Charlotte Foster
Its graceful appearance is reminiscent of depictions of Anubis from ancient Egypt, its pronounced urge to move and its keen senses complement each other perfectly: the rare Pharaoh Hound from the island of Malta is an avid hunter who integrates into families in a good-natured, playful and docile manner.
Mysterious past
There are many stories about the origin of the Maltese Pharaoh’s Hound. However, illustrations and bone find suggest that it once came to the island of Malta from ancient Egypt through traders.
After the name pharaoh hound had long been used for greyhound-like hunting dogs with prick ears, the classification by the cynological umbrella organization Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) took place in 1977. He leads the dog breed under the name Pharaoh Hound; The Maltese call the pharaoh hound Kelb al-Fenek because of its use in hunting rabbits. In his homeland, he is also used as a keeper of goats.
Nature of the Pharaoh Hound
Do you want an alert, intelligent dog that fascinates with its agility and accompanies you in your active, nature-loving lifestyle? Then the pharaoh hound is a good candidate. He proves to be just as good a hunter as a guard and remains playful into old age. Due to his friendly, open-minded, and loving nature, he makes an excellent family dog. He is patient with children and he also gets along well with other dogs.
Training and keeping the Pharaoh Hound
The be-all and end-all of keeping a Pharaoh Hound is exercise in the form of play and/or work. In addition to the daily exercise, agility offers him the opportunity to use his skills and let off steam. His upbringing requires good socialization and species-appropriate employment. The Pharaoh Hound wants to please and seeks close contact with its people. Due to its joy in barking, the exuberant liveliness, and the pronounced urge to move, it is only conditionally suitable for keeping in a city apartment.
Caring for the Pharaoh Hound
The Pharaoh Hound’s short, glossy coat requires little maintenance. Regular brushing will keep it shiny.
Peculiarities of the Pharaoh Hound
The Pharaoh Hound tends to be sensitive to cold and gluttonous. Its life expectancy is high at up to 15 years.
The breed is rare and there is some risk of inbreeding-related diseases. Therefore, be sure to contact a reputable breeder. Ideally, this uses the “sensitive phase” at the age of 12 to 14 weeks for the puppy handover and allows you to get to know each other in advance through visits.