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Afghan Hound

Standards for the Afghan Hound

General Appearance: Tall, elegant, athletic, with an exotic appearance of dignity.

Head: Long, slender with little or no stop, a prominent occiput, and a top-knot of long, finely, textured hair. The ears are long and set approximately level with the corners of the eyes. The dark, but sometimes golden eyes have an almond shaped slant.

Body: Tall with shoulders long, sloping, and well laid back. Chest set deep. The back line is almost level from the shoulders to the loin falling away toward the stern. Hip bones are well pronounced. The hindquarters are long and well muscled between hip and hock. In mature hounds there should be a well defined, short hair saddle. Legs bowed from hock to crotch. The long, straight and strong forelegs are set well underneath the hound. Both hind feet and fore feet are in line with the body and covered with long thick hair. The toes are arched. The tail set low with a curve or ring at the end. The tail should never be curled over, carried sideways, or resting on the back, nor should it be busy.

Color: All colors are permissible. White markings, especially on the head are undesirable. The nose is black; although it may be lighter in liver colored hounds. The long coat of thick, silky hair should not be trimmed or clipped.

Size: Females: 25 inches // 50 pounds

Males: 27 inches // 60 pounds

Temperament: This dog of the sight hounds group was developed as a hunting dog in ancient Egypt because of it’s amazing agility and speed in the open deserts. The Afghan while being a lively spirited and independent dog does indeed require an extensive amount of both grooming and exercise to maintain it’s physical and mental health.

It is hoped that these standards will help both the breeder and the show judge in the selection of dogs that will better the breed and make dogs more enjoyable to their owners.