General Appearance
General Appearance is one of grace, power and speed. The Pharaoh Hound is medium sized, of noble bearing with hard clean-cut lines-graceful, well balanced, very fast with free easy movement and alert expression.
Characteristics
Height--Dogs 23 inches--25 inches. Bitches 21 inches--24 inches. Allover balance must be maintained. Length of body from breast to haunch bone slightly longer than height of withers to ground. Lithe.
Owning
The Pharaoh Hound is a clean dog and his short odor-free coat requires little grooming. Twice-weekly brushing keeps shedding to a minimum. The Pharaoh Hound makes a wonderful watchdog as he is very observant and possesses keen eyesight, acute hearing, and will bark promptly at the approach of strangers. The Pharaoh Hound must be permitted to make up his own mind about people and situations. He is playful and enjoys children, but cannot be expected to readily accept children he does not know. The Pharaoh Hound is very fast, active, and alert. He is not a good candidate for apartment living unless his owner is prepared to give him plenty of daily exercise.
Temperament
Intelligent, friendly, affectionate and playful. Alert and active. Very fast with a marked keenness for hunting, both by sight and scent.
Did You Know
The Pharaoh Hound originated in ancient Egypt. It is thought to have been brought from Egypt by the Phoenicians when they settled on the Mediterranean islands of Malta and Gozo. The Pharaoh Hounds have existed there for over 2,000 years. In Malta they are bred for rabbit hunting and are the national dog of Malta. The first Pharoah Hound, a bitch, was brought to the United States in 1967 by Mrs. Ruth Taft Harper, secured with the help of Pauline Black and her husband General Adam Black. The first litter of Pharoah Hounds was born in the U.S. in 1970. The Pharaoh Hound was recognized for registration in AKC's Stud Book on August 1, 1983.