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Dogs - Pharaoh Hound

Dogs like these can be seen on Egyptian carvings, and they may have been used for hunting in Egypt. A common mis-spelling is pharoah. Should be pharaoh!

The Pharaoh hound is now the national dog of Malta, an island in the Mediterranean. They have been used there to hunt rabbits. A hound is a dog that pursues other animals. Hounds are hunting dogs. There are two types - the sight hound, and the scent hound. A scent hound runs along with its nose to the ground, following the scent of another animal. A Pharaoh hound is a sight hound - he sees the prey and gives chase. So they need lots of space where they can run at high speed, and should be taken out for exercise every day.

When the family is not at home, this active breed can become bored and may bark and annoy neighbours.  But barking can be a good thing because they will alert their owner to a burglar. They may also bark excitedly if they start chasing a quarry on a hunting trip. This will alert the hunter who is following the dog. A high, dog-proof fence is needed to prevent the dog from going off on its own hunting trip.

The coat is short, so the dog will enjoy being indoors in winter.

Group: Hound

Description
Colour: tan, which ranges from light to dark. White is often seen on the chest, toes, tip of the tail, or face. The nose is also tan. The nose and ears can turn red when the dog is excited. The eyes are amber.

Ears, erect

Head, wedge shaped, neck long.

Tail long, straight.

 "Pharaoh" means Egyptian King. One famous pharaoh was the king who kept the Jewish nation imprisoned in Egypt as slaves. But Moses incited the people to escape by night. The Egyptians followed in hot pursuit, with horses and chariots. Did they use dogs to find the escapees? Perhaps not, because it was a night when no dog barked, and God's holy presence was felt. Read all about it!