Size
Height:
Dogs, 27 inches (69 cm), plus or minus 1 inch (3 cm);
Bitches, 25 inches (64 cm), plus or
minus 1 inch (3 cm).
Weight:
Dogs, about 60 lb. (27 kg); Bitches, 50 lb. (23 kg).
Coat and
Colour
Hindquarters, flanks, ribs, forequarters, and legs well covered with thick,
silky hair, very fine in texture; ears and all four feet well feathered; from in
front of the shoulders, and also backwards from the shoulders along the saddle
from the flanks and ribs upwards, the hair is short and close forming a smooth
back in mature dogs - this is a traditional characteristic of the Afghan Hound.
The Afghan
Hound should be shown in its natural state; the coat is not clipped or trimmed;
the head is surmounted (in the full sense of the word) with a topknot of long,
silky hair ? this also an outstanding characteristic of the Afghan Hound.
Showing of short hair on cuffs on either front or back legs is permissible.
All colours
are permissible, but colour or colour combinations are pleasing; white markings,
especially on the head are undesirable.
Head
The head is
of good length, showing much refinement. The skull is evenly balanced with the
foreface. The occipital bone is very prominent. The head is surmounted by a
topknot of long silky hair. There is a slight prominence of the nasal bone
structure causing a slightly Roman appearance, the centre line running up over
the foreface with little or no stop, falling away in front of the eyes so there
is an absolutely clear outlook with no interference; the under jaw showing great
strength, the jaws long and punishing. The nose is of good size, black in
colour. The mouth is level, meaning that the teeth from the upper jaw and lower
jaw match evenly, neither overshot nor undershot. This is a difficult mouth to
breed. A scissors bite is even more punishing and can be more easily bred into a
dog than a level mouth, and a dog having a scissors bite, where the lower teeth
slip inside and rest against the teeth of the upper jaw, should not be
penalized. The eyes are almond shaped (almost triangular), never full or bulgy,
and are dark in colour. The ears are long, set approximately on level with outer
corners of the eyes, the leather of the ear reaching nearly to the end of the
dog?s nose, and covered with long silky hair.
Neck
The neck is
of good length, strong and arched, running in a curve to the shoulders.
Forequarters
Shoulders
long and sloping and well laid back. Shoulders have plenty of angulation so that
the legs are well set underneath the dog. Too much straightness of shoulder
causes the dog to break down in the pasterns, and this is a serious fault.
Forelegs are straight and strong with great length between elbow and pastern;
elbows well held in; pasterns long and straight; forefeet large in both length
and width; toes well arched; feet covered with long thick hair, fine in texture;
pads of feet unusually large and well down on the ground.
Body
The
backline appearing practically level from the shoulders to the loins. The height
at the shoulders equals the distance from the chest to the buttocks. The brisket
well let down, and of medium width. Strong and powerful loin and slightly
arched, falling away towards the stern, with the hip bones very pronounced; well
ribbed and tucked up in flanks.
Hindquarters
Hindquarters powerful and well muscled with great length between hip and hock;
hocks are well let down; good angulation of both stifle and hock; slightly bowed
from hock to crotch. The hind feet are broad and of good length; the toes
arched, and covered with long thick hair. All four feet of the Afghan Hound are
in line with the body, turning neither in nor out.
Tail
Tail set
not too high on the body, having a ring, or a curve on the end; should never be
curled over, or rest on the back, or be carried sideways; and should never be
bushy.
Gait
When
running free, the Afghan Hound moves at a gallop, showing great elasticity and
spring in his smooth, powerful stride. When on a loose lead, the Afghan can trot
at a fast pace; stepping along, he has the appearance of placing the hind feet
directly in the footprints of the front feet, both thrown straight ahead. Moving
with head and tail high, the whole appearance of the Afghan Hound is one of
great style and beauty.
Faults
Sharpness
or shyness. Lack of short-haired saddle in mature dogs. Coarseness; snipiness;
overshot or undershot; eyes round or bulgy or light in colour; exaggerated Roman
nose; head not surmounted with topknot. Neck too short or too thick; an ewe
neck; a goose neck; a neck lacking in substance. Front or back feet thrown
outward or inward; pads of feet not thick enough; or feet too small; or any
other evidence of weakness in feet; weak or broken-down pasterns. Roach back,
sway back, goose rump, slack loin; lack of prominence of hip bones; too much
width of brisket causing interference with elbows. Too straight in stifle; too
long in hock.