Pharaoh Hound

The Pharaoh Hound is a medium sighthound from Malta, where locals call it Kelb tal-Fenek, meaning dog of the rabbit. Maltese hunters have used the breed for generations to flush rabbits from stony ground, and it tracks by sight, scent, and sound together, a combination that sets it apart from most sighthounds, which lean on eyesight alone.

The coat runs from tan to chestnut, the ears stand tall and alert, and the build is made for a flat-out sprint over rough country. Adults typically stand 53 to 64 centimetres at the shoulder and weigh around 20 to 25 kilograms. Owners often mention the blush: when the dog is happy or worked up, its nose and the skin around its ears turn a deeper rose colour.

Inside the house the Pharaoh Hound is generally settled and affectionate, forming a tight bond with its household and staying friendly with people it already knows. Like most hunting hounds it has a mind of its own and will not always come running the first time it is called, though patient, reward-based handling gets good results.

Who it suits

This breed suits an active household with room to run and a securely fenced section or paddock. It fits owners who like a low-maintenance coat and who are relaxed about a strong chase instinct around small animals. Anyone after instant obedience may find the independent streak testing. Homes with cats or other small pets need careful, gradual introductions, since the hunting drive runs deep.

The Pharaoh Hound is the national hound of Malta, where islanders have kept it for centuries under its local name, Kelb tal-Fenek. Hunters on Malta and neighbouring Gozo used the dog to find and flush rabbits from among stone walls and rough ground, often working at night alongside ferrets.

The English name and an old popular theory tied the breed to ancient Egypt, based on its likeness to dogs shown in tomb art. Later genetic research found no direct unbroken line back to those ancient Egyptian dogs, so the breed is better understood as a long-standing Maltese type rather than a literal survivor of the pharaohs.

The breed reached Britain around the 1920s and 1930s, and organised breeding programmes there took hold more firmly from the 1960s onward. British and American kennel clubs recognised the Pharaoh Hound in the late twentieth century, which helped fix its standard and carry it to new countries, New Zealand included.

Even with international recognition, the Pharaoh Hound stays uncommon outside Malta, and New Zealand sees only a handful of litters in any given year. Strict biosecurity rules from the Ministry for Primary Industries mean importing a dog is a lengthy process, so most Kiwi owners rely on the small local breeding base rather than a fresh import.

The Pharaoh Hound carries the lean, elegant outline typical of sighthounds. The body is a touch longer than it is tall, the chest runs deep, the belly tucks up, and the long clean legs are built for speed. The head is long and finely chiselled, the muzzle tapers to a point, and the large ears stand erect and swivel forward the moment the dog is alert.

Coat and colours

The coat is short, fine, and lies flat with no undercoat underneath. Accepted colours range from a light tan through richer chestnut and red-gold shades. White is allowed in set places: a white tip on the tail, sometimes called the flag, white on the chest, white toes, and a slim white blaze down the centre of the face. Heavy white spotting or flecking across the back of the neck, shoulders, or body counts as a fault under most standards. The thin coat gives little insulation, so the dog feels the cold and needs extra protection through a Kiwi winter.

At home the Pharaoh Hound is affectionate, playful, and often glued to its people. Plenty like to lean against a family member or curl up alongside them on the couch. The breed usually gets on well with children it has grown up with, though its speed and energy mean playtime with younger kids needs supervision.

Reactions to strangers range from openly friendly to politely reserved, and early socialisation helps the dog stay settled around new faces and new situations. It is alert and will often bark to announce visitors, but it is not built for guard work and rarely turns aggressive.

A strong prey drive shapes a good deal of its outdoor behaviour. A Pharaoh Hound may take off after a rabbit, hedgehog, or cat without a backward glance, so a secure fence and firm leash habits matter here as much as anywhere. It is usually sociable with other dogs. Success with cats and small pets depends on careful, supervised introductions, and some individuals never become safe housemates for smaller animals.

