Dog of the Pharaohs: photo and description of the breed

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Pharaoh Hound - a breed of dog related to greyhounds, is considered an excellent assistant during the hunt for rabbits. In addition, she can become an excellent companion for her master and a favorite of the whole family. About whether this animal was a dog of the Egyptian pharaohs, about its character and care for it, you can find out from this article.

Origin

A large number of different images and figurines of animals have been preserved, which in their appearance resemble the current breed called the Pharaoh Hound. In Egyptian mythology, relating to the era of the reign of ancient kings, there is the god Anubis, who was the guide of the souls of the dead to the afterlife. The outward resemblance to him gave rise to the assumption that this breed of dog is directly related to such an ancient civilization.

Initially, it was assumed that the Phoenicians brought these animals to M alta, where they existed for more than 2 thousand years, practically unchanged. However, modern scientists have refuted this hypothesis, since DNA analysis has shown that pharaoh dogs do not have anynothing to do with Ancient Egypt.

The M altese are convinced that the homeland of animals is the Mediterranean, and in particular their island. They consider the current name of the breed to be fundamentally wrong. The islanders themselves call her "kelb tal-fenek", which means "rabbit dog". There were times when only these animals were allowed to be hunted by poor peasants who took trained dogs with them. The knights who came to the island, who were members of the Order of M alta, banned the only trade available to them. This led to an uprising known in history as the "Rabbit Riot", in which both peasants and clergy took part.

For the first time, M altese hunting dogs are mentioned in a document dating back to 1647, the author of which was one of the members of the Order of M alta. With the onset of the 20th century, the first representatives of this breed came to the UK, but for some reason no one liked it. Only after 40 years they were loved and appreciated in England and on the American continent. For the first time the international standard for this breed was approved in 1977.

Description

The Pharaoh Hound is a true athlete as it is strong and muscular. However, at the same time, she looks very flexible, graceful and elegant. The body is slender and well-defined. The growth of representatives of this breed varies from 55 to 63 cm, and weight - from 18 to 27 kg. Males are always slightly larger than females. The disqualifying vices of the breed are excessive aggressiveness or shyness, as well as physical and otherbehavioral deviations.

The head of the animal has a wedge-shaped shape with clear outlines and a round forehead. The nose is large with wide nostrils, painted in flesh color. The transition from it to the forehead is weakly expressed. The neck is dry, long and muscular, without dewlap. The ears are large, erect, pointed at the tips. The eyes are almond-shaped, widely spaced, have a very beautiful amber tint. The look of the dog is noble and intelligent.

The lower outline of the chest does not reach the elbow joints. The upper back together with the croup form an almost straight line. The paws are strong, and the fingers on them are tightly compressed. The limbs are slender and muscular. The tail is slightly curved, thick at the base, gradually tapering towards the end, reaching to the hocks.

Description of the Pharaoh Hound breed would be incomplete if not to mention one very interesting feature. The fact is that its representatives know how to smile, and also blush. If they do the first almost constantly, then the second - only in moments of happiness or excitement, when the tips of the ears, nose and eye rims begin to turn pink.

Coat and color

All photos of the Pharaoh's dog show that it has short hair. She has a soft, silky coat that shimmers in the sun. However, it is stiff in some areas and adheres tightly to the skin.

All shades of red are allowed, ranging from not-so-dark tan to deep chestnut. Paw pads, claws, nose and whiskers should match the basic coat color. Alsowhite markings are also allowed if they are on the tip of the tail, legs, chest, in the middle of the forehead or bridge of the nose. Light spots on the back, sides or back of the neck are considered deviations from the generally accepted breed standard and are unacceptable.

The eyes of the animals should be amber. It goes well with the coat color. Interestingly, pharaoh hound puppies initially have blue eyes, but as they begin to mature, they take on a light golden or yellow hue that gradually begins to darken.

Character

Looking at the photo of the pharaoh dog, one can confidently determine that this is a sweet, affectionate and kind animal that loves all family members without exception. A pet belonging to this breed is very playful and active, so it is perfect for cheerful and energetic people. He is boundlessly loyal to his master, but will show his independence from time to time.

Since the pharaohs are small in stature, rather good-natured and completely devoid of aggression towards people, they will not be suitable for the role of a guard, but they will definitely warn you about the arrival of a stranger with a loud bark.

