Are Pharaoh Hounds good with other animals?
 

	Other Dogs:  Yes, Pharaoh Hounds play very well with other breeds of dogs.  PH's are quite active and play enthusiastically, so similar size is helpful.  However I've seen a number of Pharaohs playing nicely with dogs many times smaller than themselves.  Watch carefully whenever new dogs get together for the first time.  Help them to establish good basic interaction rules and you should have little trouble.  Now having said that, there are times you should be more careful.  For example, two intact (non-neutered) males meeting for the first time should call for more caution.  Or two non-spayed females.  Just use common sense and pay attention to the signals your dogs are giving.
	Cats:  Well, my dogs don't like cats.  They didn't grow up with cats and we have some very teasing cats in the area.  Many people have cats and PH's living together quite successfully, though.  The best is to have a puppy and kitten grow up together.  The next choice is to have a puppy grow up with an adult cat.  I would not introduce a kitten into an adult PH home.  You have to remember what a tremendous prey drive this breed has!  While you are away from home, please consider leaving the cats and dogs in different rooms - even if they are best friends.  Best to be safe!  The picture to the right is Mara's sister Kismet with her cat buddy, Sky.
	Other small animals:  Pharaohs are hunters.  I wouldn't let my favorite rodent loose with a Pharaoh Hound.  My advice is to keep your little furry critters away from Pharaoh Hounds.  However, in Malta, ferrets and PH's hunt together in partnership.  I have a friend in Canada who has a ferret and a PH.  They get along great but are always supervised when together.

How are Pharaoh Hounds with kids?
 

PH's are great with kids.  They enjoy playing well into their senior years.  One of the reasons I started in PH's many years ago was because my son was 6 and I didn't want to have to worry about his friends running around the house.  Only once did we have a minor incident.  We had several boys in the house and they were wrestling.  My son was at the bottom of the pile and Pixie became nervous about that.  She pushed her way into the melee and basically separated the kids.   Then she stood between my son and the rest of the boys.  No growling, no teeth, just a look letting them know she didn't approve.  As soon as the moment was over, everything went back to normal.  My son has always counted the dogs as his friends and confidants.  They are always around for a hug or a game of soccer.  Now that he's older, they like hanging around when his (now deep-voiced) friends are at the house.     If you have young children, make sure you tell the breeder (they'll probably ask).  In that case you will want a more "middle of the road" puppy in temperament.  It can't be one of the more timid ones because they might be overwhelmed by the noise and activity.  You also don't want a more dominant puppy because you don't want the dog trying to assert dominance on your kids.  Breeders watch their litters carefully from the moment they are born and have a very good idea how each individual puppy will fit best into a household.

How trainable are Pharaoh Hounds?
 

Pharaoh Hounds are very smart and quite trainable.  To have the best success (and the happiest friend), you should use the positive training techniques.  Think about the PH's history.  They have been used for thousands of years as hunters.  They would go out, on their own, to find and take prey.  This type of hunting has evolved them into a smart, independent thinker.  This is a breed of problem solvers who think of themselves as your partner, rather than your property.  So, you won't get the always eager-to-please attitude of the working or herding breeds.  You need to make training fun and positive!  Pharaoh Hounds are quite versatile and can excel and in many areas.  They are great agility dogs.  I know of PH's who do scent work, herd, and even pull on a sled team (suitably protected from the cold)!  You just have to keep in mind the Pharaoh slogan:  "What's in it for me?"  PH's love their family and love to do things with them.  The difference is you won't get mindless obedience from them, you will get a reasoning, discerning partner.  This is great for some people, but very irritating to others.  You must decide why you want a dog before you decide on a Pharaoh Hound.

I've heard that you can not allow Pharaoh Hounds off-leash.  Do they run away?
 

Pharaoh Hounds have a tremendous prey drive.  Because of this, they can "forget" any obedience training if they see something they consider prey.  If this happens to be a squirrel across a busy street . . . well, you can see the disaster waiting to happen.  For this reason, you should never allow your Pharaoh Hound off-leash in an unsecured area.  They don't roam and they aren't trying to run away from you - but they will obey their ages old instinct to course game.  I have heard of a few PH's that can be called off of a hunt; but this would be the minority.     Before we moved onto our current property, we lived in town on a small yard.  I took Pixie, 4 or 5 times a week to an off-leash area to play - 30 or so acres of scrub with other dogs also running loose.  She never ran away and always returned when it was time to leave.  However, after years of dogs running free, all the potential prey was long gone, so her hunting/coursing instinct was never triggered.   Another time, my family hiked miles to a walk-in campsite.  It was early in the season and we were all alone; miles away from traffic.  I let Pixie off-leash and things were fine.  Shortly thereafter, she scented something and took off.  I spent a frantic 15 minutes searching and shouting for her.  Then, on her own, shortly before I went into meltdown, Pixie returned.  She was panting, smiling, and scratched from underbrush.  I think she had gone after a deer and returned after she lost it - though I'll never know.

What are Pharaoh Hounds like to live with?
 

