Background[]
The Afghan Hound is one of the oldest, if not the first, sighthound dog breed. Its thick, fine, silky coat and its tail with a ring curl at the end, were developed over time in the cold mountains of Afghanistan, where it was originally used to hunt rabbits and gazelles. Like all sighthounds, they rely on their great speed and sight, rather than scent to aide them in their hunts.
They generally have a lifespan of about 12 years, and can live as long as 18 years if they are well taken care of, similar to other breeds of their size.
Housing[]
Afghan Hounds are a large breed, and like all sighthounds, they are best suited to large, open, fenced, safe areas. Remember, this is the same family of dogs as Greyhounds, and they will need to be taken on long daily walks or jogs.
Feeding[]
Fresh food is always preferred, fresh meats, veggies, and occasionally fruits. If you plan to use commercial dog food, please do the research. Make sure that all the ingredients have passed USDA inspection, that the first two ingredients are pure meat. Check that there are no corn, soybeans, byproducts/animal digest, artificial preservatives, or fillers such as brewer's rice, rice flour, and beet pulp.
Grooming[]
This is a large, long-haired breed, regular grooming will be necessary, and will no doubt require alot of patience.
Health Concerns[]
Some major health issues are allergies, and cancers, as well as sensitivity to anesthesia. This is an issue the Afghan hounds have due to relatively low levels of body fat. Afghan hounds are among the dog breeds most likely to develop chylothorax, a rare condition which causes the thoracic ducts to leak, allowing large quantities of chyle fluid to enter the dog's chest cavity. This condition commonly results in the twisting of the dog's lungs within their chest cavity, requiring emergency surgery. If not surgically corrected, chylothorax can ultimately cause a hardening of the organs, due to scar tissue forming around the organs to protect them from the chyle fluid. Chylothorax is not necessarily, but often, fatal.