Pharaoh Hound

Description:
An elegant looking hunter, the Pharaoh hound stands out because of its aristocracy and thin body. This dog has oval shaped amber eyes that are slightly sunken in and has a very intelligent look to it. Its coat has a chestnut color. The male's height is from fifty eight to sixty three centimeters and female's around fifty-three to sixty one centimeters. This dog has fine medium sized ears that it carries upwards; its head is long and chiseled and its nose is skin color that should blend in with the color of its coat. This dog carries its head up high and its neck is long, clean and muscular. The superior line is practically straight. The tails from the base goes narrowing towards the tip like a riding whip. The shoulders should look strong, not heavy or inclined. The front legs should be straight; the hind ones should be moderately angled. The coat should be short and shiny. The color of the coat can either be fire color or chestnut and can have a white spot on its chest and tail.

Ideal owner:
The Pharaoh hound is known to be a very susceptible and sensitive dog, which is why it is probably more appropriate for a quiet adult family rather than a family with children. Believe it or not this dog can actually blush. It is an active dog but not to the extreme and an older person could easily satisfy its exercise demands. The great thing about this dog is that it can also adapt itself to an apartment or flat, and it is very well behaved in the house. This dog cannot live in a kennel. Make sure to educate and socialize it when it is a puppy and to allow it to become associated with many different people and situations, because otherwise it will turn into a very shy dog. This dogs hearing ability and sight is very keen making it very prone to getting easily distracted during training sessions.

Growth:
The Pharaoh hound is born with its adult color and grows at a very normal pace. When this dog is a puppy it is very independent and this type of behavior is what anyone interested in getting one should look for. The amount of care this dog requires is minimal, however it is very important to keep its ears clean starting at a young age. For senior dogs it is important to regularly check their anal glands.

General health:
The sensitive personality of the Pharaoh hound seems to extend itself to this dog's health. It is known that this dog is very sensitive to prescribed medications so make sure your veterinarian is aware of this factor. This all includes being sensitive to anti flee collars, anti parasite baths and powders etc. Many Pharaoh hounds are also allergic and sensitive anesthetics. Don't every try to medicate one of these dogs on your own. Since it is a fragile dog, its tail can become easily fractured, if this were to occur, make sure to keep the broken area well lubricated until it has completely healed to avoid complications derived by skin dryness. Calloused elbows are also common and if this happens just make sure to apply a soft skin cream on them. Since there is a limited amount of Pharaoh hounds, there are few hereditary problems that have arisen by indiscriminate breeding. The life span of this dog is around fifteen to seventeen years.