Afghan hound
| Afghan hound | ||
|---|---|---|
|
||
| FCI Standard No. 228 | ||
|
||
| Origin : | ||
| Patronage : | ||
| Alternative names: |
Afghan Hound, Afghan Hound, Tazi, Baluchi Greyhound |
|
| Withers height: |
Male: 68–74 cm. |
|
| Weight: |
20-30 kg |
|
| List of domestic dogs | ||
The Afghan Hound , or Afghan for short , is an FCI recognized dog breed whose breed standard is being developed in Great Britain ( FCI Group 10, Section 1, Standard No. 228 ).
Origin and history
The Afghan hound ( Afghan Thasi ) is one of the most original greyhound breeds from the highlands of the Hindu Kush . Already around 4000 BC The nomads of Afghanistan bred a type of dog that is now believed to be the ancestor of the Afghan hound . This in turn is said to have originally come from the Middle East to Afghanistan, whereby the body, and especially the head, shows similarities to the Persian greyhound , the Saluki and the Kyrgyz taigan . Due to the inadequate sources, the exact origin is not traceable.
In its country of origin, Afghanistan, the dog was highly valued and sometimes treated like a treasure. This is easy to understand in connection with the meager life of the nomads in the rugged mountains, the wide steppes of this country and its harsh nature, where he was used as a hunting dog and ensured the survival of his owners. In addition, it is used for hunting , which is considered a privilege, to hunt up game.
According to a newspaper report from 1962 in a Kabul newspaper, three original types of the Afghan Hound are known, the Bakhmull with long silky hair, the smooth-haired Luchak and the similarly smooth-haired type with long hair on legs and ears called Kalagh . In the report, the different types are referred to as distinct races. It is not possible to tell whether the populations were independent or whether the three types were also strongly mixed with one another. The dogs were considered so precious that they were smuggled out of the country because of an export ban . British soldiers who fought in the Second Anglo-Afghan War brought the first copies with them to Europe . With the bitch "Mortee" the first Afghan Hound was shown at an exhibition in Bristol . After several animals of the different types of this greyhound were introduced to England and there were different breed standards, the standard of 1925 finally established breeding for the mountain Afghan type .
In the following decades the standard developed more and more from the former hunting dog towards exhibition animals. The coat grew longer and fuller, so that these dogs were no longer successful on the racetrack. This means that there are different breeding lines for presentation at exhibitions and for use on the racetrack. The main difference between the two is mainly the hairiness, which is significantly shorter in the racing Afghan . Show dogs from breeding lines in the USA show particularly lush and long hair . Due to the specialization of the breed on success in greyhound races or at exhibitions, very different types of the Afghan hound , the Rennafghane and the pure Showafghane arise . However, there are also evaluation categories in which the successes of the exhibition and the race track are combined, and only dogs that are balanced in the standard can win.
description
The overall appearance of the dog should express elegance, pride and dignity, but also give an idea of the strength and speed of the breed. The skull is long and not too narrow and has a long head of hair. For the elegant and slightly springy gait, the breeders pay attention to the appropriate geometry of the limbs. The long and silky fur may have any color, with the colors red, cream, silver, black, black-brown, silver-black, blue, ivory and dominoes being the most common. Head with and without a black or blue mask. The approximate 1: 1 ratio of shoulder height and length of the dog is also decisive for the overall appearance of the dog. The height of the withers is 68–74 cm for males and 63–69 cm for females. The belly should be tucked up and have a deep chest . The weight of the dogs of this breed is 20-30 kg. Afghans live to be 12 years and older.
Essence
Typical greyhound behavior : In the house, gentle, calm, unobtrusive; The passion for hunting can prevail outside. This goes so far that he cannot be leashed in the woods and fields. As a rule, it is compatible with conspecifics, not a protective instinct. His walk is considered proud, which also reflects his nature. Independence and absolute calm are the hallmarks of this dog in every type of training. However, Afghans are also very sensitive and can become suspicious of strangers if handled incorrectly. They get along well with children, but due to the size of the breed, they should be a bit older in order to go for a walk with the dog alone.
health
The Afghanenmyelopathie is probably hereditary disease of the spinal cord that results in complete paralysis of limbs.
