General characteristics of the dog, the origin of the ancestors of the Afghan Hound and their purpose, the development of the breed, its popularization, the situation in the modern world. The Afghan Hound or Afghan hound is known for its beautiful silky and thin long hair, which sets it apart from other similar dogs such as the Saluki or Greyhound. The coat hangs down and flows as the dog moves. Short hair only on the face and muzzle.
Any color is acceptable, although white markings are undesirable. Some of the most common colors among Afghan hounds are tawny, black, brindle and gray.
The head and muzzle of the breed are very sophisticated and showcase elegance. The muzzle tapers towards a black nose. The breed has triangular eyes. Dark brown is the preferred eye color for Afghan hounds, but lighter is also available.
The history of the origin of the ancestors of the Afghan hound and their purpose
Its true origins, shrouded in mystery, as the Afghan Hound, evolved over the centuries long before there were records of dog breeding and perhaps even before the invention of writing. There are many myths and legends about the origin of this breed, but not all of them can be verified.
What is known for certain is that for centuries and possibly longer, the Afghan Hound has been bred in the remote mountains and valleys of what is now Afghanistan. These canines were bred by many of the country's tribes until British military officers in the region exported them to the West in the 1800s and 1900s.
Greyhounds such as the Afghan hound are the oldest type of dog that can be identified undeniably from ancient depictions. Although there is a lot of controversy among researchers, the dog was domesticated even before humans developed agriculture and settled in the villages. These early canines were probably almost indistinguishable from wolves, apart from temperament, eventually evolving into animals that are very similar to modern Dingos.
Agriculture made it possible to increase the population and divide labor. After all, great civilizations were created in places like Egypt and Mesopotamia. The large ruling classes of these civilizations preferred certain forms of entertainment. Hunting with dogs was one of the preferred upper class leisure activities.
The earliest depictions of hunting dogs were animals that closely resembled modern Middle Eastern pariah dogs such as the Canaan Dog. An Egyptian breed known as the Tesem was usually shown. Between 6,000 and 7,000 BC Greyhounds are beginning to be replaced by more archaic breeds. This replacement took place in both Egypt and Mesopotamia. The dogs depicted by ancient artists are very close to the modern Saluki, who are believed to be the ancestors of this breed.
There is a debate among researchers about whether these greyhounds developed in Egypt or Mesopotamia. The large number of trade and cultural contacts between the two regions meant that animals could easily and quickly spread from one territory to another.
It is also possible that greyhounds developed in both countries at the same time, independently or with significant overlap. It is commonly said that Tesem was used as a base stock, but it is impossible to prove this, and it is also likely that breeders created hunting dogs with desirable traits from random strains of pariah dogs.
Ubiquitous and at the same time as trade and conquest developed, greyhounds spread throughout the ancient world, from Greece to China. For many years, it was believed that the Saluki was the original greyhound, and that they were the ancestors of all other Sighthound breeds such as the Afghan Hound.
However, recent genetic studies have shown that greyhounds have been created several times in different places, and their roots go back to a common ancestor. For example, the Greyhound appears to be more closely associated with the Collie than with the Saluki. However, the Afghan Hound is almost certainly (by many accounts) descended from these ancient Sighthound.
Afghanistan is located in the center between the ancient civilizations of China, India and the territory where the Fertile Crescent is located. Trade routes have passed through this country for millennia, and it is likely that greyhounds were encountered there quite early. In addition, Afghanistan was often ruled by Persia, who also controlled Egypt and Mesopotamia at various times, which made the spread of these dogs more likely.
Recent conflicting genetic tests appear to have confirmed the ancient origins of the Afghan hounds. With the help of them, they tried to prove which canine breeds were most closely related to the ancient wolf. The Afghan Hound, Saluki and twelve other breeds have been identified as ancient species.
