The Pharaoh hound is a medium sized dog that is elegant and beautiful which shows the grace, power and intelligence only found in this breed of dog. They have a very short coat that should only come in tan colors from light to a medium blonde tan. Nothing else is permissible for this breed. White markings are only acceptable on the chest, toes and tip of the tail, nowhere else.
These dogs are of great speed. They love to run and run and they will. They have ran at up to speeds of 35 miles per hour. Therefore, you must exercise these dogs if you own one and do not have an area for them to run around in. You must remember he can jump a 6-foot fence so make sure your enclosure is high enough to keep him in.
These dogs are one of a few that actually blush. Their nose and tips of their ears will turn a slight shade of pink. This is so cute on a dog. The head is held high with erect ears. In addition, they have a long slender body with a whiptail. The tail is usually held down between the legs when not active. The gait is smooth with powerful strides, which can be hard to keep up with when walking them.
Appearance
This dog appears to be very athletic and powerful. He is a very elegant and graceful dog. He is very muscular without the added weight that you might expect. He has a wedge shaped head that looks long and chiseled and has a good length to the muzzle. Their necks should be long and lean with a slight arch. The desire body is longer than it is high. The Pharaoh Hound usually weighs around 40 to 60 pounds and stands 21 to 25 inches high for males and the females are 35 to 45 pounds and stand about 20 to 23 inches. Males are always larger than females.
The Pharaoh legs are long and slender in the front while the back will have a slight angulation to them. You may remove his dewclaws. His tail is kept down between his legs and when held up it is level or curled above the back.
They have fine short coats that vary from silky to a bit hard. This dogs eyes are always amber and blend with their coats. They are born with blue eyes and then they change to light gold or yellow then darken with age. The nose, whiskers, toenails, paw pads, and the eye rims should also be the same as the coat color. They have a powerful jaw where the teeth bite into a scissors bite without any protruding over or under. The Pharaoh Hound is one of a few dogs that actually blush. When excited their ears and nose will turn a shade of pink to look like they are blushing.
Personality
One thing you can be sure of with the Pharaoh hound – no two dogs are alike. These dogs enjoy life to the fullest and are easy going and gentle. These dogs are very loving dogs and love to please their owners and themselves. When they are pleased you will see them blush like described above. Even when they smile, they blush. Some people have even trained them to smile on command just to see them blush.
They do not enjoy being put in cages or small enclosures as they need plenty of room to enjoy their favorite past time – running.
They love children and they actually think god created these little creatures just for them to play with. They have also been known to get along very well with other smaller animals, especially cats. You may have to watch over them though because at times they have thought of the smaller ones to be game for them to hunt.
These dogs have an uncanny ability to know their owners moods. They seem to know when they should be well behaved or to take cover. They will know when you are mad at them or happy with them. They also know when you are sad and will lay their head on your lap and look at you like to say, I am here for you.
Care
These dogs do not need much care in the grooming department. They are kind of like the wash and wear dog. Keep an eye on their teeth and nails. they should have their teeth brushed every few days. They shed, but not very much and a good brushing will help with that. If you are sitting watching TV, just take your brush and brush him at the same time.
Give them a fenced in yard and they will love it. Still take them on jogs with you because they love the running as well. They are very independent and stubborn but if you use a firm hand when training, they are very smart and learn fast. They respond poorly to loud training methods and also physical punishment. No dog should ever be beat to train them to do anything. I would not listen if someone constantly hit me either. Would you?
These dogs were bred mainly to hunt and do everything on their own. Therefore, they have been doing this for thousands of years and it takes a bit of encouragement to get them to listen to you and obey. They tire easily with repentances, so keep training frequent, but short and sweet.
History
There were two different types of the Pharaoh Hound brought to Britain in 1920.It was not until 1963 the first litter was born. The Kennel Club finally recognized them in 1974.
They are considered to be one of the oldest breed of dogs because of paintings that were found that had pictures of dogs that resembled them in the Egyptian pyramids and tombs. But now, that there is DNA testing it was found that they were actually of a different hunting breed. There are many different breeds that resemble the Pharaoh Hound which includes Cirneco dell Etna from Sicily, Ibizan Hound, Podernco Canario, and the Podengo Portugues from the Mediterranean. There is no proof that those breeds descended from the lines of the Pharaoh Hounds or not.
There was a tomb of a dog found in 1935 that was found in the Great Cemetery west of the Pyramids of Cheops at Giza with the following inscription, The dog which was the guard of His Majesty, Abuwtiyuw is his name. This was a Pharaoh Hound type dog. This was done for the dog by his majesty so he might be honored before the great God Anubis.
The Pharaoh Hound is know to originate before 3000-4000 B.C. In Ancient Egypt there was a red, prick eared sighthound that was with no doubt a close relative of the Pharaoh Hound. He too was used to hunt using his keen eyesight and sense of smell.
These dogs were not only used for hunting, but they were treasured as a companion for the royal Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. The island of Malta has been responsible for preserving and developing this breed for over 2,000 years. Because they were known for this purpose, they were given the name of the Maltas national hound in 1974. The breed was recognized by the American kennel Club in 1983.