(Afghan Hound Database and Breed Information Exchange)
Mrs. Olive McDougall (Kandahar, Aust)
(By Steve Tillotson, April 2014)
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Re photo above - Mr. James McDougall, a Sydney Journalist, was the spouse of Mrs. Olive McDougall (Kandahar, Aust) who imported a fawn bitch (Farkhoonda El Kabul ) in whelp to Lehki Marwat (UK) and then the following yea,r a black masked gold dog Dharma Reja of Geufron and a grey-blue bitch Morita arrived also in whelp. We note also that the article includes the usual myths/legends about being the oldest breed of dog and prowess in leopard hunting etc . As Lyall Payne points out - perfect brood. ringed tail. solid body .deep chest, big feet flat on the ground. Lyall Payne also informs us that the Cargo ship the SS Berwickshire was torpedoed and sunk off Durban, Madagascar on, 20 August 1944. Crew of 94 survived, 8 missing.
Australian breed historians inform us that It is generally conceded that the first Afghan Hounds to come to Australia were the strangely patterned dogs that accompanied the Afghan camel drivers in the Australian "outback" from the middle of the 19th century until the early 20th century. (The Camels and their native drivers were imported from - Afghanistan! So maybe they bought their dogs with them alongside the camels?). With the advent of motor transport and the railways the camel drivers and their dogs gradually disappeared leaving only the camels as evidence of their earlier presence. The Afghan Hound bitch above (Farkhoonda El Kabul ) was the first imported Afghan hound to contribute to the pedigree history of the breed in Australia. (Afghan-Australian relations can be traced back to the 1860s when Afghan cameleers came to Australia. For half a century, the cameleers played a crucial role in the exploration and development of the Australian outback, ferrying supplies across the continent. The Adelaide to Alice Springs train (now extended to Darwin), the Ghan, is named in their honour . Source = http://www.afghanembassy.net/embassy/afghan-australian-relation). .
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Farkhoonda was born 9/19/1933 (Omar Of Geufron x Rani Of Ainsdart), bred by Dr Betsy Porter of El Kabul Afghan hounds. A littermate was the bitch Roshanara el Kabul who was purchased by Mrs Couper of Garrymhor Afghan hounds. Farkhoond's pedigree provided a good start for the Australians because it contained the founding Ghazni and Bell Murray lines as well as the blended Geufron lines of Shahzada and Bell Murray. Farkhoonda was imported in whelp to Lakki Marwat, another UK import foundation line from Afghanistan. Lakki Marwat was imported to the UK by Mrs Mariott in 1930 but his ancestry, date of birth and breeder details are unknown. He was an important stud dog. He was used extensively by Eileen Drinkwater (Geuffron) and he provided an alternative choice for those early/foundation breeders to the earlier established Ghazni and Bell Murray imports.
The photograph of Farkhoonda at the top of this page is dated 12th April 1935 which is one day after her arrival date in Australia. The journey from England to Australia by cargo ship took several weeks in those days. Interestingly, Farkhoonda whelped her litter 21st April 1935 only 9 days after this photograph was taken. Here's the pedigree of the litter
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Statrunya of Kandahar (see photo below) Cream Dog.
Ghazi Bin Marwat of Kandahar, Gold Dog
Ghulam Khan of Kandahar , Gold dog
Nadir Khan of Kandahar , Fawn dog
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Firdausi of Kandahar, New Zealand’s first afghan hound, was imported as a puppy from Australia in 1938. Firdausi spent much of his life with the late Mr Ernie Schache, a former well known New Zealand All Breeds Judge. Firdausi was not bred and no further afghan hounds were imported for some twenty years.
In 1935 and 1936 Mrs. Olive Macdougall imported a male and two bitches from UK in whelp to top stud dogs (one an Afghanistan import) and it appears one of the resulting litters produced the first Champion in this country. The progeny of these three bred on, and some half-dozen litters were bred up to the early 40s. However, the breed was considered a novelty and did not become popular, and indeed was considered a threat to stock by the pastoral community. These bloodlines died out after World War 2.
BARBARA: Several Afghans prior to W.W.2 were brought to Australia by Olive Macdougall (wife of Jim MacDougall, a prominent Sydney journalist). Unfortunately these lines had died out. Olive was most impressed with AGHAI and was most co-operative in helping with information. She became the first Patroness of the A.H.C. of N.S.W. when it was formed in 1956 - a club I was instrumental in setting up.
Afghan history in Australia is in a book written by Christine Stevens – 'Tin Mosques and Ghan Towns' published by Oxford Press. A hard to get copy
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