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| Additional Information: The Afghan hound is a large dog with a long silky coat which requires daily grooming, they also need a bath once a month to stop the coat getting matted. Afghans are regal dignified dogs who are also loyal, affectionate, playful and are good with children. They are suspicious of strangers but they are not hostile and are very loving of their family and will want to be included with family matters whenever possible and are willing to play the clown with their loved ones. It is important to remember that Afghans are a sensitive breed so kind and patient training is needed. They are also headstrong, stubborn and highly-strung and also suffer from selective deafness and if they don’t want to do something then they simply will not do it, so patience is a must! They also need to be socialised with other dogs, people and different surroundings from an early age as they can become introverted which isn’t good for their health or well being. Afghans were originally bred to hunt game (particularly leopards and panthers) and to protect livestock and they have a strong instinct to chase small animals so good off lead training in a controlled environment is essential before letting them off the lead. Some common ailments of the breed are necrotic myelopathy which can cause respiratory paralysis resulting in death, this will normally show up between 3-6 months of age, high sensitivity to anaesthesia, hip dysplasia, juvenile cataracts, hypothyroidism and enzyme deficiencies. You should also carry out regular checks for ear mites and yeast infections. Before buying your puppy check with the breeder regarding cataracts and hypothyroidism in the parentage. Average lifespan 10-14 years | |||||||||||||
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