Thinking about getting a Pharaoh Hound puppy? Good for you! I can tell you right now, your life will never, ever be the same. See, you might think you’ve done your research and learned all their is to know about the breed, but nothing prepares you for actually owning one. Or, should I say, being owned by one, because that’s far more accurate! Before you run out and try to find a breeder (which is tricky, since they’re fairly rare dogs), read on to make sure you know what you’re getting into!
For a complete and updated guide based on more experience, please check out my Complete Guide to the Pharaoh Hound Dog Breed (by Someone Who Actually Has One!)
Let me say right up front, I wouldn’t trade Freya for all of the well-behaved dogs in the world. She’s mouthy and stubborn, talks back (loudly) and listens only when it benefits her, but she’s also hilarious and smart, loving and charming. Her personality fills the house from top to bottom. She’s only been with us for 9 months and already I can’t imagine life without her. That said, there are some things that you REALLY need to know before you decide if a Pharaoh Hound is the right dog for you.
What You Need to Know About Life with Pharaoh Hounds
I should probably clarify that this is all based on my experience with my Pharaoh Hound, as well as what I’ve read in message boards. Of course, not all dogs are the same, so you could end up with a Pharaoh Hound that is the total opposite of my Crazy Freyzie. I’ve also heard that males are a bit more laid back, so keep that in mind if some of these traits scare you.
1- They are loud mouths
Oh, my friends, you haven’t heard a barking dog until you’ve heard a Pharaoh Hound. The AKC says that they “bark when necessary.” Guess what? That’s pretty much all of the time. Right now, Freya finds it necessary to bark loudly because my mom put on shoes. Shoes either mean “we’re going outside, yay!” or “OMG, you’re leaving me, you’re leaving me, leeeeeeeaaaaaavvvvving me!” Both require barking. You know what else requires barking? “I’m hungry.” “I’m thirsty.” “I’m mad that you won’t let me eat the cat’s head.” “I’m mad that Mocha has my favorite bone, never mind that I was chewing on another one for the last hour.” “I’m tired.” “I’m not tired.” And everything in between. Sight hounds in general are pretty quiet dogs. Except Pharaoh Hounds. They are the exception.
2- Pharaoh Hounds are smart….sometimes too smart
Having an insanely smart dog is really cool when she masters tricks in seconds (but ONLY if there’s a tasty snack in it for her). Having a smart Pharaoh Hound when you want to hide the laser pointer or are trying to sneak out of the house? Not so cool. Freya understands subtle cues better than any dog I’ve ever had, and I’ve had some crazy smart dogs in the past. You can see intelligence swimming around behind her eyes, and you just know that her mental wheels are always spinning. While it makes training challenging, it definitely keeps you on your toes! If you’re okay with having a dog that can totally outsmart you at every turn, you’ll love owning a Pharaoh Hound!
3- Very much “what’s in it for me” dogs
When you train a Pharaoh Hound, you need to focus making sure there’s a clear-cut benefit for your dog. Pharaoh Hounds aren’t out to please you. Once you learn that, training goes SO much better. She will perfectly execute the “wait game” trick for a solid ten minutes if you’re holding a treat, but won’t even come when she’s called if there’s nothing in it for her.
Positive, reward-based training is the ONLY training that works on Pharaoh Hounds. You CANNOT yell at them, and they can sense when you’re frustrated. If you can’t handle that, if you are quick to anger or lose patience easily, then they are not the dog for you. Honestly, NO dog deserves to be yelled at, so if you can’t handle that, maybe get a fish.
4- They are FAST
I’ve seen Greyhounds run, and I’ve seen Freya run. Honestly, I think Pharaoh Hounds are just as fast as greyhounds, if not faster. This means two things. First, you’ll need space for your dog to really let off some steam and get in a good run (it’s such a beautiful sight, you haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen a Pharaoh Hound run!) Freya tears around our backyard like she’s made of the wind itself.
Second, you have to be SO, SO, SO careful not to accidentally let them get loose. Freya snuck out the front door once when she was a small puppy, and sheer panic set in. Thankfully, she was more interested in the feral cats out front than in running off, but we are beyond careful to make sure it never happens again.
Even if you do have a huge area for them to run, be ready for your Pharaoh Hound to occasionally be a little wild in your house. I thought Freya was unique, with her running around and bouncing on the sofa, pushing herself off to launch into a run up the steps. Then I saw videos of other Pharaoh Hounds doing the same thing in a private Facebook group for the breed. We call it her “crazy dog thing.”
It will definitely crack you up, but DO NOT get in the way. I had to take my son to the hospital after he collided with Freya when they were playing and her noggin busted open his. Then I had to explain ad nauseam that she didn’t bite him, she just hit him with her hard head.
