Pharaoh Hounds are as unique in temperament as they are in appearance and
history. They are playful and loving, yet dignified and self-contained.
They are extremely
intelligent and learn at an incredible rate. To their people, they are
lovingly devoted, but in a different way than most breeds--they are very catlike
in their affection, in that they are affectionate, and they do love you, but
they have their own agenda to keep in mind as well. With strangers they
tend to be somewhat stand-offish and aloof at first, the females more so than
the males. All Pharaohs tend to do very well with children and other pets
if introduced at a young age.
They are true entertainers by nature. They love to make their owners
laugh at their hilarious antics. Pharaohs also seem to "play"
their way through life--everything is a
potential game. If they are bored, they will create their own fun!
This fun loving breed reacts adversely to traditional "compulsionary"
or "militant" training methods and can prove quite stubborn at times.
We have found that positive reinforcement and operant conditioning via
"clicker training" is an ideal training style for this breed.
Do not be misled. The Pharaoh Hound is definitely not for everyone.
You must remember that they were
selectively bred for thousands of years for hunting ability alone, and that
hunting instinct is still very strong, as it should be. A securely
fenced yard is an absolute necessity, no ifs, ands, or buts. They are also
extremely alert and active dogs who require regular exercise, and they can
easily become destructive without an acceptable outlet for all their energy.
With a large enough yard and a playmate, they burn off quite a bit of energy on
their own, but they still require regular walks/jogs/bike rides (safely on
leash, of course). Pharaohs were also highly prized for their hunting bark
in their homeland of Malta...the breed can be quite vocal, and barking can
easily get out of hand without training.
