Appearance-wise, its large and erect ears are a hallmark of the breed while retaining its Greyhound-like features such as its long, slender legs, narrow body, tucked up waist, arched loins and a long tail.
The Pharaoh Hound is the most moderate of the sighthound breeds without the typical hyperbolic raciness seen in other hound groups. In the UK, people who wish to share their homes with this unique noble dogs may find it difficult to find a breeder since only a few puppies are registered per year. Today, the Pharaoh Hound is still an uncommon breed but can be found around the world. The dog breed was accepted and recognised by The Kennel Club in 1974 and was called Pharaoh Hound, a name that once was used as an alternative name for the Ibizan Hound. In the 1930s, Pharaohs appeared for the first time in Europe and was shown in England by Bahri of Twinley. Reports suggest that Phoenician traders brought the dog breed to Malta over 2,000 years ago, where it was developed for its hunting prowess.įor centuries, the Pharaoh Hound bloodline remained unaltered, so the modern dog is still closely similar to the ancient breed. This reference is based on images of dogs found on ancient Egyptian tombs that closely resemble the Pharaoh Hound.
Albeit no historical link to Ancient Egypt as per DNA, the Pharaoh Hound is believed to have descended from one of the ancient Egyptian hunting dogs, the Tesem. The Pharaoh Hound is the national dog of Malta, also known as Kelb tal-Fenek, a Maltese word for rabbit dog.