Don't like being alone. If you leave them alone for a long time, they will get bored. To attract attention to themselves, they often bark senselessly. By the way, this is considered a shortcoming of the breed, which you will have to put up with or not leave the dog alone for a long time. So that the animal does not spoil things in your absence, it must be provided with toys, and various small items should be hidden ina place inaccessible to him.

The pharaohs have a fairly strong nervous system, they are very inquisitive and sociable. They get along well with children and enjoy playing with them. It is worth noting that these animals have a special sense of ownership, which extends both to their bed and place, and to all the toys that are given to them from the moment they appear in the house. Children should be made aware of this feature. They need to be taught that you can’t get into the dog’s house or drive it out of there, as well as take away the sunbed or toys. Children should understand that this is a family member and respect his interests.

The Pharaoh Hound gets along well with other animals, especially if it grows with them in the same house. However, while walking on the street, it is better to keep it on a leash, as an affectionate and cute pet turns into a real hunter here. A cat, a small dog or a flock of birds become the object of his close attention. Since the pharaohs are greyhounds, this is natural for them, so the owner is obliged to constantly educate and control his pet.

Pharaohs are very fond of their owners and subtly feel their mood. For example, a dog will react to some joyful event in the family with its inherent fun - it will vigorously wag its tail, jump, bark loudly and smile. But if some kind of misfortune happened, she can fall into a severe stressful state, which is expressed in unusual passivity, a dull look, drooping ears, and even in refusing to eat.

Education and training

Such a breed of dog as the Pharaoh Hound needs to be socialized from an early age, as their puppies are characterized by some timidity and fearfulness. Therefore, as soon as the pet appears in the house, the owner needs to take him for a walk as often as possible, introducing him to the environment, other people and animals.

Because the dog is very smart, it is quite easy to train and train it. The dog grasps all the basic skills literally on the fly, but before executing any command, he will first think about how best to act. Sometimes, because of his stubbornness, the dog may not obey the owner. Therefore, during training it is very important to make it clear to the dog who is in charge here, because only by taking the position of the “leader” will the owner be able to achieve success in training and raising such a breed of dog as the Pharaoh Hound. In the photo below, the dog is performing the “Barrier!” command.

If the pet does not obey and does not want to carry out this or that order, in no case should you yell at him, let alone beat him. It is enough just to reprimand the dog, speaking to him in a stern tone. He will definitely understand that he was wrong, and will execute the required command. So that the pharaoh does not lose interest in training, you need to use new training methods each time, and at the end of the lesson, be sure to praise him.

Maintenance and Care

Pharaohs can live in an apartment, but the ideal option for them is still a country house. In the summer, a pet can be placed in an aviary with a high fence, since noticinga small animal, he will easily jump over a low fence. But putting such a dog on a chain is highly discouraged.

During the cold months, you can not leave the animal to live on the street, as it will not be able to endure the cold and dampness due to the thin coat and the almost complete absence of subcutaneous fat. On the contrary, during walks he needs to wear either a special jacket or overalls.

In all the photos, the Pharaoh Hound looks perfect, and this is not surprising, since the dogs of this breed are extremely clean. That is why the process of caring for them will not take much time and will be very simple. Let's start with hair care. Despite the fact that the hairline is very short, it still needs to be cleaned from time to time. For these purposes, either a special glove or a rubber brush is used. They help to clean the coat from various contaminants, as well as dead skin particles and hairs.

Pharaoh dogs molt only twice a year, and even then this process is painless and almost imperceptible for the owner. Unless the owner will have to comb the dog a little more often with a special glove.

Given the cleanliness of these animals, they can be bathed no more than once every two or three months. For these purposes, a hygiene product specially designed for puppies, or baby shampoo, is suitable. Since this breed is very sensitive to all kinds of chemicals, it is necessary to carefully consider their choice.

It is also worth paying attention to other simple procedures regarding the hygiene of the ears and eyes of the dog. They are usually performed weekly and also as needed. To do this, use a cotton swab, which removes the accumulated dirt. These simple actions will help to avoid the appearance of various infections that negatively affect the condition of the hearing and visual apparatus of the animal.

Pharaohs need to shorten their claws, but only if they do not have time to grind themselves. Now for brushing your teeth. This procedure must be carried out from puppyhood. Then it will be easier for the pet to carry it when he grows up. In addition to the above procedures, veterinarians recommend doing all the necessary vaccinations. If you follow these simple rules for caring for an animal, then the dog will be able to delight you with his presence for many years.

