Friday, December 5, 2008

Breed profile: the elegant Afghan


The Afghan Hound, as its name implies, is a dog breed that originates from ancient Sinai and exists in cave paintings in Afghanistan dating back 4000 years. The Afghan dog breed comes in two different types: the short haired variety and the more popular long haired variety. The Afghan Hound is beautiful and visually arresting but the looks and long fur take work to maintain, but once you find the winning way of correctly grooming this gorgeous dog it will pay off greatly.

The Afghan breed’s temperament matches up to its regal looks. This dog is aloof, dignified and one of its great breed characteristics is that it does socialize very well. Thus the Afghan Hound makes a very good family pet. An Afghan does need a fair amount of exercise due to its size and build. The long legs that help give the Afghan its regal appearance ideally need about half an hour of good exercise a day.
Afghan Hounds grow to about 70cm in height and way around 30kg as adults. Afghans are a healthy breed without any known risks and can live to the age of 14 years. Making them an ideal and beautiful dog to own.