Afghan Hound moves at a gallop, showing great elasticity and spring in his smooth, powerful stride. When on a loose lead, the Afghan can trot at a fast pace; stepping along, he has the appearance of placing the hind feet directly in the foot prints of the front feet, both thrown straight ahead. Moving with head and tail high, the whole appearance of the Afghan Hound is one of great style and beauty.
Temperament: Aloof and dignified, yet gay. Faults—Sharpness or shyness.
Approved September 14, 1948
A correct foot; pastern of correct angulation for power.
Weak foot with straight pastern.
A pup will be a pup! Be prepared for the mischief, antics and, of course, fun that comes with a new puppy.
Newborn Afghan Hound puppies are remarkably dissimilar to the adult version. When first faced with a newborn puppy, many people find it extremely hard to believe that the pup is actually an Afghan Hound. In fact, when our veterinarian came to check over our first litter of Afghan Hounds, he told my mother that he was sure that the dam must have been mismated by a Labrador. One of the reasons for this apparent disguise is the coloring of baby puppies. Even puppies that will eventually turn into palest cream gold in adulthood can be born almost black in appearance. One way to determine the potential color is to turn the coat back with one finger, and the pale coloring will be found at the roots of the hairs. Another way to predict the future color is to look at the color of the coat under the base of the newborn puppy’s tail. Black and tan puppies will also often look black all over; the tan markings on the face, forelegs and hindlegs will be found, again, at the roots of the hairs.
Another reason that the newborn Afghan Hound looks so strange to the inexperienced eye is the difference in head between the puppy and adult. The baby puppy has a foreface that is almost rounded in appearance at the muzzle, belying the long, refined head to come. Although the trained eye will see through this and experienced breeders will be able to recognize a quality head from an early age, to the inexperienced eye a baby puppy head will perhaps look as if it belongs to a different breed.
SIGNS OF A HEALTHY PUPPY
Healthy puppies are robust little fellows who are alert and active, sporting shiny coats and supple skin. They should not appear lethargic, bloated or pot-bellied, nor should they have flaky skin or runny or crusted eyes or noses. Their stools should be firm and well formed, with no evidence of blood or mucus.
The Afghan Hound puppy is born with a short coat, which will continue to look short for many weeks. This gives the young puppy a rather gangly look from around the age you may first go to see the litter until 12 to 20 weeks or more. As the puppy’s legs elongate and the puppy goes through all sorts of ungainly phases, you may wonder about the chances of your young puppy ever maturing into the elegant Afghan Hound of your dreams. However, with coat growth and body maturity, a lot of “gawky” youngsters have turned into elegant adults.
In picking your Afghan Hound puppy out of those available in the litter, you will need to heed the advice of the breeder. An experienced breeder will know better than you how the puppies are likely to mature. For instance, although many Afghan Hound puppies have no curl to the end of the tail as babies of eight to ten weeks, this often comes with age; after teething is a common time.
A SHOW PUPPY
If you plan to show your puppy, you must first deal with a reputable breeder who shows her dogs and has had some success in the conformation ring. The puppy’s pedigree should include one or more champions in the first and second generation. You should be familiar with the breed and breed standard so you can know what qualities to look for in your puppy. The breeder’s observations and recommendations also are invaluable aids in selecting your future champion. If you consider an older puppy, be sure that the puppy has been properly socialized with people and not isolated in a kennel without substantial daily human contact.
Meeting the breeder, meeting the litter and finally picking the pup for you are exciting steps on the road to companionship with a most unique canine.
Generally, the individual look of the mature dog will be familial, so do try to see as many of the dogs in the immediate background of the litter’s pedigree as are available. This will give you more of an idea of what to expect in your own puppy. For instance, if all of them have rather light round eyes, it is likely, but still not inevitable, that your puppy will follow this trend. Likewise, coats are generally familial, so if you hope for a heavy coat or, conversely, if you yearn for the earlier, lighter type of coat pattern, the coats of the ancestors will give you a good guide.
The Afghan Hound is a large, long-boned breed. Afghan Hounds require careful rearing and must have the best of puppy diets to ensure that they receive the required vitamin and mineral intake in the correct balance. Do take advice from your breeder and veterinarian to ensure that your puppy receives the correct diet.
WHERE TO BEGIN?
If you are convinced that the Afghan Hound is the ideal dog for you (and vice versa), it’s time to learn about where to find a puppy and what to look for. Locating a litter of Afghan Hounds should not present too much difficulty for a prospective owner. You should inquire about breeders in your region who enjoy a good reputation in the breed. You are looking for an established breeder with outstanding dog ethics and a strong commitment to the breed. A trusted way to search is through the Afghan Hound Club of America, the AKC-recognized national breed club. Found online at http://clubs.akc.org/ahca, the club refers prospective owners to member breeders across the country.
THE FAMILY TREE
Your puppy’s pedigree is his family tree. Just as a child may resemble his parents and grandparents, so too will a puppy reflect the qualities, good and bad, of his ancestors, especially those in the first two generations. Therefore it’s important to know as much as possible about a puppy’s immediate relatives. Reputable and experienced breeders should be able to explain the pedigree and why they chose to breed from the particular dogs they used.
New owners should have as many questions as they have doubts. An established breeder is indeed the one to answer your four million questions and make you comfortable with your choice of the Afghan Hound. An established breeder will sell you a puppy at a fair price if, and only if, the breeder determines that you are a suitable, worthy owner of his/her dogs. An established breeder can be relied upon for advice, at any reasonable time. A reputable breeder will often accept a puppy back, without penalty, should you decide that this is not the right dog for you.
When choosing a breeder, reputation is much more important than convenience of location. Do not be overly impressed by breeders who run brag advertisements in the canine publications about their stupendous champions and working lines. The real quality
