SHARE

Caring for an Afghan Hound's Coat

 
Josie F. Turner
By Josie F. Turner, Journalist specialized in Animal Welfare. Updated: May 22, 2018
Caring for an Afghan Hound's Coat
Dogs

See files for Dogs

Are you looking for information on caring for an Afghan Hound's coat? Perhaps you are thinking about adopting an Afghan Hound, but are pushed back by the idea that maintaining their splendid coat is extremely complicated.

Don't worry, it is much simpler than it seems at first glance. This magnificent hound breed, so different in temperament and look to other dogs, has some specific rules to be able to show off their famous silky coat; stay with us at AnimalWised and we'll give you our best tips on caring for an Afghan Hound's fur.

You may also be interested in: Caring for a Golden Retriever's Coat

Snoods or hoods for Afghan Hounds

The Afghan Hound is a breed with an extraordinary quality coat that requires minimal but constant care. The most important step in caring for an Afghan Hound's coat is to get them a snood or hood.

Snoods for dogs are sold in specialist pet shops, but you can make one yourself from a piece of cloth and a pair of elastic straps. It is simply a matter of making a cylinder of about 15 cm (6 in) in diameter and about 25 cm (10 in) long with the cloth. Sew the elastic bands around the two ends of the tube, slightly pursing the two openings.

The function of a snood for Afghan Hounds is to keep the dog's long ears clean, as they easily get into the dog's feeding bowl when they eat, getting very dirty if not adequately protected. Before feeding time, slip the snood or hood around the Afghan Hound's head, ensuring that the ears are safely inside and held towards the neck. Your dog will look like an old-time country granny!

Caring for an Afghan Hound's Coat - Snoods or hoods for Afghan Hounds
Caring for an Afghan Hound's Coat -

Bathing an Afghan Hound

The Afghan Hound should be bathed depending on where the dog lives. It is not the same thing to live in a flat with wood or ceramic floors that in a open air farmhouse, or to take walks along the beach.

This advice is applicable to almost any dog breed, but what is mandatory is that after each bath you dry the Afghan Hound's coat with a hair dryer and brush it thoroughly. If the hair retains moisture it will be very prone to tangling, and the only way to untangle it will be to cut out the knots. Then the coat will have to be straightened out in a dog grooming salon.

Unlike most dogs, Afghan Hounds do not tend to get scared by thunder or loud noises. The noise of a hair dryer will probably not disturb them.

Caring for an Afghan Hound's Coat - Bathing an Afghan Hound

Should you bathe an Afghan Hound frequently?

Bathing a dog too often is counter-productive and can lead to damage to the dog's coat and their overall health. Afghan Hounds are very clean dogs that do not like to roll on the ground. However, they do love to bathe at the beach or the river, so you must ensure rinse and dry them well after their adventures.

An Afghan Hound which does not participate in contests and lives in an apartment should be bathed once a month or month and a half. Soak, lather and rinse time should not be more than ten minutes. Drying is where you will take longer - a great time to remind your Afghan Hound of how handsome they look.

Taking an Afghan Hound to shows

In the event that your Afghan Hound is presented in contests, you will have to take them to a specialist groomer every two weeks, provided you do not have the expertise and tools to maintain their splendid coat yourself at home.

When a show Afghan Hound reaches adulthood, the hair at the back must be trimmed. These are the standard show specifications, as they have the aim of better assessing the line and the bone structure of the dog's back.

Even if your Afghan Hound is not being presented in contests, it is still convenient to take them to the groomers a couple of times a year to have a professional tidy up of their appearance.

Caring for an Afghan Hound's Coat - Taking an Afghan Hound to shows

Brushing an Afghan Hound's coat

Frequent brushing of the Afghan Hound's long hair is very convenient. You should receive specific advice in specialist shops on which is the ideal brush, although here at AnimalWised we recommend starting the first brushing with a brush with plastic bristles with the ends protected by beads, and then using a brush with stainless steel bristles, as long as you handle them carefully and avoid scratching the dog's dermis.

Caring for an Afghan Hound's Coat - Brushing an Afghan Hound's coat

Shampooing an Afghan Hound

Quality shampoos for pets are best to preserve the shine of an Afghan Hound's coat. These shampoos should incorporate conditioners to facilitate brushing. Shampoos with lanolin or keratin give the coat extra shine.

Do not use perfume; if you permeate the hair with overly perfumed essences the dog will roll around and get dirty on purpose to get a more natural scent, as their sense of smell is very sensitive. Oat-based products are also highly effective.

Caring for an Afghan Hound's Coat - Shampooing an Afghan Hound

Additional care for an Afghan Hound's coat

A balanced diet is essential to preserve the quality of an Afghan Hound's coat. Foods rich in omega-3 are ideal to preserve the silky and mother-of-pearl-like coat of this elegant breed, whose coloring goes to ebony black to snow white.

Consider adopting an Afghan Hound if you want a loving but independent companion that will not you follow you at all times and won't have a terrible time when you go to work or grocery shopping, waiting sadly by the door for your return while feeling abandoned. An Afghan Hound will wait sleeping peacefully in their favorite spot, and will be happy to see you again by showing you lots of serene love and affection.

Caring for an Afghan Hound's Coat - Additional care for an Afghan Hound's coat

If you want to read similar articles to Caring for an Afghan Hound's Coat, we recommend you visit our Beauty tips category.

Write a comment

Add an image
Click to attach a photo related to your comment
What did you think of this article?
Caring for an Afghan Hound's Coat
1 of 8
Caring for an Afghan Hound's Coat

Back to top ↑