(Afghan Hound Database and Breed Information Exchange)
(de Flanders Afghan Hounds, UK) (Published in "Le Matin" newspaper, Paris, France, 5th June 1927) (Posted By Steve Tillotson August 2019)
"Even though they are comparative newcomers to England, we see a good number of them in the exhibitions, and their popularity increases, and without any doubt seems assured. They have the distinctive sign of being the most ancient breed of known domestic dogs and they formed a distinct and pure breed of type 320 years before Alexander the Great invaded India. There is even an old engraving giving details and description of Noah taking refuge in the ark with two dogs of this breed; but I can not guarantee that the artist was present. However, it is to be presumed that he chooses his subjects from the oldest known breed. They have a pleasant character, as sweet with children, as with small dogs. Mine play with my butterflies and never hurts them, however they are a sporting breed and for those interested in dog racing (coursing) Afghan is the ideal breed. They are very fast and almost as fast as English greyhounds and can hold twice as long. In their country of origin, are they used in leopard hunting? They usually hunt in pairs, the male attacking the head of the prey and the female the train of behind. The typical Afghan must have a long elbow length, a good length of thigh. The occiput must be pronounced, the skull must be oval with little or no stop and good long jaws The jaw of the male must be shorter and stronger than that of the female. The height should be 22 - 27 inches to the shoulder The neck should be long and strong, well arched and running in a curved line towards the shoulder. They can be of all colors. I have a preference for black masks, all white, pale blue, chinchilla, dark red with black and black mask They have a woolly coat with soft hair on their back and legs as well as the chest and ears, and a tuft of hair on the head. Big, expressive eyes and a fringe of hair on the tail. The first time they were exhibited in England they caused such a sensation that the King asked them to be taken to Buckingham Palace so he could closely examine them himself". Miss M B Cooper, 1927. Her article included the photo below. The only photo we have ever seen of Mustafi
Mary Amps (Ghazni) mentioned Mustafi in her 1932 article "The hound in Afghanistan" as follows - "Monsieur Hackin, the well-known French archaeologist and Buddhist authority of the Guimet Museum, Paris, who had exceptional opportunities of traveling in the lesser known parts of Afghanistan, told us of a pack of chinchilla hounds, grey with black points, kept by a Governor of a district near the Oxus, if hounds of any other colour are born, they are thrown out of the pack, and, being greatly sought after by the Afghan shikaris, find their way as far south as Ghazni and Kabul. Khan Of Ghazni, a fine, honey-fawn coloured hound, imported into this country in 1925, came from this pack. I had one perfect chinchilla bitch sired by him and I understand that a son of his, Mustavi Of Ghazni, the property of Mrs. Cooper, also sired a number of chinchilla hounds". Related content: de Flandre UK (Mrs M B Cooper), de Flandre USA (Edward Abrams) Early Afghan Hounds Section The Origins Section |
