Everything You Need to Know About the Afghan Hound Puppy

The Afghan hound is a special breed of dog for many reasons. It's one of the oldest dog breeds in the world. Between their beautiful hair-like fur coat and unbelievable speed, the Afghan hound is in a league of its own.

Adopting an Afghan hound as a puppy is an adventure in itself. Before heading out to the Afghan hound rescue, take some time to learn more about this special breed. About their diet, exercise, and grooming needs for instance.

The Afghan hound isn’t exactly a low-maintenance dog, so be sure that you can handle their needs before adopting an Afghan puppy.

Background

If one point was to be made about the history of this noble breed, is that it has been bred and loved for thousands of years now. The nomadic peoples of ancient Afghanistan and northern India bred the first of these sighthounds. Wartime tragedies decreased the populations of this hound in the times of Ghengis Khan and Alexander the Great, but the breed was able to recover after this period of time. They were bred to hunt and could take down both large and small game. 

Back in the 19th century, some Afghans made their way over to England alongside British soldiers. It wasn’t until 1926 that the American Kennel Club accepted the breed into their exclusive ranks. By the 1970s these dogs had become glamorous superstars in America with their long, voluptuous fur coats. They have evolved from being fierce hunting dogs who have been known to take down a leopard solo, to now living as a beloved household pet.

Personality

The Afghan hound personality and temperament varies from one dog to the next. Some experts say their true colors as a hunter show through at times and they have a strong-willed and very confident personality.

While other Afghan hounds may appear to be more skittish as a cat and likely to flee if they become spooked. When trained and socialized well, this breed is known to even be sort of clownish at times. 

If not properly socialized to other dogs and people, they have been known to become rather feral and not so friendly. Once you adopt your Afghan hound puppy be sure to begin taking the steps to socialize and train them well right away while they are young. Afghan pups can be somewhat stubborn about being trained. It may take some patients and some puppy training classes but training your Afghan hound puppy is certainly doable. 

Grooming

Afghan hound puppy owners will want to begin grooming practices early on to get the puppy used to being handled and groomed regularly. The fur of the Afghan hound is long and luxurious, so anyone who is considering Afghan hound puppy adoption should expect to be investing a good amount of time and money into their grooming. 

The fur of the Afghan hound is prone to matting due to its thickness and length, so caring for your dog includes regular bathing and grooming. Experts recommend bathing at least twice per week once their fur becomes long and thick. They also say not to brush a dry or dirty coat of fur on an Afghan hound. This can lead to damage to the fur, so it's best to leave the grooming for just after bathing. 

Health

The Afghan hound is a relatively healthy breed of dog but can face certain health problems at times as they grow older. One problem in particular that this breed is known to face is called “Chylothorax”. With this disease, the abdominal cavity begins to build up a fluid called Chyle, which is essentially the proteins and other molecules leftover in the dog's body after food has been digested. 

There are warning signs that you should watch out for if your dog is sick. One of the tell tail and more severe symptoms that may be observed is the Afghan hound having trouble breathing. The fluid buildup within the thoracic cavity can lead to the lungs being unable to expand with air fully, causing the hound to experience shortness of breath. Your Afghan hound cannot speak to you and tell you when there is a problem. It's up to you, as their owner, to get to know them well so that if and when a problem arises you can get them the care they need, immediately. 

As far as diet and exercise go, the Afghan hound puppy will naturally want to be active and run around often. This should be taken into consideration when feeding them and making time for exercise. Your veterinarian can better advise you on the proper diet of your Afghan hound puppy if you are feeling uncertain about what specific food they need and how much they should have in each meal.

Conclusion

The Afghan hound has a history like no other dog breed. From ranking high on the food chain and hunting leopards to now loving the life of being a couch potato with their loving family. Not to mention their high rank and favorability in dog shows. The Afghan hound and their long and flowing fur coats can be overwhelming for owners at times unless you plan to show them. In which case, their fur coat may be your pride and joy. 

Before adopting an Afghan hound, take into consideration if you are able to care for this magnificent pet. Do you have the time and resources to facilitate their grooming needs regularly? Are you also prepared to train them well so that a feral side does not come out of them one day in the future? If you said yes to these questions, then an Afghan hound might just be the perfect dog for you. 

Do Afghan hounds shed?

The Afghan hound is actually one of the handfuls of dog breeds whose fur coat is actually more of a “hair” coat. Meaning it is similar to human hair, where it grows continuously and needs regular trimming and upkeep. That being said, the Afghan hound only has one layer of hair rather than a top coat and an undercoat. This means that they shed very minimally.

How much is an Afghan hound?

If you are adopting an Afghan hound from a breeder you can anticipate paying somewhere in the range of $1000 or more for the initial adoption. Upkeep of these hounds is rather costly as well.

How fast can an Afghan hound run?

On average, an Afghan hound has been clocked at running 40mph. That's about as fast as a pure-bred racehorse, just to show comparison. The Afghan hound is listed as one of the fastest dog breeds known to man.

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