Standard AKC

`AFGHAN HOUND - Hound Group` Standard current since 1948		`SALUKI - Hound Group` Standard current since 1927 (?)
GENERAL APPEARANCE
The Afghan Hound is an aristocrat, his whole appearance one of dignity and aloofness with no trace of plainness or coarseness. He has a straight front, proudly carried head, eyes gazing into the distance as if in memory of ages past. The striking characteristics of the breed-exotic, or "Eastern," expression, long silky topknot, peculiar coat pattern, very prominent hipbones, large feet, and the impression of a somewhat exaggerated bend in the stifle due to profuse trouserings-stand out clearly, giving the Afghan Hound the appearance of what he is, a king of dogs, that has held true to tradition throughout the ages.		The whole appearance of this breed should give an impression of grace and symmetry and of great speed and endurance coupled with strength and activity to enable it to kill gazelle or other quarry over deep sand or rocky mountains. The expression should be dignified and gentle with deep, faithful, far-seeing eyes. Dogs should average in height from 23 to 28 inches and bitches may be considerably smaller, this being very typical of the breed.
TEMPERAMENT
Aloof and dignified, yet gay Faults: Sharpness or shyness
HEAD
The head is of good length, showing much refinement, the skull evenly balanced with the foreface. There is a slight prominence of the nasal bone structure causing a slightly Roman appearance, the center line running up over the foreface with little or no stop, falling away in front of the eyes so there is an absolutely clear outlook with no interference; the underjaw showing great strength, the jaws long and punishing; The occipital bone is very prominent. The head is surmounted by a topknot of long silky hair. Nose is of good size, black in color. Faults: Coarseness; snipiness; overshot or undershot; eyes round or bulgy or light in color; exaggerated Roman nose; head not surmounted with topknot		Long and narrow, skull moderately wide between the ears, not domed, stop not pronounced, the whole showing great quality. Nose black or liver.
EYES
The eyes are almond-shaped (almost triangular), never full or bulgy, and are dark in color		Dark to hazel and bright; large and oval, but not prominent
EARS
The ears are long, set approximately on level with outer corners of the eyes, the leather of the ear reaching nearly to the end of the dog's nose, and covered with long silky hair		Ears Long and covered with long silky hair hanging close to the skull and mobile
MOUTH
The mouth level, meaning that the teeth from the upper jaw and lower jaw match evenly, neither overshot nor undershot. This is a difficult mouth to breed. A scissors bite is even more punishing and can be more easily bred into a dog than a level mouth, and a dog having a scissors bite, where the lower teeth slip inside and rest against the teeth of the upper jaw, should not be penalized.		Teeth strong and level
NECK
The neck is of good length, strong and arched, running in a curve to the shoulders which are long and sloping and well laid back. Faults: Neck too short or too thick; a ewe neck; a goose neck; a neck lacking in substance		Long, supple and well muscled
BODY
The back line appearing practically level from the shoulders to the loin Strong and powerful loin and slightly arched, falling away toward the stern, with the hipbones very pronounced; well ribbed and tucked up in flanks The height at the shoulders equals the distance from the chest to the buttocks; the brisket well let down, and of medium width. Faults: Roach back, swayback, goose rump, slack loin; lack of prominence of hipbones; too much width of brisket, causing interference with elbows		Strong hindquarters, hipbones set well apart and stifle moderately bent, hocks low to the ground, showing galloping and jumping power Back fairly broad, muscles slightly arched over loin Chest : Deep and moderately narrow
FOREQUARTERS
Forelegs are straight and strong with great length between elbow and pastern; elbows well held in. Shoulders have plenty of angulation so that the legs are well set underneath the dog. Too much straightness of shoulder causes the dog to break down in the pasterns, and this is a serious fault. All four feet of the Afghan Hound are in line with the body, turning neither in nor out. Faults: Weak or broken down pasterns		Forelegs: Straight and long from the elbow to the knee. Shoulders sloping and set well back, well muscled without being coarse.
HINDQUARTERS
Hindquarters powerful and well muscled, with great length between hip and hock; hocks are well let down; good angulation of both stifle and hock; slightly bowed from hock to crotch. Faults: Too straight in stifle; too long in hock		Strong hindquarters, hipbones set well apart and stifle moderately bent, hocks low to the ground, showing galloping and jumping power
FEET
Forefeet large in both length and width; toes well arched; feet covered with long thick hair; fine in texture; pasterns long and straight; pads of feet unusually large and well down on the ground. The hind feet are broad and of good length; the toes arched, and covered with long thick hair. All four feet of the Afghan Hound are in line with the body, turning neither in nor out. Faults: Front or back feet thrown outward or inward; pads of feet not thick enough; or feet too small; or any other evidence of weakness in feet		Of moderate length, toes long and well arched, not splayed out, but at the same time not cat-footed; the whole being strong and supple and well feathered between the toes
GAIT / MOVEMENT
When running free, the Afghan Hound moves at a gallop, showing great elasticity and spring in his smooth, powerful stride. When on a loose lead, the Afghan can trot at a fast pace; stepping along, he has the appearance of placing the hind feet directly in the foot prints of the front feet, both thrown straight ahead. Moving with head and tail high, the whole appearance of the Afghan Hound is one of great style and beauty.
TAIL
Tail set not too high on the body, having a ring, or a curve on the end; should never be curled over, or rest on the back, or be carried sideways; and should never be bushy		Long, set on low and carried naturally in a curve, well feathered on the underside with long silky hair, not bushy
COAT
Hindquarters, flanks, ribs, forequarters, and legs well covered with thick, silky hair, very fine in texture; ears and all four feet well feathered; from in front of the shoulders; and also backwards from the shoulders along the saddle from the flanks and the ribs upwards, the hair is short and close, forming a smooth back in mature dogs - this is a traditional characteristic of the Afghan Hound. The Afghan Hound should be shown in its natural state; the coat is not clipped or trimmed; the head is surmounted (in the full sense of the word) with a topknot of long, silky hair - that is also an outstanding characteristic of the Afghan Hound. Showing of short hair on cuffs on either front or back legs is permissible. Fault: Lack of shorthaired saddle in mature dogs; head not surmounted with topknot		Smooth and of a soft silky texture, slight feather on the legs, feather at the back of the thighs and sometimes with slight woolly feather on the thigh and shoulder
COLOUR
All colors are permissible, but color or color combinations are pleasing; white markings, especially on the head, are undesirable		White, cream, fawn, golden, red, grizzle and tan, tricolor (white, black and tan) and black and tan The Smooth Variety: In this variety the points should be the same with the exception of the coat, which has no feathering
SIZE
Height : Dogs, 27 inches (68cm), plus or minus one inch; bitches, 25 inches (63cm), plus or minus one inch Weight: Dogs, about 60 pounds; bitches, about 50 pounds		Dogs should average in height from 23 to 28 inches (58.5 to 71cm) and bitches may be considerably smaller, this being very typical of the breed