All about the Pharaoh Hound

If you want to buy a sports, playful pet with excellent hunting talent and at the same time the ability to be a faithful friend, you should opt for a pharaoh dog.

Clever and selflessly loving children, such a greyhound also knows how to blush - in moments of sincere happiness, her ears, nose and rim of the iris really blush, which is unique in itself, like her constant smile.

Pharaoh Hound comes from the oldest animals living in Egypt 2 thousand years BC. e., and then spread to the Mediterranean countries, in particular in Malta, where they were brought in by Phoenician merchants. There, Egyptian individuals intermarried with a population of local dogs, and their offspring assumed an appearance that has remained the same to this day.

However, Maltese residents still consider the name greyhound in the place of the homeland of the pharaohs inappropriate - in their opinion, the animal originally appeared on their island, and the British called it a pharaoh dog based on the similarity of the beast with the ancient deity - Anubis, mainly portrayed as a bright red dog.

Since catching small game helped the poor of the island survive, their rebellion soon followed the ban, which is reflected in the chronicles of that time.

Kelb tal-Fenech, as the Maltese called their dog, when they got to Great Britain at the beginning of the 20th century, the English dog breeders did not like at first, but after 40 years the greyhounds were still recognized as the official breed of pure blood.

The main purpose of the dog is hunting, because the animal has excellent eyesight and excellent instinct. The breed is called primitive, but only because the greyhound did not actually mix with other animals and has an impeccable pedigree.

In terms of appearance, there are established IFF standards, by which they judge the merits of each individual:

• the dog has a slender and muscular body of medium size with clear contours, its physique is distinguished by elegance and nobility;
• in terms of length, the body is slightly larger than the height of the animal at the withers;
• the sternum with curved ribs is deep, not reaching the elbow joint;
• the stomach is picked up, slightly retracted;
• the animal has a majestic, long neck with strong muscles and slight curvature;
• head elongated in the form of a wedge, clearly marked with a round forehead;
• long muzzle tapers to the nose;
• high-set ears, wide closer to the head, with pointed tips, mobile, in a standing position;
• a nose with a skin tone with wide nostrils;
• the dog has medium-sized almond-shaped eyes, widely spaced, mainly honey, amber;
• the bite is correct in the form of scissors, the teeth are large and strong, only 42 teeth;
• croup well developed, slightly sloping, contributing to a parallel stance of the hind limbs;
• the middle tail in the shape of a whip, tapering to the tip, is covered with short hair, the permissible length is to the hock of the legs;
• short shiny hair; no undercoat;
• the skin is smooth, fairly thin and has no folds;
• the legs of the animal are straight with strong pasterns and elastic pads, setting parallel.

Disqualifications, as a rule, are exposed to dogs with obvious deviations from standard indicators, as well as those characterized by increased timidity or aggressiveness.

A black greyhound does not happen, but by the standard it may have white spots on the forehead and nose, on the legs, chest and end of the tail. If white marks are found on the back, sides, and neck from the back, the animal may be rejected. When the puppy has such abnormalities, this eliminates the purebred greyhound.

Unlike bald animals, the yellow-golden skin color of which resembles hair.

Despite the great love for the owner and household, including children, the animal can periodically demonstrate character and show disobedience. This is due to the fact that its peculiarity is the ability to think outside the box and appreciate its own person.

Meanwhile, barking can be attributed to the shortcomings of the breed, and you can hear it when the greyhound is bored, it remains alone for a long time.

There is another sin for a tailed friend - he, like any self-respecting dog, can nibble on furniture and household items, so you will have to buy dog ​​toys in advance. It is worthwhile to prepare for the fact that the animal will be sensitive to its own things, not only to toys - to a stove bench, bowls, a house.

By the way, a dog can make friends with pets if it grows up with them. As for the territory of the street, there the dog forgets about such details, and instantly turns on his hunting instinct. And if he is not brought up, he can terrorize everyone in a row.

Despite their average size, animals are compact and require a minimum of space in the home. The Pharaoh Hound is a sensitive psychologist who understands the mood of a person without words, and besides, she needs constant communication. Possessing a good memory, animals quickly memorize teams, but in order to achieve complete obedience from them, you need to deal with them from early childhood, and also regularly repeat lessons already learned.

In a favorable environment, they do not stop smiling, playful and cheerful, infecting with their cheerfulness, but if something unpleasant happens, the dog will experience along with other family members - some dogs at the same time refuse to eat, become lethargic, do not show interest in things, who always interested them.

If you are going to take a puppy with a greyhound, you should understand that he will not be able to live on the street - because of the short coat and lack of fat, the animals freeze, so the booth and open-air cage do not suit them.

In good conditions and in the absence of diseases, the "pharaohs" are able to please their owners for a long time - they live from 12 to 17 years.

The good health of dogs in general does not exclude certain diseases to which the breed is predisposed.

• With metabolic disorders in old age, many pets are prone to deformation of the hip and elbow joints.
• Due to congenital dislocation of the knee joints, damage to the limbs of the animal is possible, even with minor injuries. This is due to the underdevelopment of connective tissue and ligaments. It is possible to cure such an anomaly, but often it requires surgical intervention.
• Due to overeating and weakness of the ligaments that support the internal organs of the dog, a pet sometimes experiences a violation such as obstruction of different parts of the digestive tract. The development of pathology begins with increased gas formation, and as soon as this symptom is detected, you must immediately contact your veterinarian.
• Pharaoh dogs suffer from a tendency to allergies, therefore, any medications for treatment, food and hygiene products should be selected especially carefully.

