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Pharaoh Hound

The Pharaoh Hound is the national dog of Malta — locally Kelb tal-Fenek (rabbit dog) — used for rabbit coursing across the Maltese countryside by scent and sight combined.

Calculate Pharaoh Hound age
Lifespan10 yrrange 6–14
SizeMediumHound Group
Weight45–55 lb20.4–24.9 kg
Senior at7 yrgeriatric at 11

Gallery (3)

About

About the Pharaoh Hound

The Pharaoh Hound is the national dog of Malta — locally Kelb tal-Fenek (rabbit dog) — used for rabbit coursing across the Maltese countryside by scent and sight combined. The breed blushes visibly when excited. AKC recognition dates to 1983.

Aging

How Pharaoh Hounds age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 10.0 years (n=59, very small UK sample). Sighthound anesthesia sensitivity applies; cataracts and hip dysplasia are OFA-tracked concerns; the small sample size warrants caution interpreting the median estimate.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 10 yr · range 6–14Senior careSenior at 7 · geriatric at 11Common health issues4 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
45–55 lb(20.4–24.9 kg)
Height
21–25 in(53.3–63.5 cm)
Coat type
Short
Colors
ChestnutRed GoldenRich TanTan
Temperament

Temperament

How Pharaoh Hounds tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

nobleintelligentaffectionateathletic
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Moderatetypical onset ~5 yr

    Hypothyroidism

    Description and veterinary guidance for Hypothyroidism land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~2 yr

    Patellar Luxation

    Description and veterinary guidance for Patellar Luxation land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
60min
per day

About 60 minutes of activity per day keeps a Pharaoh Hound physically and mentally satisfied. Split it between a structured walk and free play.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.