US AFGHAN HOUND BREED STANDARD
GENERAL APPEARANCE. The Afghan Hound is an aristocrat,
his whole appearance one of dignity and aloofness with no trace of plainess
or coarseness. He has a straight front, proudly carried head, eyes gazing
into the distance as if inmemory of ages past. The striking characteristics
of the breed-exotic, or"eastern"expression, long silky topknot, peculiar
coat pattern, very prominent hip bones, 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 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 bredinto 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 surrnounted
with topknot.
NECK. The neck is of good length, strong and arched, running
in a curve to the shoulder which are long and sloping and well laid
back.
FAULTS. Neck too short or too thick; a ewe neck; a goose neck;
neck lacking in substance.
BODY. 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 hip bones 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, sway-back, goose rump, slack loin; lack of
prominence of hip bones, 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 usually 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.
FAULTS. Lack of short haired 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 this 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.
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