You find the most interesting things on eBay sometimes. Like vintage photos. Thought these were interesting.

...and the start of the Afghan Hounds we have today dates to 1920, when Major and Mrs. G. Bell Murray and Miss Jean C. Manson brought to Scotland a group of Afghan Hounds they had acquired or bred during an eight year stay in Baluchistan - then an independent state south of Afghanistan, and today a part of Pakistan. Most of these dogs were of the desert type--racy, fine headed and light in coat. Breeding from these imports, Miss Manson, the Major and others further developed the Bell-Murray strain throughout the 1920s.

The desert or Bell-Murray type seems to have been lost as an 'Afghan'; they seem to be called either aboriginal Afghans now, or Khalag tazis.



This one is labeled 'persian greyhound' (Saluki) but you can see the similarities with the illustration above. I've seen Salukis that are quite as hairy as this dog. Makes you realize the two breeds were not really that 'separate.'



I just really like this dog. Barberry Hill Freddie.



Zardin, a mountain type Afghan who was the model for the KC standard.



Modern COO Afghans. I think this has been posted before. Nice dogs.



I just thought this dog was cute. From 1936

Some great pics of old time afghans thanks.

I agree that that they are'nt really different, there seems to a complete cross over of type within Salukis, Tazi and Afghan's not the complete difference you'd expect that separates most different breeds. I personally see them as the same breed, I look at them and can't see it any other way.

The million dollar question is which came first and from where? :huh:

Since the DNA evidence right now is pointing towards East Asia as the origin point for dogs, I'd say it's a toss up for the Tazy, Taigan, and Afghan hound being 'first.' Although it seems more likely for there to be a concurrent development of the three types from a proto-tazytaiganafghan since dog generations are pretty short. I don't really count them as distinct breeds anyways, more as regional variations on a 'type' of dog with intergrades where those regions overlap. So 'first' is kind of one of those fairly useless facts that humans have this silly need to file away, isn't it?

I would count western Afghans as a separate breed, except that I have seen Saluki/Afghan crosses and they look pretty much like early Afghans or aboriginal Afghans.

I've seen a few afghanXsaluki's on the US saluki rescue site's and they do look very aborginal afghan/ tazi like. Have you ever seen or heard of anyone coursing with afghanXsaluki's? I think I have mentioned before that I have often thought about crossing My saluki's with an afghan to give strength, bone and coat as most of my hunting is done over rough terrain and in forests. Lack of a tried and tested hunting afghan being the problem.

I found this photo on the STOLA site.


SalukiXAfghan

There's no guarantee you'd get coat with a Saluki/Af cross. It would depend on how many fuzzy genes your Saluki passes on. Likely you'd get a range of coats in the litter, from fuzzy Saluki to pretty full coated. There are a surprising number of American show Afghans that will gladly kill small furry animals that cross their path, I'm sure you could probably find some with the instinct in the UK. Not sure how you'd go about it, though. That cross pictures is really quite beautiful, it's too bad spots are a no no in the Af standard.

I did find some pictures of European racing Afghans that were very interesting, I'll post a couple links in a new thread.