Pharaoh Hound

The Pharaoh Hound is a medium-sized sighthound that comes from Malta, where locals still call it the Kelb tal-Fenek, or 'rabbit dog'. For generations it worked the limestone rubble walls and rocky paddocks of the Maltese countryside, flushing rabbits by sight, scent, and sound rather than sight alone, which sets it apart from most other sighthounds.

Adults stand roughly 58 to 64 centimetres at the shoulder and weigh around 20 to 25 kilograms, with a tan to chestnut coat, tall pricked ears, and a build made for a flat gallop over uneven ground. Owners quickly notice the 'blush': when the dog is excited or pleased, its nose and the skin around its ears deepen to a warm rose colour.

Around the house this hound settles into a calm, affectionate routine and sticks close to its family. It's generally easygoing with people it knows well. That said, the hunting background shows through as a genuine independent streak, so it won't always come running the first time it's called, though patient, reward-based handling gets results.

Who it suits

This breed suits active households with room to run and a fence that's actually secure, hounds are notorious escape artists given half a chance. It works well for owners who like a low-maintenance coat and don't mind a dog with a mind of its own. If you're after a dog that snaps to attention like a working kelpie, the Pharaoh Hound's independent streak might test your patience. Homes with cats or smaller pets need a slow, supervised introduction, since the urge to chase runs deep.

Malta claims the Pharaoh Hound as its national hound, and islanders have kept the breed for hunting rabbits under the name Kelb tal-Fenek for centuries. On Malta and neighbouring Gozo, hunters sent the dogs out among dry stone walls and broken ground, often working alongside ferrets and hunting after dark when rabbits were most active.

The breed's English name comes from an old theory linking it to the hunting dogs shown in ancient Egyptian tomb art. Later DNA studies found no direct line back to those ancient dogs, so the Pharaoh Hound is better understood as a long-standing Maltese type that happens to resemble its Egyptian cousins, rather than a living relic of the pharaohs.

British enthusiasts brought the breed home in the 1920s and 1930s, though organised breeding programs there didn't take proper hold until the 1960s. The Kennel Club in Britain and the American Kennel Club both recognised the Pharaoh Hound later in the twentieth century, and Dogs Australia now lists it within the hound group, which helped standardise the look and carry the breed to new countries.

Even with that international recognition, the Pharaoh Hound stays a rare sight outside Malta, Australia included. It remains tied closely to its home island, where the old rabbit-hunting tradition carries on alongside its newer role as a companion dog.

The Pharaoh Hound carries the lean, elegant lines typical of sighthounds. The body runs slightly longer than it is tall, with a deep chest, a tucked-up waist, and long, clean legs built for speed. The head is long and finely chiselled, the muzzle tapers to a point, and the large ears stand up straight and swivel forward the moment the dog is alert.

Coat and colours

The coat is short, fine, and sits flat against the skin with no undercoat underneath. Acceptable colours range from a light tan through deeper chestnut and red-gold tones. White is allowed only in set places: a white tip on the tail, sometimes nicknamed the 'flag', white on the chest, white toes, and a slim white blaze down the centre of the face. Heavy white patches or flecking across the back of the neck, shoulders, or body count against the dog under most standards. The thin coat provides almost no insulation, so the dog feels the cold fast and needs protection through a southern winter, whether that means a jumper for a walk or a warm corner away from draughts indoors.

At home the Pharaoh Hound is warm, playful, and often glued to its favourite person. Plenty of them like nothing more than leaning against a family member or curling up on the couch at the end of the day. The breed usually gets on well with kids it has grown up around, though its speed and enthusiasm mean playtime with toddlers needs supervision.

Reactions to strangers range from open and friendly to politely stand-offish, and early socialisation helps keep the dog settled around new faces and new places. It's alert and will often bark to let you know someone's at the gate, but it isn't a guard dog by nature and rarely shows aggression.

The strong prey drive shapes a lot of its outdoor behaviour. A Pharaoh Hound that spots a rabbit, possum, or cat may take off without hesitation, so a genuinely secure fence and solid leash habits matter here more than with most breeds. It usually gets along fine with other dogs. Success with cats and smaller pets depends on careful, gradual introductions, and some individual dogs never become safe around small animals no matter how much work goes in.

Grooming

• Brush the short coat about once a week with a soft brush or hound mitt to lift out loose hair.
• Bath only when needed; the coat stays clean on its own and doesn't carry much doggy odour.
• Trim nails every few weeks and check they aren't clicking on tiles or floorboards.
• Clean the big upright ears regularly and watch for wax build-up or redness.
• Brush the teeth several times a week to keep on top of dental health.

