Pharaoh Hound

Pharaoh Hound
Group: Hound
Size: Large
Coat length: Short
Grooming required: Once a week
Coat sheds: No
Home size: Large House
Garden size: Large
Lifespan: Over 10 Years
Exercise: More than an hour per day
The Pharaoh Hound is one of the oldest breeds in the world, possibly going back as far as 4,000 BC. Artwork from ancient Egypt certainly shows a dog very like them.

They are tall, slim and athletic looking with a deep chest. Their neck is long and slightly arched and their head a long wedge with large, erect ears and amber eyes. Their short, smooth and glossy coat is a reddish tan with a few white markings and ideally a white tip to the tail.

They were used as a scent hound and sight hound for small game as well as a royal companion. They are now the national dog of Malta. The Pharaoh Hound loves to play outside and is a pleasant, loving and peaceful dog indoors as long as they are given enough opportunity for exercise. They do need handling with care though, as they can be sensitive and have a unique tendency to "blush" when excited with their ears and nose becoming bright pink.

They are normally child-friendly, ok around other dogs but wary of strangers and like to chase small game. They are relatively inactive indoors but can run very fast and enjoy the opportunity to do so outside.

Their short coat is easy to look after. They tend to stay clean and have no doggy smell but they may need to wear a coat against the cold in winter. They are generally very hardy and healthy but they may be sensitive to insecticides and certain medicines.