Mary Allen
The Pharaoh Hound is often considered the official dog of Egypt; however, this is not really suspected among researchers of this strain. Despite its country of origin, the Pharaoh Hound is a hardy dog breed, loved and celebrated primarily by the Maltese as champion hunters. Modern research links this noble dog to the country of Malta and as the federal dog of Malta is certainly a popular dog in the Mediterranean.
The Origin of This Pharaoh Dog
Many associates the Pharaoh Hound with Egypt for a variety of reasons, including the title Pharaoh Hound. However, the truth behind this title is that it is a modern nickname to get a variety known to the Maltese as Kelb tal-Fenek, which translates to rabbit dog. Another reason people choose to tie the pharaoh hound to the Egyptians is the shape of the dog, which looks like hieroglyphs and statues of Anubis, the Egyptian god associated with the afterlife.
The fact is, however, that the Egyptian god Anubis was a jackal-headed god and not a dog-led god. However, modern research is able to link the Pharaoh Hound to a Maltese origin, and this origin is reinforced by the breed’s scarcity in Malta. While volumes are increasing in various areas of the world due to increasing demand for rare animal breeds, the Pharaoh Hound still thrives in abundance on its home island of Malta. It is believed that the Pharaoh Hound wounded himself on the island of Malta when the Phoenicians settled the island, bringing with them their beloved Egyptian dogs. But that is an unfounded story.
The Home Of The Pharaoh Hounds: Malta
The Pharaoh Hound is particularly valued as a great sighting dog and is admired by farmers and hunters alike on the island of Malta for its tracking and searching abilities. As a result of the Maltese guardianship of this breed, quite a few Pharaoh Hounds were able to be settled outside of the country, but over time breeders around the world have started to set up breeding applications for the few dogs outside of Malta, representing a slow growth of the tribe. From his sleek and lean body to his sturdy nature and keen eyesight, there is nothing about this golden hound that doesn’t lend itself to making him a great hunter.
The Pharaoh Hound is usually a very independent dog along with a quick hunter; These traits make a great gun dog, but not such a great house dog as they cannot be trusted with additional small animals due to their uncontrollable prey drive.
Distinguishing Features
Pharaoh Hounds have quite distinctive traits compared to other dogs.
Huge Ears
The most striking feature of the Pharaoh Hound is its large ears, which naturally stand up high on its relatively small head. Unlike other dog breeds such as Doberman Pinschers, which require the ears to be cropped or taped to hold the ears up, the Pharaoh Hound’s ears obviously stand up, providing excellent hunting skills for this dog.
The Pharaoh Hound Blushes And Smiles?
The Pharaoh Hound’s ears are famous for another reason, along with their size and organic importance, their
Blush. A unique feature of the Pharaoh Hound, the dog’s inner ear and nose will eventually turn bright pink when the dog is happy or excited, a condition referred to as blushing by Pharaoh Hound lovers everywhere. The Pharaoh Hound also became popular
However, this aspect is less referred to by fans of the breed than the blush, which is well documented.
The Pharaoh Hound Is Fast And Agile, Use A Fence!
Because of its intended nature as a hunter, the Pharaoh Hound is known for its fast running speed and independent nature. The Pharaoh Hound can be a very agile dog and is able and eager to jump over rocks, fences, and other obstacles to find what it needs. For this reason, a pharaoh hound must be surrounded by a weapon that stands five or six feet high. Due to its agility in running and jumping, the Pharaoh Hound is characterized by proper agility training and due to its status as a sighthound, it is also particularly good at lure coursing. The Pharaoh Hound has an insatiable need to run, hunt, and catch, and without an official way to fulfill this need, they are often left to their own devices. A pharaoh hound left to its own devices can be extremely harmful and don’t even think about burrowing under a fence or finding a way over a fence to chase every scent that is in the atmosphere.