Facts about the Afghan Hound

• On August 3, 2005, Korean scientist Hwang Woo-Suk announced that his team of researchers had become the first team to successfully clone a dog, an Afghan Hound named Snuppy. 
• The Afghan Hound is one of the oldest, if not the first, sighthound dog breed.
• The Afghan Hound has an elegant and aristocratic bearing with a narrow head carried high on a long neck.
• In their native home of Afghanistan these dogs were used to hunt food including hare, gazelles, wolves and even snow leopards.
• The hounds’ long silky coat is usually the color of sand with a darker face.
• The Afghan people originally refused to sell the dogs to outsiders so the first Afghan hound wasn't brought to the United States until 1926.
• Afghans became very fast dogs which helps explain why the breed requires lots of free-running exercise.
• When Afghan hounds find themselves in an overly stressful situation they often refuse to move and sometimes they even go to sleep until the incident or source of stress has passed.
• Afghans have a dignified and somewhat aloof disposition but are also very loyal and affectionate dogs.
• Afghan hounds are also known as Baluchi Hound, Balkh Hound, Barutzy Hound and Kabul Hound.
• Afghans make good watch dogs. 
• In the novel Between the Acts, Virginia Woolf uses an Afghan hound (named Sohrab) to represent aspects of one of the book's human characters.
• Because of its distinctive appearance, the Afghan hound has been represented in animated feature films, including Universal Pictures' Balto (Sylvie), Disney's Lady and the Tramp II (Ruby), an Afghan hound also appeared on 101 Dalmatians and the television series What-a-Mess (Prince Amir of Kinjan).
• This breed lives for 12 to 15 years and is generally healthy although the Afghan has a very low pain tolerance. Afghan dogs have some potential for hip dysplasia and juvenile cataracts.