Breeds / Large
Afghan Hound puppies
Dignified, aloof and independent, the Afghan Hound is a tall long coated sighthound bred to hunt over mountainous ground on its own initiative. It is affectionate with its own people, slow to take direction, and not reliable off lead.
The facts
- Size class Large
- Country of origin Afghanistan
- Adult weight 22.7 to 27.2 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 50 to 60 lb
- Adult height 64 to 69 cm
- Energy level High
- Grooming High
- Coat type Long silky
- Typical lifespan 12 to 18 years
- Good with children Fine with supervision
- Good with other dogs Fine with supervision
Where these come from:
About the Afghan Hound
The Afghan Hound is an ancient sighthound from the mountains of Afghanistan, where it hunted hare, gazelle and larger game over broken ground, working well ahead of the hunter and on its own judgement. It is tall and narrow, 64 to 69 centimetres at the shoulder, with prominent hip bones, a long silky coat and a floating way of moving. The temperament follows the job: aloof with strangers, affectionate on its own terms, and quite unmoved by instructions it sees no point in.
The coat is the commitment. Several hours of brushing a week, plus regular bathing with shampoo and conditioner, or it mats down to the skin. Exercise means a chance to run flat out in a large enclosed space several times a week, behind a high fence, because Afghans jump. Walking off lead is not safe with a dog this driven by movement. New owners most often expect obedience class results and grow frustrated; patient, reward based work gets much further than repetition.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Afghan Hound puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and it will need a job to do long before it needs long walks. Grooming needs are high. Start daily brushing and short, positive handling sessions at eight weeks, well before the adult coat arrives, or the first professional groom will be traumatic. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Anaesthetic sensitivity, a sighthound trait linked to very low body fat, so procedures should be booked with a vet who knows the type
- Gastric dilatation volvulus, a surgical emergency in deep chested dogs, so owners should learn the signs
- Juvenile cataract, found on an ophthalmologist evaluation
- Hypothyroidism, diagnosed on a thyroid blood panel
- Chylothorax, a build up of lymph fluid in the chest, diagnosed by chest imaging and fluid sampling
From Afghan Hound breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/afghan-hound/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your Afghan Hound puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a Afghan Hound.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 22.7 to 27.2 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other large breeds
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.