradings do not warrant an OFA number, with the latter three indicating that the dog is affected by some level of dysplasia. Dogs that do not receive OFA numbers should not be used in breeding programs.
When visiting a litter, a potential owner should ask to see documentation of the litter’s parents’ hip clearances from the OFA or another accredited organization; similar hip-testing schemes are in place in countries around the world. Good breeders have all of their breeding stock tested and only breed from those dogs and bitches who have received appropriate clearances.