Q. What should an Afghan Hound’s temperament be like in the show ring? Are there any specs written on showing them?
A. The AKC breed standard starts out be describing “General Appearance” and paints a very accurate picture of the breed. The first sentence reads: “The Afghan Hound is an aristocrat, his whole appearance one of dignity and aloofness with no trace of plainness or coarseness.”
The breed standard ends by describing the Afghan’s temperament as “aloof and dignified, yet gay. Faults: sharpness or shyness.”
It is clear from the standard that the Afghan is an exotic, athletic, oriental sighthound. In the show ring, the Afghan is expected to carry his head and tail high, and move in an effortless fashion, with great reach and drive.
Show puppies must be taught early on to accept the judge’s examination. An adult Afghan should stand his ground, looking aloof and regal as the judge examines him from head to tail. However, aloof does not mean that the dog should fear the judge or move around the ring with his tail tucked between his legs. We want to see a confident, aristocratic dog that looks down his nose at the rest of us and considers us commoners.