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GENERAL APPEARANCE
The Afghan Hound
is an aristocrat, his whole appearance one of dignity and aloofness with no
trace of plainness or coarseness. He has a straight front, proudly carried head,
eyes gazing into the distance as if in memory of ages past. The striking
characteristics of the breed - exotic, or "Eastern," expression, long silky
topknot, peculiar coat pattern, very prominent hipbones, large feet, and the
impression of a somewhat exaggerated bend in the stifle due to profuse
trouserings - stand out clearly, giving the Afghan Hound the appearance of what
he is, a king of dogs, that has held true to tradition throughout the ages.
HEAD
The head is of
good length, showing much refinement, the skull evenly balanced with the
foreface. There is a slight prominence of the nasal bone structure causing a
slightly Roman appearance, the center line running up over the foreface with
little or no stop, falling away in front of the eyes so there is an absolutely
clear outlook with no interference; the underjaw showing great strength, the
jaws long and punishing; the mouth level, meaning that the teeth from the upper
jaw and lower jaw match evenly, neither overshot nor undershot. This is a
difficult mouth to breed. A scissors bite is even more punishing and can be more
easily bred into a dog than a level mouth, and a dog having a scissors bite,
where the lower teeth slip inside and rest against the teeth of the upper jaw,
should not be penalized. The occipital bone is very prominent. The head is
surmounted by a topknot of long silky hair.
Ears
- The ears are long, set approximately on level with outer corners of the eyes,
the leather of the ear reaching nearly to the end of the dog's nose, and covered
with long silky hair.
Eyes
- The eyes are almond-shaped (almost triangular), never full or bulgy, and are
dark in color. Nose - Nose is of good size, black in color.
Faults
- Coarseness; snipiness; overshot or undershot; eyes round or bulgy or light in
color; exaggerated Roman nose; head not surmounted with topknot.
NECK The neck is of good length, strong and arched, running in a curve to the shoulders which are long and sloping and well laid back. Faults - Neck too short or too thick; a ewe neck; a goose neck; a neck lacking in substance.
The back line
appearing practically level from the shoulders to the loin. Strong and powerful
loin and slightly arched, falling away toward the stern, with the hipbones very
pronounced; well ribbed and tucked up in flanks. The height at the shoulders
equals the distance from the chest to the buttocks; the brisket well let down,
and of medium width.
Faults
- Roach back, swayback, goose rump, slack loin; lack of prominence of hipbones;
too much width of brisket, causing interference with elbows.
TAIL
Tail set not too
high on the body, having a ring, or a curve on the end; should never be curled
over, or rest on the back, or be carried sideways; and should never be bushy.
LEGS
Forelegs are
straight and strong with great length between elbow and pastern; elbows well
held in; forefeet large in both length and width; toes well arched; feet covered
with long thick hair; fine in texture; pasterns long and straight; pads of feet
unusually large and well down on the ground. Shoulders have plenty of angulation
so that the legs are well set underneath the dog. Too much straightness of
shoulder causes the dog to break down in the pasterns, and this is a serious
fault. All four feet of the Afghan Hound are in line with the body, turning
neither in nor out. The hind feet are broad and of good length; the toes arched,
and covered with long thick hair; hindquarters powerful and well muscled, with
great length between hip and hock; hocks are well let down; good angulation of
both stifle and hock; slightly bowed from hock to crotch.
Faults
- Front or back feet thrown outward or inward; pads of feet not thick enough; or
feet too small; or any other evidence of weakness in feet; weak or broken down
pasterns; too straight in stifle; too long in hock.
COAT
Hindquarters,
flanks, ribs, forequarters, and legs well covered with thick, silky hair, very
fine in texture; ears and all four feet well feathered; from in front of the
shoulders; and also backwards from the shoulders along the saddle from the
flanks and the ribs upwards, the hair is short and close, forming a smooth back
in mature dogs - this is a traditional characteristic of the Afghan Hound. The
Afghan Hound should be shown in its natural state; the coat is not clipped or
trimmed; the head is surmounted (in the full sense of the word) with a topknot
of long, silky hair - that is also an outstanding characteristic of the Afghan
Hound. Showing of short hair on cuffs on either front or back legs is
permissible.
Fault
- Lack of shorthaired saddle in mature dogs.
HEIGHT
Dogs, 27 inches,
plus or minus one inch; bitches, 25 inches, plus or minus one inch.
WEIGHT
Dogs, about 60
pounds; bitches, about 50 pounds.
COLOR
All colors are
permissible, but color or color combinations are pleasing; white markings,
especially on
the
head, are undesirable.
GAIT When running free, the 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.
Aloof and
dignified, yet gay.
Faults
- Sharpness or shyness.
Approved September 14, 1948 by The Afghan Hound Club of America, Inc.
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