5- They’re affectionate, but not big cuddlers
Pharaoh Hounds are super affectionate, but not in the way you might expect. If you’re looking for a dog that you can wrap your arms around and snuggle with, you might be a bit disappointed. Freya doesn’t give kisses, she gives gentle nips, and you have to earn those. When she’s up and active, she doesn’t have time for petting.
She loves butt scratches and massages, but unless she’s sleeping, she’d prefer you keep your paws away from her head. When she looks at you with those big amber eyes like you’re the coolest person ever, though, you don’t mind so much that she won’t let you pet her head.
6- They are mischievous and sneaky!
We currently have a stool sitting on top of our garbage can lid. A stool. Why? Because Freya raids the garbage like it’s no one’s business. A few weeks ago, we were one chicken breast short for our meal because she snagged it right out of the package when we blinked.
We have set up guard protocols while making dinner so that she doesn’t snag it when we turn out back to get ketchup or something out of the fridge. My bathroom door is always shut so that I have toilet paper when I need it. It’s not uncommon to hear someone yelling “what does she have? See what she has! What did she steal? What’s in her mouth?”
Remember how I said they were smart? Well, Pharaoh Hounds use those smarts to get into loads of mischief. I have no doubt that Freya could steal the Crown Jewels and no one would know until she puked them up the next day. Which brings me to…
7- Pharaoh Hounds eat weird things
Now, I KNOW this isn’t just Freya, because I’ve seen other Pharaoh Hound owners post things like “Sock-free for 90 days.” We cannot let Freya have small stuffed animals unsupervised. The moment she defluffs them, they have to go in the garbage. She uses her sharp back teeth to scissor through the fabric, breaks off pieces, and then swallows them. She’s eaten hair ties, socks, dirt and mud. What she can’t eat, she chews.
She even ate the baby pool that I got for her! I swear, someone cross-bred them with goats somewhere along the way. On the plus side, her willingness to eat anything and everything makes it super easy to give her heartworm medicine and what not.
They’re totally worth it
I feel like I made Pharaoh Hounds sound scary, and make no mistake about it, they DO require A LOT of attention and patience. They will test that patience at every turn. They’re kind of like toddlers that way. If you’re up to the task, though, they’re totally worth it. There’s no other dog quite like them. A Pharaoh Hound’s personality will fill your home and your life with so much joy. You’ll laugh like crazy. You’ll also cry and want to tear your hair out, but you’ll also laugh. When they finally lay down to sleep, you’ll find yourself staring in awe at their sheer beauty. Pharaoh Hounds, as a breed, haven’t really changed at all from the images depicted in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, so it’s almost like looking back through time.
If you decide that a Pharaoh Hound is the right breed for you, please make sure you find a responsible breeder. I would usually say “adopt, don’t shop” here, but I’m not sure there are many Pharaoh Hounds in shelters. Still, I do suggest searching “Pharaoh Hound rescues near me” or something on Bing as your first step, just in case. Freya was a very generous gift to us after we lost our older girls earlier last year, but you can expect to pay between $1,800-$2,500 for a purebred Pharaoh Hound puppy.
I think that about covers it! Seriously, if you have the patience and the time, a Pharaoh Hound will bring you years and years of joy!
Do you have a Pharaoh Hound? Tell me if I missed anything, or if your dog is totally different in any of the ways I mentioned!
This is the first time I’ve ever heard of a pharaoh hound. I’d like to keep this dog in mind, as I am soo hoping I will be moving, and one of the reasons is to be able to have a dog. Good to hear info from an actual owner!!!
I hope you get to move into a place that lets you have a dog soon! Most people I talk to haven’t heard of Pharaoh Hounds. In fact, I didn’t until we got her! She’s a handful, but in all the best ways.
Hi we all love our PH but since he was around 3 months( we hot him at 7 weeks , he is a rescue puppy) he suddenly snaps and bites. Its sudden and unwarranted. I could be petting him and he will suddenly bite. I dont want me or my family to be scared of our own dog but the truth is now we are all wary of him. We take him for walks. He is pampered. Kids love him but he has bitten them a few times. He follows me everywhere as I am his primary caregiver but he has bitten me several times. Once when I was making his bed cozy with a blanket, he bit me pretty badly. He becomes immediately repentant but in the last three months he has bitten 8 times.
I could not imagine life without my Feral hound!
My Pharoh hound sounds just like Freya!!!
If I ever get another dog, it will be from a shelter. Too many homeless dogs.
slehan at juno dot com
What a cute dog! I have never heard of this breed until today. I loves dogs and do not have one now. Maybe someday. I just had to put down my sweet basset hound and it is hard getting over it. I loved him so much! I think your dog is cute and exciting!
