Pharaoh Hound

Kelb tal-Fenek

Whether used for hunting or not, the Pharaoh Hound is an excellent life companion. He is gentle and patient with young and old alike, and makes an great playmate for all. This noble and elegant looking dog combines an original appearance with a wonderful temperament and physical abilities. His numbers are low, and owning such a magnificent dog requires patience and research to find a breeder.

Height 53 to 64 cm
Weight 20 to 25 kg
Life expectancy 11 to 14 years
Hair Loss Low
Excercise Need High
Home country Malta

Quick Overview of the Pharaoh Hound

Temperament

  • Enthusiastic and fast
  • Vigilant and obedient
  • Friendly and affectionate

Appearance

  • Noble appearance
  • Powerful and elegant
  • Tight short coat

Health

  • Hardy and very robust
  • Rarely ill

Temperament of the Pharaoh Hound

Enthusiastic, vigilant, fast, obedient, friendly, affectionate, energetic and very playful, the Pharaoh Hound can also be suspicious of strangers.

Very receptive, his education is relatively easy because he loves to learn and understands quickly what is expected of him.

He is a great athlete and hunter. Physical activity is at the centre of his universe. If he does not hunt and is adopted as a companion dog, he will hunt everything that moves around him.

When walking or running in the fields, he will be vigilant and attentive and will hunt anything he finds in his path.

chien du pharaon personnalité

Breed Appearance

pharaoh's dog

This medium-size dog is remarkably imposing. His physique is both powerful and elegant. His silhouette is fluid and offers him a great ease of movement.

The pure lines of his silhouette give him great elegance and lets all the nobility and harmony of his beautiful build shine through.

Height

Between 56 and 64 cm (22.05 to 25.20 inches) for the male
Between 53 and 61 cm (20.87 to 24.02 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 20 and 25 kg (44.09 to 55.12 pounds) for the male
Between 20 and 25 kg (44.09 to 55.12 pounds) for the female

Color

The color of his coat can be red-brown or dark red-brown, marked with a white patch on the chest, a white tail tip and sometimes a little white on the muzzle.

Hair

His short, dense coat is shiny and very fine. It has no fringes and can be slightly harsh.

Morphology

His long head is lean and has a slight stop. His eyes are oval and a beautiful amber color in harmony with the coat.

His broad ears at the base are fine and long and carried erect, fully alert.

His nose's color, in harmony with the coat, varies from brown to roan. His tail, at rest, protrudes beyond the hock while carried high and curved in action.

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group 5, section 6 and is #248

Characteristics of the Pharaoh Hound

Does this dog suit your lifestyle?

Every dog breed has its own characteristics. However, the actual character of a dog can vary from one to another within the same breed.

Find out if the Pharaoh Hound is your ideal dog breed with our quiz.

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Life in an apartment
Good first dog
Tolerates solitude
Tolerates cold weather
Tolerates hot weather
Affectionate
Friendly with children
Friendly with strangers
Friendly with other animals
Hair loss
Drooling level
Easy to care for
Robust health
Easy to train
Intelligent
Tendency to bark
Tendency to nibble
Protective
Instinct to hunt
Adventurous spirit
Energy level
Level of intensity
Need for exercise
Playful

Price and monthly budget

Price you can expect to pay for a Pharaoh Hound puppy: between and
These prices are indicative and may vary from breeder to breeder

Tips About this breed

Even if he adapts easily, the Pharaoh Hound is not really a sedentary dog, he would rather be the opposite.

His athletic physique allows him to exercise very quickly and he loves it. He must get at least one daily exercise to be fulfilled.

If he lives in the city, the garden will be his favourite place where he can run and hunt anything that goes through his territory.

Since he barks very little, he can live in the city without disturbing the neighbours.

He must be able to run often enough to spend his energy and indulge in his favourite hobby, hunting.

The Pharaoh Hound is neither aggressive, stubborn nor disobedient. He is active and athletic, but responds well to his master's demands and requirements and is relatively easy to train and socialize.

His natural distrust of strangers makes him an excellent guardian but he never gets aggressive.

Health of the Pharaoh Hound

This hardy dog is very robust and rarely sick.

No real pathology affects the breed and he generally enjoys excellent health. His life expectancy is rather high.

GROOMING

His smooth coat requires daily brushing to keep it healthy and shiny. No other maintenance is required.

History of this breed

Originally from Malta, the Pharaoh Hound has been known in Egypt since ancient times. This very ancient breed is said to have arrived, around 1000 BC, with the Phoenician and Cretan travelers who landed on the island of Malta.

His canine ancestor would then have evolved towards the current breed and would have spread everywhere along the Mediterranean. On the island of Malta, he would have evolved into the Pharaoh Dog, in Sicily into the Cirneco dell'Etna, in the Canary Islands into the Podenco Canario and in the Balearic Islands into the Ibizan Podenco.

All these dogs would have the same common ancestors that evolved differently in each of the localities. This information is plausible if one compares the Pharaoh Dog to the Cirneco dell'Etna which are very similar.

It was at the beginning of the 20th century, more precisely in the 1920s, that British travellers first noticed him and exported him to England. It was only later, in 1963, that the breed was officially recognized by the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale).

The Pharaoh Hound is a remarkable hunting dog for game birds, rabbits and hares. In addition to his hunting skills, he makes an excellent companion and excels in guarding duties. Nowadays, he is found almost exclusively in Great Britain, where his numbers remain very limited.

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