Afghan Hound??
Question:
>I am considering getting a dog in the near future, and ahve been looking >through the various dog breed books that are available. One of the breeds >which has caught my eye is the Afghan Hound. I have only seen pictures of them >since they do not appear to be a popular breed. Can anyone tell me more >about them, like their temperament, traits, disposition e.t.c. I am rather >concerned about their intelligence, as they have the unfortunate label of >being the dumbest dos around!! Yet I have also read that they are actually >very intelligent. Any verdict??
I’ll bet you will receive a lot of mail from Afghan Hound owners! I had one for 12 years (she died last year). I can speak about that one experience only, but I found her to be very intelligent, kind of aloof (she was affectionate, but only when she wanted to be – very cat-like), very playful, protective of my family, tolerant with my kids when they were small…. many, many good attributes to have for a family dog. On the downside, grooming her became a problem when we moved to a wooded area – its really a daily procedure. Also, we never forgot that even when she was old, she would leave the property to chase critters, etc. My personal opinion is you need a large fenced in area for Afghan Hounds to play in. Our other dog is a Golden Retriever, which is about as different as you can get from an Afghan Hound. The Golden would jump though a flaming hoop if she thought you wanted her to; the Afghan Hound, on the other hand, doesn’t "perform" dog tricks unless she really wants to. I could go on and on. Based on my experience of one, I think they are a great dog if you have the facilities to make them happy, and the time to groom them. Jim Davis
Response:
I am considering getting a dog in the near future, and ahve been looking through the various dog breed books that are available. One of the breeds which has caught my eye is the Afghan Hound. I have only seen pictures of them since they do not appear to be a popular breed. Can anyone tell me more about them, like their temperament, traits, disposition e.t.c. I am rather concerned about their intelligence, as they have the unfortunate label of being the dumbest dos around!! Yet I have also read that they are actually very intelligent. Any verdict??
Response:
> I am considering getting a dog in the near future, and ahve been looking > through the various dog breed books that are available. One of the breeds > which has caught my eye is the Afghan Hound. I have only seen pictures of them > since they do not appear to be a popular breed. Can anyone tell me more > about them, like their temperament, traits, disposition e.t.c. I am rather > concerned about their intelligence, as they have the unfortunate label of > being the dumbest dos around!! Yet I have also read that they are actually > very intelligent. Any verdict??
I currently have three Afghan Hounds, ranging from 5 yrs old to 4 1/2 months old. The first thing that I would like to say is that they are absolutely NOT the dumbest dog around! The conclusions of the infamous Corliss IQ test were based upon interviews with Obedience judges. It is true that Afghans are more difficult to train than other breeds, but it is not due to a lack of intelligence. It is due to an independent temperament. Afghans CAN indeed be trained, but you must take the approach of getting the dog to believe that what you want him/her to do is really what he/she wants to do as well. If you think about the origin of the breed, it makes sense. These dogs were originally bred to be independent hunters of large, and sometimes rather dangerous, game. They depended upon quick reflexes and split second reponses; waiting to see if a particular reponse was okay with master could easily have meant death when trying to bring down a snow leopard! So, I’ve touched on this breed’s independent nature. Along with that, they can also be very aloof with strangers, and yet quite affectionate, even clownishly silly with family and special chosen friends. I must admit that I really enjoy that side of my dogs! Also, they do need frequent grooming. You must be prepared to give a good, thorough brushing at least three times a week during adulthood. They also go through a period of coat transition during adolescence, when they loose the puppy fluff and start to acquire the adult coat. Be prepared to brush daily during this time, or mats will form! A fenced yard or other compeletly fenced area in a park is a must. Afghans need to be able to run, and they will not be content to stay by your side. Remember, they were originally independent hunters, and like to run and roam far and wide. They are also notoriously bad about coming back when called, not until they are good and ready! You must keep them in a fenced area so that they will be safe. For more information on this wonderful breed, I would strongly recommend the book _The New Complete Afghan Hound_. It is available in many book stores in the Pets section. If I can be of any further help, let me know. — Lesley, w/Khayyam, Gandalf & Sesame (Rubaiyat Afghans)
Response:
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