Taigan Dog Breed - Facts and Information

Appearance
The Taigan looks like a typical sighthound with slender, but strong body and dignified appearance. The minimal height of the Taigan male should be 65 cms which is 25 inches, for females it is 60 cms or 23 inches. This body type helps them to run very fast, up to 60 km/h, or 37 mph.

The Taigan has large wedge shaped head, which is supported by strong and long neck. The eyes are pretty large and they are in hazel or brown color. Overall, they have noble and calm face expression, which fits to their dignified look.

The one thing that is unique for Taigans is their coat. Its long, soft and very thick with a very dense undercoat during the winter. The most common color is black with white markings, but you can also find Taigans in brown, grey, black, white and yellow.

You can totally see, that Taigans are dogs from a harsh region with rough terrain and high altitudes. Not only they are strong, fast and they have thick coat, which helps them to easily hunt in this terrain, they also have very large lung capacity, which enables them to work in these high altitudes.


Personality
The Taigan is a hunter by heart, but they do have some kind of an off switch. When they are hunting, they are extremely energetic, totally concentrated and independent dogs who want to make their own decisions. And unlike some other breeds, Taigan really hunts to kill.

But when they are at home with its family, its completely different story. They are loyal, calm, friendly and absolutely devoted to their owners. Sometimes they are little bit aloof around strangers, but they are almost never agressive towards people.

And even though it is true, that they are, lets say, agressive hunters, they typically do not have problems around other dogs. And if they are socialized from the puppy, there should not be any problems with having second dog with a Taigan.

For sighthounds, its typical to have well developed sight, which is their main sense on hunt, but Taigan use all senses, so they have much more developed hearing and smelling than other sighthounds.

When training a Taigan, it is recommended to not use harsh methods. This dog really likes to be treated kindly and nicely and you will get nowhere with rough handling.


Interesting Fact
The word Taigan is not a random at all and it has its meaning. Taigans name means imperishable or undying and i think the name fits perfectly for this dog breed.


History
The legend says that a puppy hatched out of an egg from the nest of Kumai mountain grew up to become a Taigan. Later, this puppy saved one whole tribe by saving their cattle from pack of wolves.

But that is only a legend, so what is the true origin of the Taigan dog breed? It can be traced back to indigenous people of Kyrgyzstan, who used them for, well you guessed it, for hunting. But sometimes, also for guarding.

Sadly, the exact origins and pedigree of the Taigan is rather unknown, but it is believed that they share similar heritage with other Eastern Sighthounds like Saluki, Sloughi, Afghan Hound or Azawakh.

Because the Kyrgyz people were living the nomadic life and they were traveling all the time, its extremely unlikely to trace the Taigan origin to a single ancestor. The first breed standard was written in the 1964.


Health and Grooming
The Taigan is strong, tough and very healthy dog breed, but they can be affected by typical dog problems like hip dysplasia, patellar luxation and skin allergies. And because of their deep chest, the Taigan is also prone to bloating.

The average Taigans lifespan is between 11 to 13 years.

If you want to have a happy and healthy Taigan in your home, it is important to exercise them properly. Daily long walks where they can burn off their energy are necessary. They will be very happy if they have the possibility to run around on a large area.

The Taigan coat is beautiful, but to keep it in good condition, you will have to brush it regularly. The coat is very self cleaning, so bathing is needed only rarely. Other than that, you should regularly check the dogs big feets, clip the nails if needed and check the ears for possible infections.