Breed Versus

Afghan Hound

Painting-beautiful, near-zero obedience, and an hour of brushing a day.

Afghan Hound
111 AKC Afghan Hound Dog Show 2011 — CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · SheltieBoy

About the Afghan Hound

The Afghan Hound is a hound distinguished by its thick, fine, silky coat, and a tail with a ring curl at the end. The breed originates in the cold mountains of Afghanistan where it has been bred for speed and game hunting. Other names for this breed are Tāzī, Thasi, Barakzai Hound, and Balochi Hound.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)

Key facts

Origin
Afghanistan
Weight
20–27 kg
Height
63–74 cm
Lifespan
11–13 years
Est. monthly cost
$122 (≈ $1464 per year)
Purchase price
$2,100–$3,700 from a breeder

Where the monthly cost comes from

Routine care for a Afghan Hound averages about $122 a month, or roughly $1,464 a year. That figure is summed from the measured US line items below — food is scaled to this breed's body weight and grooming to its coat — not quoted from any single clinic or breeder.

Estimated monthly breakdown for a Afghan Hound
CategoryPer month
Food (scaled to 24 kg)$307.86
Treats$60.00
Routine veterinary care (adjusted for this breed's known issues)$347.55
Medications (flea, tick, heartworm)$101.85
Grooming (5/5 coat requirement)$600.00
Toys$37.00
Licence$15.00
Total$122

Pet insurance is not in that total. The average US accident-and-illness premium is $676 a year for a dog, but most pets are not insured, so adding it to every breed would overstate what a typical owner pays.

If you insure, board and budget for emergencies

Owners who carry insurance, leave the pet boarded when travelling and set money aside for emergencies land near $225 a month — about $2,695 a year. This is a modelled budget, not a survey result:

ItemPer year
Routine care, as itemised above$1,464
Pet insurance (NAPHIA average premium)$676
Boarding (10 days at $25/day)$250
Emergency fund (one ~$900 event every 3 years)$300
Fully-loaded total$2,695

Boarding rate from MarketWatch ($25/day). Emergency allowance modelled on Rover's finding that a typical emergency visit starts near $300 and reaches $4,000 with diagnostics and an overnight stay. The number of boarded days and the once-in-three-years emergency frequency are our own planning assumptions, stated here so you can substitute your own.

Includes routine vet visits, food, grooming and supplies. Excludes emergencies, training, boarding and the purchase price above. Method and sources: data sources.

Temperament and care profile

Grooming needed 5/5how much brushing and trimming
Shedding 2/5how much hair ends up in your home
Energy 3/5how much daily exercise
Trainability 1/5
Apartment fit 2/5
Good with kids 2/5
Vocalisation 1/5

Health issues to watch

  • Hip problems
  • Cataracts
  • Thyroid issues

How it compares

Pick a second breed to see a side-by-side breakdown of cost, size, shedding and lifestyle fit.