There is a general connection between the Afghan Hound and Noah's Ark. While almost nothing is clear about this event, many dog experts such as Michael W. Fox believe it to be. Legends say that Noah himself owned a pair of these dogs and brought them along with him. There are stories of how members of this breed plugged holes in the ark with their narrow noses, and since then dogs have got wet noses. While apparently this connection cannot be traced, it speaks of the breed's ancient origins and the high esteem it holds at all times.
Once the ancestors of the greyhound from Afghanistan arrived in the mountainous regions of the modern country, they slowly developed over the centuries. The harsh environment likely played an important role in human choice in breeding these animals. In Afghanistan, there are significant differences between Afghan Hounds from different regions. Some dogs are adapted to high mountain peaks, others to low-lying valleys, and still others to harsh deserts.
The long-haired Afghan Hounds, most commonly seen in the West, developed their long, loose coat to protect them from the cold and windy mountain air. Such animals probably often crossed with canines from neighboring regions, and the different species closely resemble the breeds found in neighboring countries.
For example, the Tazi variety is very similar to the breed known as the Tasy, which is found in countries along the Caspian Sea. Other similar dogs include the Taigan from China's Tien Shan region and the Barakzai or Kuram Valley Hound of India and Pakistan. While the Afghan Hound was used as a guard dog, guardian and shepherd, the main use of such dogs has always been hunting. These swift-footed animals were assigned to hunt a variety of game, primarily hares and gazelles, but also deer, foxes, birds, goats and other animals.
Modern development of the Afghan hound
The modern history of the greyhound from Afghanistan began in the 1800s, when British rule controlled most of the Indian subcontinent. At that time, the empire formally included Pakistan and had significant political, military and economic influence in Afghanistan and Persia, later it became known as Iran. The British actually fought two wars to secure the first country, although neither was successful.
British military and civilian officials were fascinated by the beautiful long-haired greyhounds that belonged to tribes along the Pakistani border and the nation of Afghanistan. In the second half of the 1800s, dog shows became very popular among the British upper class, to which many army officers and civilian administrators belonged. Many Afghan hounds have been brought to the UK to be exhibited in competitions. The popularity of these beautiful and regal canines skyrocketed and took part in some of the earliest dog shows.
There have been many exports of breed specimens from the Indian subcontinent, but this has not led to the establishment of nurseries. This may be partly due to the fact that the British imported many different species of Afghan hounds and originally referred to them by separate names, such as the Barukzy Hounds. For some time, the name "Persian greyhound" was most often applied to the breed, but this term is now almost exclusively used to describe a similar breed - the Saluki.
In 1907, Captain Barif imported a Persian greyhound named Zardin. This individual became the basis of the first breed standard, written in 1912. However, World War I stopped breeding of the Zardin line and most other Afghan hounds.
By the 1920s, interest in the Afghan hound rose again and two other varieties became known. In 1920, Major Bell-Murray and Miss Jean Manson brought several dogs to Scotland from Baluchistan. These animals were of the Kalagh breed, which is native to the low-lying steppes. These canines are less abundantly covered with hair than dogs from high mountains. The descendants of these dogs became known as the Bell-Murray Strain.
In 1919 Mrs. Mary Ampes and her husband arrived in Afghanistan as a result of the Afghan war. She acquired a dog named Ghazni, which is very similar to Zardin. The Ghazni and other dogs purchased by Mrs. Mary Ampes were of the highland type, abundantly covered with fur. Mrs. Ampes established a nursery in Kabul, which she continued to develop in England in 1925. Eventually these dogs became known as the "Ghazni Strain" line. Ultimately, the two lines were combined to form the modern Afghan Hound.
Popularization of the Afghan Hound
As soon as the Afghan breed was better developed in England, these beautiful and regal animals began to be exported to other parts of the world. Dog lovers in the United States of America began importing these animals in large numbers in the late 1920s and 1930s. Most of the Afghan hounds in the United States of America came from the Ghazni line. The first hounds from Afghanistan to arrive in Australia were exported from America in 1934. Towards the end of the 1930s, Afghan Hounds also appeared in France.