Doctors tirelessly repeat that the owner should not independently treat a sick animal, since the threat of immunological reactions is always relevant.

By purchasing a purebred Pharaoh's dog, the owner will have to think through the care of the animals to the smallest detail, the main points of upbringing, the menu of the future pet.

A puppy, having first entered human housing, can be timid and shy, so the owner must establish contact with a young animal and thus reveal its potential. The most important thing is to become a leader, a “pack leader” for your pet.

To do this, you need to constantly raise a cub.

Also, the owner should always have with him a treat in case of encouragement.

You should never shout at an animal, be it a puppy or an adult dog, let alone scolding and applying cruel corporal punishment.

Of course, one of the main points of training is the knowledge of teams.

• Each dog should know well what a “Place” is. To make the baby understand what they want from him, at first he can be picked up and carried on a lounger.
• “Fu” - this command is given if the animal tries to rush at a person, the animal bites or nibbles prohibited things or picks up something on the street.It is advisable to say this word in a threatening tone, but not too often in appropriate cases.
• No less important are the commands "Sit" and "Lie", which teach puppies already in 2 months.

In the future, education involves the knowledge of the pet and other teams, such as “Near”, “To Me” and others

For his dog, the owner can choose natural food or industrial food, which must be of high quality. You can first consult with the veterinarian and the owner of the puppy's parents.

You should not give the dog a budget feed, which may contain harmful components or cause allergies. It is advisable to feed premium food that is safe and well balanced.

Granules should be quite large, puppies at the age of two months they are given in soaked form (in boiled water or lactic drinks).

Among other products, the most useful for the Egyptian greyhound are:

• meat products, primarily beef, lamb, rabbit meat and turkey meat;
• offal - liver, heart, scar;
• vegetables, herbs and fruits;
• low-fat dairy products, including cottage cheese;
• boiled fish fillet;
• fresh beef mosles;
• vegetable oil in an amount of 1 large spoon per day;
• chicken, if it does not provoke an allergy.

Pork, any sweets, potatoes, pasta, smoked delicacies and sausages, raw minced meat, nuts, legumes, fried foods are harmful to animals.

Adult dogs are fed twice a day - early in the morning and in the evening, puppies often - depending on age up to 5 times a day. If the animal is transferred from one type of food to another, do it gradually over the course of a week, gradually increasing portions of new food and reducing the dosage of the previous feed.

The procedures required for an Egyptian dog, include a number of mandatory actions.

• Combing your pet with a natural hair brush or rubber glove. This is needed as a massage to stimulate blood circulation and to remove necrotic particles of hair and skin. In normal times, this is done about twice a week, and during molting - daily.
• Periodically, you should inspect the ears of the animal, wiping the inner surface with warm boiled water. If irritation occurs - redness or itching, as well as a repulsive smell, you need to take your pet to the doctor. The reasons that he shakes his head and rubs his ears may be a hit with an ear mite, otitis media or an allergy to food. Ododectosis is most often affected by adolescents and young dogs whose immune system is not yet formed.
• A regular eye examination is also necessary - once a week they should be wiped with chamomile infusion, it is better to do this with a soft cloth with a lint-free cloth.
• Bathing is provided when the coat is dirty, and for this the owner should have a special, hypoallergenic zoo shampoo. In winter and in the off-season, in order to avoid the common cold, it is better to use dry shampoos that are rubbed into the hairline and then combed out of the wool.
• In addition, after each walk, you need to wash or wipe the dog's paws, and rub vegetable oil or special wax into the pads.

Claws are trimmed once a month, after wetting the paws in warm water.

Also, brushing your teeth up to 4 times a week with dog paste is considered mandatory.To prevent tartar formation, pets are given solid treats or food.

It is necessary to walk with the animal in the morning and evening for 1.5-2 hours at any time, and in winter, warming the body of the dog with fleece overalls.

In the warm season, it is important to timely vaccinate your pet, which will protect not only from possible diseases, but also from parasites like ticks and fleas that carry all kinds of infections.

When buying a purebred puppy You may need various accessories related to care and maintenance:

• convenient bowls for water and food, designed for the narrow face of the animal;
• hypoallergenic care products;
• brush for combing (rubber and with natural bristles);
• quality claw cutters;
• means of protection against ectoparasites;
• veterinary shampoo, lotion for ears and eyes;
• special paste and toothbrush for dogs;
• moderately hard and elastic mattress;
• collar and leash;
• insulated clothing for the cold season, raincoat;
• dog toys and goodies necessary for teeth.

It is advisable to purchase all these accessories before the puppy appears in the apartment.

To choose a puppy who is healthy physically and mentally, you should carefully study the living conditions of the cub’s mother. If an animal spends most of the day in an aviary or even a cage, it is difficult to hope that the puppy will behave appropriately. And also the parent should be well-groomed, have a normal, undeveloped appearance.

The baby should have:

• small but dense tummy;
• smooth, shiny coat;
• live eyes (often blue, which will then change color);
• cold, wet nose;
• straight, parallel legs.

If the dog’s abdomen is pulled in or greatly swollen, then most likely it has worms in its body. Crooked paws deviate from the standard, excluding pure dog blood.

If strange growths are visible on the limbs or ribs of the animal, this suggests that the puppy may have an initial stage of rickets.

If the cost of the proposed dog is much lower, it is worth considering that this is a mixed breed at best.

Watch the video about the pharaoh dog below.