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.

The following description is that of the ideal Pharaoh Hound. Any deviation from the below described dog must be penalized to the extent of the deviation.

Size, Proportion, Substance

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.

Head

Alert expression. Eyes amber colored, blending with coat; oval, moderately deep set with keen intelligent expression. Ears medium high set, carried erect when alert, but very mobile, broad at the base, fine and large. Skull long, lean and chiseled. Only slight stop. Foreface slightly longer than the skull. Top of the skull parallel with the foreface representing a blunt wedge. Nose flesh colored, blending with the coat. No other color. Powerful jaws with strong teeth. Scissors bite.

Neck, Topline, Body

Neck long, lean and muscular with a slight arch to carry the head on high. Clean throat line. Almost straight topline. Slight slope from croup to root of tail. Body lithe. Deep brisket almost down to point of elbow. Ribs well sprung. Moderate tuck-up. Tail medium set -- fairly thick at the base and tapering whip-like, reaching below the point of hock in repose. Well carried and curved when in action. The tail should not be tucked between the legs. A screw tail is a fault.

Forequarters

Shoulders long and sloping and well laid back. Strong without being loaded. Elbows well tucked in. Forelegs straight and parallel. Pasterns strong. Dewclaws may be removed. Feet neither cat nor hare but strong, well knuckled and firm, turning neither in nor out. Paws well padded.

Hindquarters

Strong and muscular. Limbs parallel. Moderate sweep of stifle. Well developed second thigh. Dewclaws may be removed. Feet as in front.

Coat

Short and glossy, ranging from fine and close to slightly harsh with no feathering. Accident blemishes should not be considered as faults.

Color

Ranging from tan/rich, tan/chestnut with white markings allowed as follows: White tip on tail strongly desired. White on chest (called "the Star"). White on toes and slim white snip on center line of face permissible. Flecking or other white undesirable, except for any solid white spot on the back of neck, shoulder, or any part of the back or sides of the dog, which is a disqualification.

Gait

Free and flowing; the head should be held fairly high and the dog should cover the ground well without any apparent effort. The legs and feet should move in line with the body; any tendency to throw the feet sideways, or a high stepping "hackney" action is a definite fault.

Temperament

Intelligent, friendly, affectionate and playful. Alert and active. Very fast with a marked keenness for hunting, both by sight and scent.

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 whelped in the U.S. in 1970.

The Pharaoh Hound was recognized for registration in AKC's Stud Book on August 1, 1983.

So you want to own a Pharaoh Hound?

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.

his owner is prepared to give him plenty

The Pharaoh Hound is very fast, active, and alert. He is not a good candidate for apartment living unless of daily exercise