Grooming

• Brush the short coat about once a week with a soft brush or grooming mitt to lift loose hair.
• Bathe only when needed; the coat stays clean on its own and carries little doggy odour.
• Trim nails every few weeks and check they are not clicking on hard floors.
• Check the large upright ears regularly for wax buildup 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 a chance to run flat out.
• Use a securely fenced section or paddock for off-lead sprinting; the chase instinct makes recall unreliable near small animals.
• Keep this breed on lead in open or unfenced areas, including most beaches and reserves.
• Add mental work such as scent games or short training sessions, since the breed is sharp and bores quickly.

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. The thin coat and lack of undercoat mean it dislikes cold, damp conditions, which rules out life in an outdoor kennel through a New Zealand winter. A warm, padded bed indoors matters, and a fitted coat helps on chilly walks. This is an indoor dog through and through.

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 so 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 exercise level, so treat the packet guidelines as a starting point and adjust from there based on body condition. Fresh water should always be on hand.

Treats and supplements

Keep treats to roughly 10 percent of daily calories so the dog stays lean. Small pieces of plain cooked meat or a low-calorie commercial treat work well for training. Most Pharaoh Hounds on a complete diet need no extra supplements; check with a vet before adding anything for joints or skin, since supplements the dog does not need can do more harm than good.

The Pharaoh Hound is a relatively healthy, hardy breed, with a typical lifespan of 12 to 14 years. It carries fewer inherited disorders than many breeds, partly thanks to its long history as a working hunting dog. As with all sighthounds, its low body fat changes how it handles certain medications and anaesthesia, so the vet team should know the breed before any procedure.

Preventive care

• Keep vaccinations and parasite control current.
• Book yearly vet check-ups, moving to twice yearly once the dog is a senior.
• Keep body weight lean to protect the joints.
• Brush teeth regularly and arrange professional dental care as advised.
• Tell any vet about the breed's drug and anaesthesia sensitivity before a procedure.

The Pharaoh Hound is bright and can learn a wide range of commands, but its hound independence means it weighs up whether a request is worth following. It is also sensitive and does not respond well to harsh corrections, which tend to make it shut down or dodge the handler. Short, upbeat sessions with food and play rewards work best. Recall is the hardest skill to lock in, since a moving rabbit, hedgehog, or cat can override any amount of training, so most owners keep the dog on lead or inside a fenced area whenever off-lead work is risky.

Basics

1. Start socialisation early, introducing the puppy to people, places, sounds, and other dogs.
2. Teach name recognition and a marker word or clicker to mark the behaviour you want.
3. Build core cues one at a time, sit, down, and stay, in short sessions.
4. Train recall hard from puppyhood, rewarding every return, and practise in safe, enclosed areas first.
5. Add lead manners and bring in distractions gradually as the dog improves.

Responsible breeding of Pharaoh Hounds puts health, sound temperament, and the breed standard ahead of numbers. Dogs can physically reproduce earlier, but breeders generally wait for full maturity, around 18 to 24 months, before a first litter, so the dog is properly developed and health screening is complete. Mating is timed to the female's heat cycle, and pregnancy runs roughly 63 days from conception.

Litters typically run to six or eight puppies, though smaller and larger litters happen. Newborns are helpless and rely on the mother for warmth and milk, so a clean, warm whelping space matters. Puppies open their eyes at around two weeks and start weaning between four and six weeks. Gentle handling and early exposure to household sounds and sights in those first weeks help raise confident, well-adjusted adults.

Puppies usually go to new homes from about eight weeks, once first vaccinations and vet checks are done. Because the breed stays uncommon here, prospective owners often join a waiting list with a registered Dogs New Zealand breeder, and anyone considering an import should factor in MPI's biosecurity requirements well ahead of time.

Pharaoh Hound registration and microchip registration in New Zealand

Keeping a Pharaoh Hound findable is mostly paperwork: a profile carrying your phone number, a photo, and the dog's details, sitting where a scan can reach it. Registering your dog with United Pet Club sets that up free, and the record never lapses or bills you.

Getting the chip implanted was the vet's job; giving the number somewhere to point is yours. Registering the microchip with United Pet Club costs nothing on the lifetime plan, suits any brand a Kiwi vet reaches for, and keeps the record searchable at any hour from anywhere. Creating a free account ties the profile and the chip together.