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Pharaoh Hound History
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The Pharaoh Hound traces its lineage to 3000 BC in ancient Egypt and is thought by some to be the oldest domesticated dog. The dog bears an unmistakable likeness to the Egyptian jackal god Anubis, ruler of the underworld. Historians have learned through Egyptian paintings and hieroglyphics that the Pharaoh Hound was prized for its hunting ability and close relationships with its owners. Phoenician traders brought the Pharaoh Hound to the Mediterranean islands of Malta and Gozo, where purity of breeding ensured that the dog today resembles its ancestors from thousands of years ago. The image of the Pharaoh Hound has remained remarkably unchanged from dogs depicted in ancient Egyptian tombs, such as the tomb chapel of Mereruwka and of Senbi.
The Pharaoh Hound’s name in Maltese, Kelb-tal Fenek, means “rabbit hound,” and the Maltese have long used the Pharaoh Hound in tandem with falcons to hunt rabbit. The Pharaoh Hound's agility and hunting ability have made it a perennial favorite among Maltese farmers for thousands of years.
According to some records, the Pharaoh Hound first arrived in England in the early 1930s. In 1963, author Pauline Block brought her dog Bahri of Twinley to London. The Pharaoh Hound was first introduced in the United States in 1967 by Ruth Taft-Harper. The first litter was whelped in 1970. The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognized the breed in 1983. Pharaoh Hounds became eligible to compete in the Hound Group in 1984. Today, the Pharaoh Hound can be found in many countries, such as Finland, Denmark, Scotland, England, France, Germany, Russia and Sweden but remains a somewhat rare breed.
