We want to know everything about dogs. Everything! But there are countless breeds of dog out there, and each one is a unique animal with its own history. That's why every week, we shine a spotlight on a different breed. This week, learn some fun facts about Afghan Hounds.
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THE AFGHAN HOUND IS ONE OF THE OLDEST DOG BREEDS
The Afghan Hound is one of the oldest breeds, with evidence to suggest it has existed for thousands of years. Some theories posit that Afghan Hounds existed in Egypt thousands of years ago. Other theories suggest the breed has its origins in the deserts and the mountains of Afghanistan, with some breed development being done in parts of Russia.
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AFGHAN HOUNDS WEREN'T SEEN OUTSIDE AFGHANISTAN UNTIL THE 1900s
Despite the Afghan Hound's long history, the breed was rarely encountered outside of its eponymous country until the 20th century. That's because Afghans were very protective of their hounds, refusing to sell the dogs to outsiders. British soldiers finally brought the breed west around the turn of the century.
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AFGHAN HOUNDS ARE FAMOUS FOR THEIR FUR
Afghan Hounds are well known for their distinctly long and lustrous fur, but those coats require a lot of grooming. Afghan Hounds need both daily brushing and weekly bathing to prevent mats, to which the breed is highly susceptible. Afghan Hounds need shampoo, conditioner and even blow drying to keep their fur looking best.
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AFGHAN HOUNDS WERE BORN TO HUNT
Despite their regal and even elegant appearance, Afghan Hounds are no dainty lap dogs. The agile dogs were bred for hunting, and were capable of chasing down challenging game, including hares, antelope, wolves and even falcons. Their thick fur kept them warm in hard climates, and their athletic builds make them physically capable across varying terrains.
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AFGHAN HOUNDS GO BY MANY NAMES
For such an ancient dog breed, it's perhaps not surprising that the Afghan Hounds has gone by many different names. You may hear the breed called Afghanischer Windhund, African Hound, Balkh Hound, Baluchi Hound, Barutzy Hound, Eastern Greyhound, Galanday Hound, Kabul Hound, Kuchi Hound, Levrier Afghan, Ogar Afghan, Shalgar Hound or Tazi.
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AFGHAN HOUNDS ARE A TYPE OF GREYHOUND
Though superficially different in appearance due to their long coats, Afghan Hounds are a type of Greyhound, and closely related to the breed more commonly called Greyhound. In fact, some Afghan Hounds enthusiasts like to informally race their dogs against each other at the track in the same way that Greyhounds race, as seen in this photograph.
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A MARX BROTHER INTRODUCED AFGHAN HOUNDS TO AMERICA
Herbert "Zeppo" Marx, aka "the other Marx Brother," was one of the earliest American fans of Afghan Hounds, and one of the first to bring the breed to the States, which he did in 1931, kicking off a brief period of popularity for Afghan Hounds in America. The two Afghan Hounds that Zeppo imported from the U.K. were named Asra of Ghazni and Westmill Omar.
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PICASSO OWNED AFGHAN HOUNDS
Pablo Picasso was a dog lover. It's said that the painter had five passions: "his art, his ego, his image, his women, and his dogs — in that order." Picasso owned various terriers, Poodles, a Boxer, Dachshunds, a German Shepherd and, yes, Afghan Hounds. Picasso once said that his favorite of his many dogs was an Afghan Hound named Kabul.
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TWO AFGHAN HOUNDS HAVE WON BEST IN SHOW AT WESTMINSTER
Since the first annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 1907, two Afghan Hounds have won the coveted Best in Show prize, in 1957 and 1983. Two wins may not sound impressive at first, but keep in mind that those two Afghan Hounds are two of only five dogs from the hound group to ever win Best in Show, and no other hound breed has won more than once.
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THE FIRST CLONED DOG WAS AN AFGHAN HOUND
In 2005, South Korean scientists successfully cloned a dog for the first time. The clone was a male Afghan Hound puppy born on April 24. He was named Snuppy, for "Seoul National University Puppy." Three years later, Snuppy became part of the first successful breeding between a pair of cloned dogs.
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