Ive heard stories of smooth Afghan hounds cropping up from time to time and I've seen a photo in an old Sighthound Review of smooth Afghans but where are they if they are out there?
Are they culled or sold as non-discript sighthounds with the fact that they are Afghans kept quiet?

I also often wonder whether anyone in the western world actually seriously hunts with there Afghans, Surely some still have it in them?

I've seen photos of Racing Afghans with bare pasterns and hocks and far lighter coat than the typical show dogs as such would not be hampered by it in the field. A lady not far from keeps Afghans and when younger before the long coat develops they just look like strong wooly Saluki's.

How do they compare to Saluki's when run on a lure or live game in coursing trials in the US? Are the two (Saluki's & Afghan's) ever run side by side?

Regards

Mark

The owner of Moussa sent me this photo of a smooth COO Afghan Taken by a friend who was working in Kabul, Thought I'd share with you all on here.



you can really see how strongly built it is without the coat.

Very cool, thanks for posting that! Nice to see a smooth with some muscle on him, but of course, he'd have to be in shape, wouldn't he? :)

There's a smooth male in Finland who has just mated a coated bitch. The breeder had a gorgeous smooth bitch as well but unfortunately I hear she was killed in an accident :(

My understanding of the smooth afghan is that they have been culled for a long time since no one in the show world back in the days would want anyone to know that their dog produced a smooth. Same thing with the domino colored afghan (same as grizzle in salukis) for years they culled the color, not sure why, I always liked it and think it is very exotic looking, lol but that was back in the days of the big red afghan was the only way to go. The black masked reds from what I have seen have become less popular now as a main stream color and now we're predominated by black and black and tans, :blink:

below is a link for more info collected regarding the smooth afghan.
http://www.afghanhoundsinternational.net/gallery2/smooth

Personally the look of the purely racing lines are not my favorite, but I really like gorgeous heads on an afghan, hate stops and receding topknots, but that is just me, lol. I have seen the dogs that come from German Racing lines and they seem to be more sprinters then being able to take the turns like an afghan is supposed to, they should be able to turn on a dime while running but speed, wow did they have and also drive. My personal preference is an a multi purpose hound that can win in the ring, and still go out and do what it was bred to do.

Nicole

Hi Nicole,

Thanks for the link, I do like to see the smooth afghans as it gives you an idea of whats underneath all the coat. I wonder how much better they would preform in the coursing field.

Regards

Mark

I honestly do not know. But I would think that they would just as well as their coated relatives, A friend of mine has a massive coated afghan that is nuts for the lure and refuses to give up, then again the males always seem to have more of a drive for plastic then the bitches do, the bitches I think as they get older figure it out, my oldest bitch for the most just wants the REAL bunnies, LOL.

Nicole

I was thinking the smoothes would be better as they won't over heat just as much, plus all that coat must hinder them somewhat especially if wet.

Actually my older afghan becomes a complete maniac when wet. I have jested at times of running her at a lure course dripping wet becomes of it. So I'd say yes in some cases it could with when they are but in others it almost changes their mindset. Also depends how coated of a dog your refering to. If they are the huge hairy mammoths I see occationally I agree! The lighter coated afghans I prefer, which my Calypso is, when she goes in season she drops quite a bit of coat and her saddle line gets lower and she looses all the coat on the back of her neck up to the base of her skull, and all the coat on her underbelly, tho you can't see it by looking at her, have to lift the side coat to tell, lol. So like I said, depends on how coated of an afghan your talking about, lol. Smooths would have the advantage that nothing would get stuck in their coats which could slow them down depending on what it was but that is the only real advantage I see.

Nicole

Yes my Saluki's get a little bit crazy when wet through, god help anything that crosses them when in that state lol

If you ever try your hound on live coursing it love to here about it.


Regards

Mark

I hope to go with a friend of mine to New Mexico for one of the meets for hunting jack rabbits, should be fun when get over there. Just so many events going on at once, lol. I'd love to take her out in the desert and let her go after the jack rabbits locally just not sure where I could get away with that and as well as it being far enough aways from roads to feel comfortable letting her hunt.

Nicole