Pharaoh Hound
dog Breed Profile
No better idea can be had of the pharaoh hound than that gained by looking at statues of Anubis, the dog (or jackal) god.
In this article
Dolichocephalic (long face), upright ears (naturally)
Size
Weight
50-55 lbs.
45-50 lbs.
Height
23 in.
(at withers)
24 in.
Coat
Length
Short
Color
Tan or chestnut, white tail tip if desired
Care
Exercise
>40 minutes/day
Energy level
Average
Longevity
11-14 yrs.
Needs
Low
Traits
Low
Low
Drooling
Low
Digging
Low
Grooming Needs
Low
Social Needs
Low
Club recognition
AKC Class.
Hound
UKC Class.
Sighthounds and Pariahs
Prevalence
Rare
Many people confuse the pharaoh with the Ibizan Hound. The pharaoh tends to be smaller.
No better idea can be had of the pharaoh hound than that gained by looking at statues of Anubis, the dog (or jackal) god.
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Like all sighthounds, pharaoh hounds are chasers. They cannot be let off lead in an unfenced area without the danger of them running after something and into a roadway. Nobody ever accused a pharaoh of being an obedience wiz, or of having any ability as a watchdog or protection dog.
Indoors, the pharaoh hound is calm, quiet and clean, content to stretch out on your best sofa and sleep as long as you have given him a daily run or romp. He prefers to lie near you, but not on you. The pharaoh is sensitive and aloof and cautious with strangers. Few breeds can claim to match this breed's patience and gentleness with children, and they get along well with other dogs.
The pharaoh hound is the prince and the pauper of dogdom. His early forebears lived in luxury as esteemed coursers and, later, hunted to keep themselves and their poor families fed. They appreciate the finer things in life, but can adapt to far less. A soft bed, a warm house and a daily run are among the things they consider necessities of life.
If you like to groom, you are out of luck. Pharaoh hounds are wash and wear dogs.
The pharaoh hound looks as though it has just stepped off the walls of an Egyptian tomb or returned from a hunt with an Egyptian pharaoh. Yet for centuries, the original Egyptian hounds were assumed to be extinct — until these dogs, almost certainly the descendents of Egyptian hounds traded by sea-going Phoenicians, were discovered on the island of Malta. The isolation of Malta allowed them to breed true for thousands of years, their physiques honed and tested by the need to earn their keep catching rabbits for the pot. The pharaoh hound is known as the Kelb-tal Fenek in Malta, where it is now the national dog.
The first pharaoh hounds recorded to have left Malta were in the 1930s, but only in the 1950s and 60s was there a significant effort mounted to establish them in Britain and America. Since then, they have remained rare after all, not everyone is suited to own the dog of the pharaohs.
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