Exercise

• Aim for at least 45 to 60 minutes of activity a day, with room to open up into a proper run.
• Exercise this dog inside a securely fenced area for any off-leash running; recall isn't reliable once a rabbit or cat is in the picture.
• Keep the dog on lead in open space or anywhere unfenced.
• In summer, exercise in the early morning or after the sun drops, since the short coat and dark nose offer little protection against harsh UV, and hot pavement can burn paw pads within minutes.
• Build in mental work like scent games or short training sessions; this is a smart breed that gets bored fast without it.

Environment

The Pharaoh Hound suits a home with a safe, fenced yard, though it can manage in a smaller place if it gets enough exercise. Because the coat is thin with no undercoat, this dog struggles at both ends of the thermometer: it feels the cold quickly in a southern winter and can overheat fast during a hot, dry Australian summer. A soft, raised bed indoors matters year round, a jumper helps on cold walks, and shade plus fresh water are essential on 40-degree days. This is an indoor dog, not one to leave in a backyard kennel through a heatwave or a frosty night.

The Pharaoh Hound does well on a complete, balanced dog food suited to its life stage and activity level. As a lean, athletic breed, it should be fed to a condition where the ribs are easy to feel but not visible, with a clear waist when viewed from above. Exact amounts depend on the food, the dog's weight, age, and activity, so treat the pack guidelines as a starting point and adjust from there based on body condition. Fresh water should be available at all times, especially through a hot Australian summer.

Treats and supplements

Keep treats under about 10 percent of the dog's daily calories so it stays lean. Small bits of plain cooked meat or a low-calorie commercial treat both work well for training. Most Pharaoh Hounds on a complete diet don't need extra supplements; check with a vet before adding anything for joints or skin, since supplements the dog doesn't need can cause harm rather than help.

The Pharaoh Hound is a fairly healthy, hardy breed with a typical lifespan of 12 to 14 years. It carries fewer inherited conditions than many breeds, which likely comes down to its long history as a working hunting dog. Like most sighthounds, its low body fat changes how it processes certain medications and anaesthetic, so make sure the vet knows the breed before any procedure.

Preventive care

• Stay on top of vaccinations and parasite prevention, including tick and heartworm cover, which matters across most of Australia.
• Book yearly vet check-ups, moving to twice yearly once the dog is a senior.
• Keep the dog at a lean weight to protect the joints.
• Brush teeth regularly and organise professional dental care when the vet advises it.
• Flag the breed's drug and anaesthetic sensitivity with any vet before a procedure.

The Pharaoh Hound is a clever dog, capable of picking up plenty of commands, but its hound independence means it weighs up whether a request is actually worth following. It's also sensitive and shuts down or dodges the handler when corrections get harsh. Short, upbeat sessions built around food and play get the best results. Recall is the hardest thing to nail, since a rabbit or cat on the move can override any amount of training, so most owners keep the dog on lead or inside a fenced area whenever going off leash carries real risk.

Basics

1. Start socialisation early: introduce the puppy to people, places, sounds, and other dogs.
2. Teach name recognition along with a marker word or clicker to flag the right behaviour.
3. Build the core cues one at a time, sit, drop, and stay, in short sessions.
4. Drill recall from puppyhood, rewarding every single return, and practise first in a safe, enclosed space.
5. Work on lead manners and bring in distractions gradually as the dog improves.

Responsible breeding of Pharaoh Hounds puts health, sound temperament, and a close match to the breed standard ahead of volume. Dogs can physically reproduce earlier, but most breeders wait for full maturity, around 18 to 24 months, before a first litter, so the dog is properly grown, mentally settled, and cleared through health screening. Mating is timed to the female's season, and pregnancy runs roughly 63 days from conception.

Litters usually run to six or eight puppies, though smaller and bigger litters do happen. Newborns are helpless and rely entirely on their mother for warmth and milk, so a clean, warm whelping area is essential. Puppies open their eyes at around two weeks and start weaning between four and six weeks old. Gentle handling and early exposure to everyday household sounds and sights during these first weeks help raise confident, well-adjusted adult dogs.

Most puppies head to new homes from around eight weeks, once first vaccinations and vet checks are done. Because the breed stays uncommon in Australia, prospective owners often go on a waiting list with a registered breeder rather than finding a litter ready to go.

How to register a Pharaoh Hound in Australia

Rangers and shelters can only call the number the scan hands them. Give your Pharaoh Hound a free United Pet Club profile and that number is yours: dog registration takes a few minutes, costs nothing for his lifetime, and works with or without a chip in place.

The vet does the implant and not one thing more; the register entry is yours. Register the microchip free on the lifetime plan: every brand an Aussie vet reaches for qualifies, moving house costs nothing to record, and the number stays searchable round the clock. Create your free account and sort the lot in one go.