Afghan Sheepdog Dog Breed

The Afghan Sheepdog may be best described as a designer breed for people with huge homes and large amounts of very well-fenced yard space. They might also be said to have been bred to be herding dogs with a sporting background. They are not for first-time dog owners or even people who may have had dogs in the past. These are dogs best suited for people who have experience with at least one of the parent breeds. They are not good with kids, or as guide or therapy dogs, and they are definitely not meant to live in apartments, small homes, or hot climates. If you have an isolated house in a cold, mountainous region and flocks of sheep or similar herds, then this is perhaps the best environment for Afghan Sheepdogs.

This massive, somewhat bizarre-looking but well-paired hybrid has practically the best of both worlds from the two parent breeds. Melding brains and brawn, these dogs are fine as they were intended: working hard in mountainous terrain. They can call forth their muscles when needed, and they don't waste energy until that time.

These Molosser-type dogs may not seem that intelligent when not working or if removed from a working environment. They are smart, however, and can prove it when put to the test. You may not see them in field trials, and not too often in dog shows, and rarely being walked in a city. This isn't because they lack intelligence, but because most homes and people lack the room and resources required.

They will be aloof to strangers, and they may seem somewhat uninterested in you as they are all about being quietly alert. When it comes to bedtime, or once they've been trained to know that a certain time or action means they can let their guard down a little and crawl into bed or on the couch, they'll get close to you!

While they don't move much when not working, the typical Afghan Sheepdog is nevertheless not lazy. As house pets, they do need to be prompted to exercise. When out in the field as bred and intended, they are as active as they need to be and at lightning speed.

Since the Afghan Sheepdog is a somewhat new hybrid, and one produced from two large breeds, the health profile is difficult to understand. There is much to learn that only time will tell. Hybrid vigor may lessen some of the health problems, but others may appear over time. What is known is that there are certain ailments that tend to befall the giant breeds of dogs, and there are things that are known about the two parent pure breeds.

Here are some of the reported health issues of the Afghan Sheepdog:

• Bloat
• Pannus
• Cataracts
• Glaucoma
• Demodicosis
• Hypothyroidism
• Corneal dystrophy
• Muscular dystrophy
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

Afghan Sheepdogs are believed to have an average lifespan of about 11 to 13 years.