Pharaonic Food: Natural Foods

Each owner must decide for himself what feeding to choose. There are two options - a ready-made diet or natural products. If the latter, then it is worth thinking about a balanced diet so that the animal can receive in sufficient quantities those foods and substances that it needs for both growth and normal development.

In the first place in the diet of the Pharaoh Hound breed is meat. Ideally, it should make up at least half of all food consumed by the animal. For this purpose, beef is best suited. Poultry should be introduced into the dog's diet with great care, because its body is prone to allergic reactions and digestive problems. When introducing turkey or chicken into the menu, you need to carefully look at your pet:whether he has itching, any skin rashes or indigestion. If everything remains normal, then you can continue to give him a bird.

In addition to meat, the menu should include various offal, as well as large bones. Usually they are added to cereals boiled in water or broth and seasoned with vegetable oil. The pet's diet must include fermented milk products and vegetables, which will contribute to good digestion. If your pet is prone to allergies, then a good veterinarian will help to make a list of products and choose the right diet for your dog. Also, in addition to food, the dog must be periodically given drugs, which are vitamin-mineral complexes, which will make up for the lack of these substances in the animal's body in the amount of the daily norm.

A caring owner should know that it is highly undesirable to feed the pharaoh dog with food from his table, because it may contain products that are forbidden to animals that have ever had at least some allergic manifestations. These include:

• various pickles and marinades;
• everything without exception is smoked;
• various sweets, muffins and confectionery, including chocolate;
• mince and tubular chicken bones;
• potatoes and legumes;
• nuts, raisins and grapes;
• fried food and fatty pork;
• pasta and bread.

Food of the pharaohs: dry food

For such pets, you need to choose only high-qualitydiets in premium categories and above, specially formulated for dogs prone to food allergies. However, in any case, each food introduced into the animal menu for the first time requires careful monitoring of the dog's condition. Its granules should be either medium or large in size. This allows you to keep the teeth of the pharaoh dog in good condition, preventing the appearance of stones on their surface. If the owner has chosen a dry type of feeding for his dog, then he must provide the pet with free access to water. In addition, it must be borne in mind that greyhounds are very active and are almost constantly on the move.

At first, pharaoh hound puppies, photos of which are in this article, are fed three or four times a day, and when they grow up, they, like adults, are transferred to two meals a day. The portion size directly depends on the weight of the animal, its activity and age. If the dog is too mobile, then he will need more food. In addition, portion sizes fluctuate seasonally, with the summer heat causing your dog to eat much less than usual, and vice versa in winter.

Breeders always warn people who want to have pharaoh hound puppies that they should not be overfed in any case, otherwise this will inevitably lead to weight gain and subsequent obesity.

Breed specific diseases

Usually, the pharaoh hound is in excellent he alth and is almost always in excellent physical shape. However, none of the breeds is immune from their inherent diseases. In this case forthe main thing for the owner is to determine in time that the pet is unwell and show it to an experienced veterinarian as soon as possible. Here is a list of the most common diseases of this dog breed:

• bloating due to improper feeding;
• various ear infections;
• von Willebrand disease;
• dysplasia;
• hypothyroidism;
• allergic, especially to anesthetics;
• dislocated knee.

However, do not despair, as not every dog is prone to the above diseases. By and large, it depends on the conditions of detention and the diet of the animal. An attentive and friendly attitude towards your pet can extend their happy life up to 15-17 years. Then, even at an "advanced" age, the dog will be active, very mobile and in good physical shape.

Where to buy a puppy

Now pharaoh dogs in Russia are still a rarity. Therefore, it is quite difficult to buy it. If you want to buy a puppy of this breed, you will have to agree on this in advance. The rarity of the breed in the country is mainly due to the high price, and experts do not advise buying a dog from dubious breeders or random people. However, if you still decide to take such a step, then you will be sold an animal without documents for at least $ 800 (45,000 rubles). At the same time, it will not be possible to get any guarantee that the puppy is he althy or purebred.

Approximate price of a purebred puppy, but with slight deviations from generally accepted standards - 1500 dollars (84,800 rubles), and from titled parents with all the necessary documents and a good pedigree, which will later be suitable for breeding and exhibitions - more than 3,000 dollars (169,700 rubles).