Pharaoh Hound - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Ancient origin
It is believed, that this is one of the oldest dog breeds of old, originated in Egypt in year 3000 B.C. There are preserved hieroglyphics of these dogs. But the dog we know today was developed on the European island of Malta. It is believed, that Phoenecian traders brought them to Malta and thanks to the isolation of this island, they retain almost the same for so many centuries.

2) Hunter
This breed was originally named Kelb tal-Fenek, which literally means dog of the rabbit. It was a reference to great hunting skills of the dog and their ability to sucessfully hunt rabbits and other small game.

3) Similar breeds
The Pharaoh Hounds are most likely descendants of Egyptian hunting dog called Tesen and as i already said, phoenecian traders brought them to Malta. But you can see much more, similarly looking dogs can be found around the Mediterranean region where the Phoenicians traded, for example the Cirneco dell Etna, Podenco Canario or Portuguese Podenco. It is believed that all these dogs have the same ancestry in Egypt and they were only brough to different locations by Phoenecians.

4) Blushing
One of the sweetest facts about this breed is their ability to blush. When the dog is excited or happy, you can notice a bright pink or red color on its nose and ears.

5) On leash
It is highly recomended to have Pharaoh Hound on leash in unknown areas. It is because of their high prey drive and when they start the hunt, it would be almost impossible for them to obey your commands. From the same reason, they are not the greatest fit to homes with smaller pets like hamsters, but they do okay with other dogs.

6) Indoor
This is an indoor dog and they love to live a spoiled life. They want to have their own soft bed and warm place in your home. This breed can easily get cold and they do not tolerate cold temperatures very well. Their ears are thin and prone to frostbite when in cold climates and it is very common to see them in sweaters or other clothes.

7) Barking
This is a sighthounds and most of the sighthounds are known for being pretty quiet. But Pharaoh Hound does bark and it is important to train them not to do it from a young puppy if you do not like it. Thanks to this trait, they can make good watchdogs, because they will alert you when something suspicious is going on around your property, but they are too fragile to make good protectors.

8) Ferrets
This might be little bit surprising, but Pharaoh hounds hunting partner is a ferret. When the group of Pharaoh Hound locate the rabbit, they will chase it until the rabbit runs away under the ground. Than, the hunter will brings out a ferret with a tiny bell around its neck. The Pharaoh hound can hear the bell under the ground and follow the ferret movement. When the rabbit finally bolts for freedom, it finds itself captured by the hunter’s nets.

9) Egyptian description
There is a well preserved Egyptian hunting chronicle with a description of a dog, that is believed to be the original Pharaoh Hound. This is, what the chronicle says: The red, long-tailed dog goes at night into the stalls of the hills. He makes no delay in hunting, his face glows like a God and he delights to do his work.

10) Health
The Pharaoh hound was never a victim of overbreeding and probably thanks to that, they are not victims of many serious health issues. The average lifespan of this breed is between 12-15 years and the most common health issues are allergies and rarely hip dysplasia.