The Pharaoh Hound is one of the dogs that can truly lay legitimate claim to being one of the most ancient of breeds, there being a substantial amount of documented evidence to back up the claim. Several skeletal remains of canine forms bearing a striking resemblance to the Pharaoh Hound dating back at least 5000 years have been unearthed by researchers in the Middle East.

Though the modern Pharaoh Dog hails from Malta it is believed that their earliest ancestral origins were from ancient Egypt. This belief is bolstered by the countless images and carvings of Pharaoh Hound-like dogs on the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs, but also by the fact that this dog breed bears a striking resemblance to the Egyptian jackal god, Anubis. The historical trail of the Pharaoh Hound doesn’t end there because later still it featured prominently in ancient Greek art.

It is widely believed that the Pharaoh Hound was introduced to Malta by Phoenician traders and possibly Carthaginians after the Roman invasion of Egypt over 2000 years ago. The existence of equally secluded and similar looking dog breeds in adjoining regions tends to support speculation that the Phoenicians were actively involved in trading dogs from Egypt. The other dog breeds that bear a marked resemblance to the Pharaoh Hound and are found in neighboring regions include the:  Ibizan Hound; the Sicilian Hound; the Spanish Greyhound and the Portuguese Podengo.

As mentioned previously, because of a secluded existence on the Island the Pharaoh Dog developed as an isolated population and for that reason today has achieved an extremely high level of breeding true. During its protracted existence of isolation on the islands of Malta  and Goza, the Pharaoh Hound flourished as a rabbit hunter and went by the name Kelb-tal Fenek which translates into rabbit dog.

Quite often the hunt would start at night when several dogs would be released to start tracking the rabbit by scent. Once the rabbit had been located the dogs would bark to alert the hunters and they in turn would release a ferret to flush out the hapless rabbit from its burrow. As the ferret conducted the subterranean stage of the hunt at least one of the Pharaoh Hounds above ground would track the progress of the underground pursuit with its exceptionally keen hearing. When the rabbit eventually bolted from the burrow that Pharaoh Hound would pounce and capture it.

How A Rabbit Dog Morphed Into The Pharaoh Hound

Interestingly enough, before the Pharaoh Hound caught the attention of western fanciers the breed was pretty much scorned by island residents who much preferred to showcase exotic imported breeds. However that all changed in 1968 when a British enthusiast developed a keen interest in the breed and exported 8 Pharaoh Hounds to England. At the point the dog breed still went by the rather uninspiring name of Maltese Rabbit Dog.

It didn’t take long for the new lovers of the breed to notice the unmistakable resemblance between the Maltese Rabbit Dog and the ancient dogs of the Egyptian pharaohs and from there it was a single short leap to concocting a far more inspiring name for the breed.

Pharaoh Hound Dog Breed

Article on pharaoh hound written by Kayye Nynne