Afghans - info please! Discussions

what can people tell me about them?
they really catch my eye because i think they look like a larger version of daphni
i think they are lovely and very elegant looking. i dont know if i would own one simply because of the coat and the grooming.
just wondered if anyone owned any? and could tell me what theyre like as a breed?

Stubborn and need a lot of grooming.

Fantastic dogs, despite that. Very loving, and pretty unique!

my grandma used to have one and she said they were daft as a bat!
thats my only downfall with grooming, when i bath daph she takes me an hour to do fully, and she is soooo tiny compared to an afghan. i dread to think how long they take to bath and groom!

Did you have one Vicki? Got any pics

If you like them but the coats a issue why don't you look for a smooth coated one, there isnt many around from what i know but you could ask around and see what breeders say.

wow ive never heard of them being smoothcoated.

I've been told you can also get feathered ones with a coat like a Saluki too

They require massive amounts of grooming. They are not a good family pet if you expect your pet to be very friendly and want to be with you. Most are aloof, and distant to a degree, thats how they should be. They are NOT obedient at all whatsoever, there are very very few that you could let loose and expect to see them again. My boss has one, she has had them for over 30yrs, she will see this too I would think comment also. They suffer many health isssues, including Hypothyroidism and Larygeal Paralysis.

This is SueL's dog, Jenna.




You need to be very dedicated and Id say certainly not a dog for a novice.

Jenna is gorgeous
My mum used to love Afghans, we used to see a couple that lived near us, when I was little and she always wanted one, until she was told about all the grooming, the aloofness, the lousy recall etc... (now we have setters ) Beautiful dogs though, in the right hands

Afghans - what can I say. They are a dog in a million. They are aloof with strangers but very loyal to their family. I have also had one that never stayed in the same room as us but would pop in to make sure we were still there and others that think they should lie all over you - very warm in winter They also like the best seat in the house

They are not reliable off lead but love a run in a secure area.

From about 9 - 18 months is the most difficult coat wise as they lose their puppy coat. Once the adult coat is through I have found that an hour once a week has kept mine matt free (I had 5 at one time they just seem to multiply ) but once speyed have had to groom every other day. I usually bath mine every 3/4 weeks which can take anything up to four hours to groom through and dry.

It has taken much soul searching as to why I shouldn't have another but health issues of my last few have played a great part in a decision not to. I have owned them for more years than I care to admit and will be lost without one once Jenna has gone to the bridge. The home will not be the same

Good description, I dont think they are a first time dog, or one that you wish to interact with other dogs , from what I have been told (someone who breeds and shows them) they can be extremely dog aggressive.

Remember being at B/pool a few yrs back one broke loose from its handler and attacked a Bull mastiff, the Bull mastiff needed to see the vet afterwards, was a very distressing sight.

Not a breed fro me, to aloof and independent, not to mention the coat care

I owned afghans for 30 years (we had six at one time, mostly rescue), they do need a lot of grooming but it depends on the coat as to how much time it would take up. They are aloof with strangers but not usually with their owners. They are sighthounds and have the hound ability to turn deaf if it suits them so not generally good off lead.

They are lovely characters and can be very affectionate. I didn't ever have any health issues with mine but some of them can be nervous around strangers but like any breed you need to research and go to a reputable breeder.

There are smooth coated ones, they are probably not easy to find though. If you search for Afeena Mastermind you will find a site with photos. He came from a litter of very heavily coated dogs, my friend owned two of his litter brothers who had the most incredibly heavy coats. I spoke to his breeder at Crufts last year and she was telling me that these smooth coated dogs were being bred.

I think the 'golden' coloured ones are lovely looking xxxxx

my freind has a beautifull red coat she is gawjuss and very friendly to me when i go visit she cries for me lol will post some pics of her she is one in march and from ritzina afghans daft as a brush tho xx

aww shes beautiful

i just love the look of them, like i said i dont think i would ever own one just wanted to know a bit about them, a woman we saw at a show had 4 afghans and then a crested powderpuff, who she said was a mini afghan they do look quite similiar i think. they are definately a lovely breed

I luffs my 2 afghan boys.
They do need a lot of grooming....
Can be aloof....
One of mine is a cuddle monster...
The other puts up with us...lol
Afghans aren't known to have health issues...
They think for themselves and don't need humans to tell them what to do....
They're not a breed for a novice....unless they are really dedicated to learning more about this beautiful breed

Im sorry, are you serious?

Laryngeal Paralysis
Hypothyroidism
Some Auto-Immune disease

Its true to say many breeders choose to ignore the problems, but they are certainly there.

What about a Saluki ?

I think Afghan's are one of the most stunning breeds of dogs to look at.
I see a champaigne? coloured one occasionally being walked and it looks so regal and majestic, like a super model who just knows they look good!

I will just have to admire them from afar though, as they are a specialist breed I think.

My work colleague had one and he said they are lovely looking dogs but very dim. Apparently they score the lowest in dog intelligence tests but you can't have everything -beauty and brains!