If you are a pet person and your love for pets is a little bit more inclined to show dogs, then an Afghan hound is what you need. The breed always has a long and silky coat with a medium-large but slim body.
Well, as the name suggests one would definitely think that the breed comes from Afghanistan. This would be true. In fact, the breed originated from Afghanistan and its name was Tazi. However, most Afghan hounds found today are believed to have come from Great Britain in the early 20th century.
This breed is usually known for its appearance and self-confidence. The Afghan hound dog breed also appears to be independent, quiet, and sweet. They are also known to be quite humorous, especially when around people that they are more comfortable with. With that said, let’s find out more about the Afghan hound.
Characteristics
If you were sitting somewhere, just minding your own business and an Afghan hound passes by, it will be quite difficult to miss it. This is definitely because of its appearance with the long locks always swaying when the dog is walking.
Also, as mentioned before, the dog is often self-confident and always shows strong will. The dog can also act up whenever it feels like. Sometimes it can appear to be lazy, ditzy and sometimes clownish.
Just like small kids, the dog is also quite sensitive when it comes to harsh commands. You will need to be gentle but quite firm when guiding its behavior.
How to care for Afghan hounds
It is repeatedly being mentioned that the breed is among some of the popular ones due to its looks. This is something that will require you to spend more time on when it comes to grooming. You will also notice that it possesses some high levels of energy as well.
This means regular training will be required. With this, you can be able to take away some of its energy after which it will just want to sit around with its owner. This will also make the dog happy and therefore improve the dog’s mood.
Even though it is always important that the long locks be brushed frequently, you still won’t have to worry about dandruff on your dog even if you miss a day or two. This is because the long hair on its skin is capable of trapping dirt particles, and it does not have any undercoat as well.
This is why the breed is always considered to be a hypoallergenic dog breed as it also has minimal shedding.
Exercise
For this dog breed to keep calm, you will need at least two hours of running around and exercise. This should include runs, walks or activities that would bring out the dog’s natural drive for hunting.
For instance, lure coursing. You can also include both swimming and hiking as part of the exercise. It is often recommended that you let the breed run around without a leash but in an enclosed compound once or twice in a week.
Grooming
Well, it seems like everything about this breed is greatly influenced by its looks. Grooming is definitely an important aspect when it comes to keeping such a pet. If you happen to own one, you must ensure that regular brushing is done to straighten the long silky and fine coat.
This will prevent any tangles on the locks. Regular baths are also as important but not that necessary. You can bath your dog maybe once or twice per week. Regular bathing and brushing can help in maintaining the dog’s silky coat texture and can also reduce shedding.
There are a few more things you should also be doing with regards to the pet’s grooming. This includes taking it for dental checkups and nail trimming as well. You also need to give much attention to the long hair situated around the dog’s ears.
Leaving it unattended can attract much dirt among other things and this will lead to ear infections. It is important to keep the ears clean and regular checkups should be done to look for any signs of infection or irritation.
Most owners of this breed have devised a way to keep the hair from falling into their food and preventing bacteria from developing around the dog’s ears. This is done by tying the hair on the dog’s head up in some form of a knot.
Training
This dog breed is usually quite playful and smart compared to other breeds out there. However, they can sometimes be stubborn when you start subjecting it to some form of training.
For this reason, most owners would usually subject them to a basic training that can help just within the household. This kind of training with basic commands is often recommended unless you want to train your dog for shows, sporting activities or obedience.
Also, you need to know that sometimes this dog breed can be stubborn as mentioned before and might even refuse to listen to some basic commands like “come” or “stay” if they are chasing a prey. This is mainly attributed to the fact that they have such a strong hunting drive.
Conclusion
Different people will always keep pets for different reasons. When it comes to dogs, it’s mainly for security or just to keep you company. Anyway, whatever your reasons are, you should be ready to take care of your pet no matter what the circumstances are. Pets get hungry, pets get sick, pets feel pain and they need love as well. If you are not ready to give them your love and attention, you are not ready to become a pet owner yet. Love your pet as you would love yourself and let them enjoy life to the fullest as you would.