I could not have put it any better myself. This describes my pharoah. He is now 7 months and I love him and would never change him for anything. He’s annoying and is loud but like you say, when he is asleep you can’t help but just look at him. I will add the next best thing I find is how they smile and how much love that fills you with.
Oh, that smile!! It really is the highlight of my day!
She is such a beautiful dog! I don’t think I have ever seen one but I can see why you fell in love!
What a beautiful dog! I didn’t realize they were so intelligent!
Oh, these redheads are totally charming! And are exactly the same as you described it! LOL )))) My mother is giving a real life challenge to obedience dog trainers when she brings our pharaoh hound to the training hall 🤣🙈 Our dog just can’t accept anything that is anyhow ‘work related’…
made my day/week reading this. I love my PH too!
Why would she tear up my shoes. She seems to be affectionate, but if you are not paying attention to her she gets aggresive and she chews on my shoes and other things that are hard to replace.
It took a while for mine to stop eating everything in sight. We actually had to hide our shoes in a box! In my experience with Freya, they are very prone to destructive behavior when they’re bored, and since they’re such smart dogs, they get bored very easily. When I started doing training games that challenged her mentally, she got a little more mellow. Also, like a toddler, she does well with structure. So, I play a certain game with her every night at the same time. Then, an hour later, a different game. Once she’s ticked off the list of “things to do” in her head, she settles down.
Can’t agree with many things said. I have Pharaoh hounds for 14 years. 4 now in the house. Never! ate anything that is not food, always lying by my side, never barking without occasion.
We adopted our dog and was told she was a “terrier” mix. Well now that she’s older I’m pretty sure she is mostly pharaoh hound. Most of these are spot on! She has the funniest personality, has an attitude and talks back a lot, is the smartest dog, and is fast and a huge jumper. She also chews , digs, and eats everything!!! I had no idea this breed existed or how rare it was until well after we adopted her.
Our little beastie is definitely a Pharaoh hound. We discovered shortly after adopting her. She was given up, I can only assume because she was such a crazy little spazzie pup! At nine months old, she hasn’t slowed down much. But she has accepted us as part of her pack.
Only two things different from Miss Freya (everything else is identicle) is that she loves to kiss, and kiss, and kiss, and kiss… she ends kisses with light nibbles. And she LOVES to wrestle and rough house like nobody’s business!
Thank you for posting this. It made our otherwise dull covid-Friday night entertaining!
I know this is an old article, but Damn right you are about them being loud mouths, my pup just turned 1 y/o, but, he is indeed super yappy. Not gonna lie, sometimes is a bit annoying but, i wouldn’t change it for the world.
I disagree with almost anything, except for the presence of mind. I do not see any fundamental differences in my four-month-old puppy from puppies of other breeds at the same age.
Yes, it pulls everything into its mouth that it can reach. They all pull.
Yes, she likes to run. They all love to run at this age. Only the same shepherd dogs run longer, and Russian greyhounds and greyhounds faster.
Barks, calling other dogs to play. But you haven’t heard the collie. Our trainer’s collie did not shut up for two hours of the class. By the end, his voice had already disappeared, but he continued to try to bark.
Theft is a matter of education. Mine does not steal. At least for now.))
There really are brains. She has already learned to speak. Thank God, not in human language, otherwise I would have gone to a psychiatrist. But at the level of gestures and barking, he communicates his Wishlist quite intelligibly. Remembers the way home well. the first time. And also from the first time he remembers exactly where the locked dogs are sitting, which can be teased. In general, this is a juvenile troll.))
I have a two year old male PH whom I adopted. He is as sweet as sugar, intelligent, gorgeous, athletic, and completely attached to me. He seems a lot calmer than the PH you describe. He is mouthy, though, but he understands he can’t do this and consciously tries not to go in this direction. He’s a great guy and we love him.
We have a smaller Pharos hound. We thought we were rescuing a podenco from Spain as we gave one already and they are adorable. Sp pipa arrives. Very aloof. Full of surprises. She has completely ripped our sofa apart, not even ashamed
She wee s on other dogs beds. She gas a very loud bark and barks at anything. But she is absolutely adorable 🥰 she barks at other dogs on our walk also. We. Can’t let her off lead to run as she’s too quick and had no recall yet
We managed to keep Freya from eating the couch (well, most of it at least), but she destroyed all of her dog beds for YEARS. She’s almost 7 now and we can FINALLY get her one of the fluffy ones. Although she has been eyeing the cat’s fluffy bed… LOL The good news is that Freya did finally learn recall for the most part. I still won’t let her off-leash because she’s not very trustworthy when it comes to squirrels, stray cats, or anything else smaller than her that moves (and honestly, I think she’d probably even chase a bear if given the chance), but at least I don’t spend hours in the rain chasing her around the backyard when I want her to come in. Honestly, though, I wouldn’t trade a minute of it because she makes me laugh so much. 😀