Hound Breeds Afghan Hound Basenji Basset Fauve de Bretagne Basset Griffon Vendeen,Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen, Petit Basset Hound Beagle Bloodhound Borzoi Dachshund, Miniature Long Hair Dachshund, Miniature Wire Hair Dachshund, Miniature Smooth Hair Dachshund, Standard Long Hair Dachshund, Standard Wire Hair Dachshund, Standard Smooth Hair Deerhound Elkhound Finnish Spitz Foxhound Grand Bleu de Gascogne Greyhound Hamiltonstovare Ibizan Hound Irish Wofhound Norwegian Lundehund Otterhound Pharaoh Hound Rhodesian Ridgeback Saluki Segugio Italiano Sloughi Whippet

Afghan Hound

Afghan Hounds are undeniably amongst the most glamorous of dogs; the Breed Standard describes him as giving 'the impression of strength and dignity ... head held proudly'. They are genuinely aloof and resent overtures from strangers; they choose their friends, not the other way round. However as a member of the family, in common with many other hounds, he can be as ridiculous as any breed and absolutely devoted to his family.

The Afghan Hound comes from Afghanistan and there were originally two distinct types; the hounds bred in the mountains, who was shorter coupled and more heavily coated and the hounds bred on the plains, rangier with less coat. They were used to guard livestock and hunt mountain lion, which they did in packs; a sighthound, they have a very strong chasing instinct and must be exercised with caution near livestock. The first hound, Zardin, was brought to Britain at the beginning of the last century but it took time for Afghan Hounds to become established here. By the 1960s they had become something of a fashion accessory and the show ring saw entries of 60 or more in a class. Over-popularity does a breed no good at all, and the Afghan Hound now more safely in the hands of enthusiasts.

A securely fenced garden is an essential part of Afghan ownership. Afghan Hounds are real escapologists and once running will be totally deaf to your calls; he is a menace near livestock off the lead and should only run free away from roads. Don't expect any reliable obedience; a reasonable degree of co-operation is as much as you can hope for. Like all hounds, he is a natural runner and efforts should be made to find somewhere for him to exercise safely.

The coat is his obvious glory, but to keep him comfortable and tidy at least a thorough weekly groom is essential, plus a bath every four to six weeks. This does take quite a level of commitment, but the skills can be easily acquired to keep your Afghan looking good.

Dogs are quite large - up to about 75cm, and weighing around 70lbs, the bitches being smaller and finer. All colours are acceptable, the most common being gold or red. He is not susceptible to any particular hereditary defects. He is definitely a hard-work dog, but makes a wonderful companion to those who appreciate his qualities. 

Click here to see the Kennel Club Breed Standard for the Afghan Hound.

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Afghan Hound Breed Clubs

AFGHAN HOUND ASSOCIATION Mrs Link 01527 8710601 
AFGHAN HOUND CLUB 0F SCOTLAND Miss F Grant 01236 873054 
AFGHAN HOUND CLUB OF WALES Mrs I J Dyke 01222 753584 
AFGHAN HOUND SOCIETY OF NORTHERN IRELAND Mrs A Mathers 01247 454892 
BIRMINGHAM AFGHAN HOUND CLUB Mrs Cheesman 01788 336113 
EAST OF ENGLAND AFGHAN HOUND CLUB Mrs L Hewson 01536 267892 
MIDLAND AFGHAN HOUND CLUB Miss E O'Connor 01386 834191 
NORTH EASTERN AFGHAN HOUND SOCIETY Mrs M Morrison 0191 523 5202 
NORTHERN AFGHAN HOUND SOCIETY Mrs J Chilton 0161 428 4789 
SOUTHERN AFGHAN HOUND CLUB Mrs L Busby 01304 827765 
WESTERN AFGHAN HOUND CLUB Mrs J Cross 01749 822200 
YORKSHIRE AFGHAN HOUND CLUB Ms Virgo 01757 2682

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Afghan Hound Rescue and Rehoming

Contact a Breed Club. They should all be able to give you information about hounds requiring homes and procedures for re-homing; if you are in the unfortunate position of having to re-home your own Afghan, please go through breed rescue. They will not be judgmental and are best able to find the right permanent home for him.

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Afghan Hound Breeders

• Aramaic
• Saxonmill 
• Severndene 
• Shadowfax 
• Sumahari 
• Tambang 
• Wilbus 
• Zanavar 
• Zharook 

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If you are looking for a puppy contact the Breed Clubs and the Breeders listed and visit the puppyfinder website where there is a great deal of information on hereditary conditions.  If you are a Breeder and wish to advertise your puppies puppyfinder is an excellent showcase.