Pharaoh Hound
An elegant, playful Maltese hound with amber eyes that hunts by sight and scent and needs a safe place to sprint.
At a glance
- Size
- Medium
- Height at the withers
- Males 56–63 cm · Females 53–61 cm
- Weight
- Males 20–25 kg · Females 18–23 kg
- Life expectancy
- 11–14 years
- Exercise
- 60–90 min a day
- Grooming
- Once a week
- Coat
- Smooth, short
- Colours
- Tan, Red
- Bred for
- Hunting by sight, Hunting by scent, Companionship
- Country of origin
- Malta
- FCI
- Group 5, no. 248 · Spitz & primitive types
Breeders on Kuldo
No breeders on Kuldo have this breed yet.
Living with the breed
| Affectionate with family | 4/5 – High |
|---|---|
| Good with children | 4/5 – High |
| Good with other dogs | 4/5 – High |
| Good with cats | 2/5 – Low |
| Open to strangers | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Energy | 4/5 – High |
| Playfulness | 4/5 – High |
| Needs mental stimulation | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Easy to train | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Prey drive | 5/5 – Very high |
| Watchful and protective | 2/5 – Low |
| Barking | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Shedding | 2/5 – Low |
| Grooming effort | 1/5 – Very low |
| Drooling | 1/5 – Very low |
| Good for first-time owners | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Suits apartment living | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Adaptability | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Copes with being alone | 2/5 – Low |
| Copes with heat | 4/5 – High |
| Copes with cold | 1/5 – Very low |
Kuldo's own guidance from the breed's typical traits. Every dog is an individual, so talk to the breeder.
Is it the right breed for you?
Great if you …
- want an athletic, low-maintenance coat
- can offer safe off-lead running space
- like a gentle dog with a sense of humour
Think twice if you …
- keep small pets like cats or rabbits
- live somewhere cold without dressing your dog
- want reliable off-lead walks
Care
Temperament
Playful, affectionate and alert, it is friendly but can be a little reserved with strangers. It is sensitive to harsh handling and has a strong instinct to chase.
Exercise
It needs daily walks plus regular free running in a fenced area; lure coursing, racing and agility are good outlets. Recall around wildlife is unreliable.
Grooming
The short, fine coat needs only a weekly wipe or brush and sheds lightly. Check nails and ears regularly.
Training
Clever and willing but easily bored, it learns best with short, fun, reward-based sessions. Recall needs lifelong work.
Health
A generally healthy breed; hip dysplasia and patellar luxation are occasionally seen, and like other lean hounds it can be sensitive to anaesthesia. Ask the breeder for hip and other screening results.
Health tests breeders usually do
- Hips (HD)
- Eye examination
- Kneecaps (patella)
Ask the breeder to show you the parents' results.
About the breed
The Pharaoh Hound is Malta's national dog, known there as Kelb tal-Fenek, the rabbit dog. Islanders used it to hunt rabbits at night over rocky ground, working by sight, scent and hearing. Despite its name and Egyptian look, its documented history is Maltese.
At home it is gentle, clean and often clownish, with a soft, sensitive nature. It needs regular chances to run flat out in a secure area, because the urge to chase can switch off its hearing. Thin-coated and lean, it feels the cold, so a coat in winter and a soft bed indoors are part of keeping one comfortable.
Did you know?
Pharaoh Hounds can "blush": when excited, their nose and ear edges turn a deeper rosy colour.