In the 1930s and 1940s, this canine variety came to be seen as a breed of the wealthy and upper classes, and this reputation has not diminished over time. In fact, this position further popularized the Afghan Hound, making it a status symbol. The American Kennel Club (AKC) first recognized the breed in 1926, and the United Kennel Club (UKC) was formed in 1948. Afghan Hound Club of America, Inc. (AHCA) was founded to protect and promote the breed and became an official affiliate of the AKC.
In the Western world, the Afghan hound has traditionally been used as a show animal or companion rather than as a hunter. The beauty and elegance of breed representatives have long been popular in the show ring. It was one of the most important breeds in popularizing dog shows. The Sirdar, a dog belonging to the Amp family, won Best-In-Show at the Crufts, an exhibition event in Birmingham in 1928 and 1930. This victory brought the species to great fame and notoriety throughout the world.
Afghan Hounds also won Best-In-Show at the 1996 World Dog Show in Budapest and at Westminster in 1957 and 1983. The 1983 win also honored these pets when one of the breeders' dog won the Best-In-Show in Westminster. Greyhounds from Afghanistan achieved their greatest show ring success in the 1970s in Australia, where the breed brought home Best-In-Show prizes from numerous major events.
In recent years, the Afghan Hound has been used as a coursinga - a hunting for a hare with hounds. Although Afghan hounds are not as fast as Greyhounds or Saluki, they are still quite capable of reaching some of the highest speed ratings.
In Pakistan, Afghanistan and especially India, there is a huge effort among dog lovers to stabilize and standardize local breeds. Despite the difficulties caused by the war in the region, Afghan breeders spend a lot of effort to create unique breeds from different varieties of the Afghan Hound. It is possible that there will be up to fifteen different types of greyhounds from Afghanistan in the near future, although five or six will be more likely.
The participation of the Afghan hound in culture
In 1994 Stanley Coren, a psychologist at the University of Vancouver, published a book called Scouting Dogs. The work details his theories about canine intelligence, which divide it into three parts: instinctive, adaptive, and obedience / work. Coren sent out obedience and agility competition questionnaires to approximately 50% of referees around the world. After receiving the answers, he compiled the results into a list that ran from the most trained breeds to the least trained. Afghan hound was ranked last on this list. However, his ranking was based on learning, not real intelligence.
In 2005, the Afghan Hound, one of the oldest breeds in the world, became the first dog ever to be successfully cloned. On August 3rd of the same year, Korean scientist Hwang Woo-Suk announced that "Snoppy", a greyhound puppy from Afghanistan, became the first cloned dog in the world. Although Hwang Woo-Suk was later fired from the university due to fabricated research data, "Snoppy" is nevertheless a real clone.
The unique appearance and reputation of the Afghan Hounds as pets has led to their popularity and regular print. For example, the breed appeared on the cover of Life magazine in November 1945. Frank Muir has written a series of children's books about an Afghan puppy called What a Mess. Virginia Wolf used the Afghan hound in her novel Between the Acts. Nina Wright and David Rothman incorporated the breed into their literary works. Afghan hounds, both real and animated, have appeared in American motion pictures and cartoons: Balto, Lady and the Tramp II, 101 Dalmations, 102 Dalmations, Marmaduke, and BBC sitcom Mongrels …
The position of the Afghan Hound dog in the modern world
In its homeland of Afghanistan, this animal is still mainly kept as a hunting dog, and this has been unchanged for centuries. In the West, a small number of individuals are used at baiting stations, but the breed is almost exclusively used as a show dog or a companion dog. The breed representatives cope with these tasks excellently.
For a long time, the Afghan Greyhounds remained a fashionable breed owned by wealthy people around the world, and the number of its livestock fluctuated slightly over several decades. However, the population of Afghan Hounds in the United States of America has remained largely stable. In 2010, the Afghan Hound was ranked 86th overall among AKC breeds, and ten years ago it was 88th. The species is not a particularly common breed in the United States, but it has a number of devoted lovers and this will likely remain unchanged for the foreseeable future.
You can learn more about the Afghan Hound in the following video:
