June 24th, 2009 by admin

Pharaoh Hound

History and origin:

An ancient breed, it is believed that the Phoenicians took these hounds with them when they settled on Malta and Gozo.  This medium-sized sight hound was used by Egyptian nobility to hunt rabbits and gazelles.

Description:

The Pharaoh Hound stands 21 to 25 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 45 and 60 pounds.  He has a lithe, athletic, graceful body and a short, smooth,silky, and shedding coat that needs very little grooming.  The color may be tan or red.  The Pharaoh Hound has amber eyes similar in color to those of the Weimaraner.

About the breed:

The Pharaoh Hound is the oldest domesticated dog in recorded history.  He played an important role in the daily life of kings and nobles in Ancient Egypt.  He is an elegant, intelligent, swift, and powerful breed that is affectionate to his owners but reserved and cautious with strangers as the Greyhound or Saluki.   He is quiet, clean, and easygoing in the home.  Though tolerant of older children, he will not appreciate a hectic environment or any kind of roughhousing.  The Pharaoh Hound will not make a good watch dog and must be watched around small animals because of his high prey drive.  Similar to all sight hounds, the Pharaoh Hound needs daily exercise to remain happy and fit.  Training can take longer than normal with this breed.  No rushed or overbearing techniques should be used.  Patience and precision are needed because of the slow speed at which all sight hounds learn.  If pushed, the dog may panic and become passive-resistant.  The “Sit” and “Come” commands are the most challenging to teach.  Socialization from puppy hood will help reduce this breed’s natural timidity.

Feeding:

Recommended feeding for the Pharaoh Hound is1-1 ½ cans of a branded meaty product (13.3oz) with added biscuit in same amount or 3 cupfuls of a complete dry food.

Ideal home:

The Pharaoh Hound can live in an apartment provided he is getting enough exercise everyday. Keep in mind that this breed can jump a six-foot fence.  The environment should be quiet, predictable, and free of hectic activity. The Pharaoh Hound will not tolerate roughhousing and may snap in protest.  The owner of a Pharaoh Hound should be easygoing and respectful of this breed’s need for space.  Provide a place for the dog to call his own, perhaps a bed in the corner of the living room.  Overbearing, loud people should avoid this breed.  Because of their natural instinct to hunt, most sight hounds do not do well with small pets, particularly rabbits or rodents.

June 13th, 2009 by admin

1. Lessens male aggressive and territorial behaviors, but doesn’t affect the dog’s personality.  Behaviors are often owner-induced, so neutering is not the only answer, but it is a good start.

2. Prevents the need to roam in search of females in season.

3. Decreased incidences of urogenital diseases.

This means of controlling breeding stock (neutering) improves the chances that knowledgeable breeding will take place, with dogs that will carry the breed forward because of their positive traits and absence of undesirable ones.

A matter of recent public controversy revolves around the contention that purebred-dog genetic factors carry a certain number of physiological flaws and susceptibility to certain diseases.  The flames of controversy are fanned by people who ignore the fact that non-purebred animals suffer from the same kinds of conditions, and that there is less attention paid to identifying illnesses and infirmities in non-purebreds and almost none to eliminating them.

June 12th, 2009 by admin

Dog Aggression

A dog that growls at and/or bites its owner does so for some reason, even if the behavior appears “unreasonable” to the owner.  A complete medical examination, including tests for hormonal balance, neurophysiologic function and allergies, may reveal the underlying cause.

This has been especially helpful in dogs that have swings in mood.  When growling or biting has erupted as a consequence of scolding or punishment for such behavior as chewing, jumping, general unruliness, or overprotection of food, these problems must be treated at the same time the program to correct aggression is initiated.

The Owner’s Actions Owners must understand that their dog growls or bites at them as a result of defensive feelings.  Even the dog that growls when ordered off the couch is reacting defensively, as it feels its dominance status has been threatened.  If scolding and punishment provoke aggression, the dog is reacting to a perceived threat to its physical safety.  In either of these situations, the owner’s threatening behavior is producing negative results.