Pharaoh Hounds are clean, easy to live with dogs.  They housetrain readily and, with consistent feedback, easily learn household manners.  Mine are allowed on furniture but know they are not allowed upstairs.  They stay out of the garbage and, mostly, don't try to steal food.  They don't beg from my husband, because he's never fed them from the table.  They do know I'm a sucker for a pretty face and will occasionally slip them a little bit of food!     Pharaoh Hounds can be barkers.  Not from boredom, or through nervous energy, but because they see something that needs attention paid to it.  However, their remarkable eyesight means this could be a squirrel in the neighbor's yard across the street!  Or someone walking 50 yards down the street from your house.  Be firm and consistent while they're puppies and you can mostly control this.  However, a household with a PH is rarely totally quiet.     PH's have lots of energy.  They like to play and will find something to play with if they aren't provided with toys!  Mine haven't been destructive, just active.  If you add one of this remarkable breed to your family, be prepared to spend time with it.  This lovely breed is not just for decoration!  They expect and deserve to be a part of your family.  This breed is too smart and creative to just be a backyard dog.   They need a lot of exercise!  As a puppy this means lots of play.  As adults, they will be your most faithful jogging buddy.      PH's are very curious.  They like to know everything that's going on.  If there is something new in the house, they will investigate.  Has UPS just delivered a package? Your PH will be nosing it trying to figure out what's arrived, who has handled it, is it edible, and whatever else their noses will tell them.

What about overall health?
 

The breed as a whole is very healthy.  We have managed, so far, to avoid many of the health problems found in other breeds.  This can be attributed to their history on Malta.  They are a working animal on Malta; earning their keep by hunting to fill the family dinner pot.  Animals that aren't completely healthy aren't bred by the pragmatic Maltese - pretty doesn't feed the family.  An item of large importance to concerned breeders is making sure we don't lower the health level of our dogs.  A breeder will test their breeding stock (and often other dogs from the same litter) for a variety of conditions.  These can include:   X-rays and certification for hip dysplasia.  The results of this testing goes from excellent through fair.  Anything rated lower than fair is considered dysplastic.  I'm pleased that my PHs have all been tested as Good or Excellent. Eyes are checked and certified for inheritable diseases and conditions.  With a sighthound, it's easy to see the importance of good eyesight.  My dogs have tested normal. Thyroid function gets checked as sighthounds can have low thyroid.  My dogs have tested as normal. Knees are often checked for luxation (looseness).  My dogs have tested as normal.         It would be a shame, after Malta has kept these dogs so healthy for millennia, for the hurry up culture of the U.S. to decrease the overall health of these wonderful dogs!!  Don't be afraid to ask breeders about their testing procedures.

All the dogs being bred seem to be show dogs.  What if I want a family companion?
 

Our breed is very lucky to have remained small and not gotten the attention of “backyard breeders” or puppy mills.  Our greatest hope is that we can stay this way!  So, yes, you will find breeders are striving for Pharaohs that will do well in the show ring.  However, no litter, no matter how illustrious the parents, is going to produce only show dogs!  Genetics just doesn’t work that way.  So, don’t allow yourself to be intimidated by a sire and dam that have impressive titles.  Try to find friendly, healthy dogs bred by someone who completes pre-breeding testing to verify that health.  If a normal-sized (6 to 8) litter results, there are bound to be a few puppies that have a little too much white, or have slightly less shoulder angle than is desired in the show ring.  These are things that you and 99.9% percent of others won’t notice, but the breeder will as they evaluate the litter.  The best thing is to get on a waiting list (usually held with a refundable deposit) so that you are in line for one of the pet puppies.

Prices?
 

That's actually a difficult question to answer.  It truly depends on what type of dog you are looking for.  There are many variables.  Do you want a pet or show quality?  Even within the show quality category, there are variables.  Some dogs are very nice and any breeder would be happy to see that dog being shown.  Then, there are the dogs who are spectacular - they're often called specials quality.  Do you want a pup, a young adult, or a retired (though often still quite young) champion?  All of these variables will change the price.  Often, the best puppies in a litter will go to homes that will show the puppy, as it's in the breeder's interest to have bred champions.     Another thing to consider is the cost of owning and maintaining a healthy PH.  The cost of the initial puppy shots and check ups can easily be two hundred dollars.  When you factor in food, toys, and other supplies, it's conceivable that you will have spent the same amount again as the cost of the puppy!     So, basically, I'm not going to answer this question!  You will need to talk to the individual breeder when you are ready to add a dog to your family.  I can tell you that they don't cost more than from any other reputable AKC breed; there isn't any kind of "rare" upgrade to the price because there aren't many Pharaoh Hounds around.  It will help the breeder answer your question better if you've thought ahead of time about your hopes and aspirations for this dog.     Expect to answer questions for any breeder.  Please don't be offended when you are asked questions that seem personal.  You won't be asked any questions that don't directly relate to the welfare of the dog you are buying!  We care about our dogs and work very hard to find them loving homes.