Hungarian Greyhound

Magyar Agar

This magnificent racing, hunting, guarding, protection and companionship specimen wonderfully combines several functions within the same family. In spite of his somewhat snobbish appearance, the Hungarian Greyhound is very close to his family and devoted to his masters. He possesses many abilities that are unfortunately little known. His totally unfair reputation of "sub Greyhound" makes him less in demand than other greyhounds. It is a great pity for this breed which could benefit from becoming better known by all.

Height 65 to 70 cm
Weight 25 to 30 kg
Life expectancy 13 to 14 years
Home country Hungary

Quick Overview of the Hungarian Greyhound

Temperament

  • Affectionate and gentle
  • Not fond of turbulent children
  • Prefers peace and quiet
  • Distrustful and reserved towards strangers

Appearance

  • Sleek and strong
  • Anything but fragile
  • Excellent musculature
  • Very elegant

Health

  • No particular pathology
  • Can withstand extreme temperatures
  • Rarely ill
  • Long life expectancy

Temperament of the Hungarian Greyhound

Affectionate and gentle with his family, he is not very fond of children who are too turbulent. He prefers peace and quiet. Distrustful and reserved towards strangers, he makes an excellent guard dog.

Loyal and intelligent, he has a strong character that requires a good education. However, socialization must be instilled at a very early age.

Tireless in the hunt, he has incredible endurance and perseverance when running. He excels as a long-distance runner.

Breed Appearance

Hungarian greyhound

Sleek and strong, the Hungarian Greyhound is anything but fragile. Without being massive, he is nevertheless solid and has excellent muscles.

His long limbs are very powerful, and his silhouette suggests speed and great endurance. Neither too massive, nor too fragile, but very strong, the Hungarian Greyhound is elegant, and his gait reveals his great muscular strength.

Height

Between 65 and 70 cm (25.59 to 27.56 inches) for the male
Between 65 and 70 cm (25.59 to 27.56 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 25 and 30 kg (55.12 to 66.14 pounds) for the male
Between 25 and 30 kg (55.12 to 66.14 pounds) for the female

Color

His dress can be plain, spotted or brindle in all possible colors.

Hair

His hair is short, but not too fine, and very dense in winter.

Morphology

His head is broad and has a well defined stop. His dark eyes are medium size.

His ears are shaped like a rose. They are folded on the neck. His nose is well pigmented. His thick tail is slightly curved. It is strong and reaches almost the hock.

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group 10, section 3 and is #240

Tips About this breed

He barely barks and is very clean, therefore he can be happy in an apartment. This dog can become a city or country dog without any problem.

Ideally, he should have a large garden where he can spend his energy, but daily walks where he can run also does the trick.

He is endowed with a beautiful energy, but is calm, balanced and very quiet when inside.

Although he can withstand extreme weather conditions, he prefers to live indoors close to his own.

Distrustful of strangers, he has good guarding and protecting skills. He will protect his own and their property.

His well-asserted character requires early and flawless education in terms of socialization, which must be instilled at a very young age.

Health of the Hungarian Greyhound

The Hungarian Greyhound is a very robust dog that does not suffer from any particular pathology. Both hardy and elegant, he can withstand extreme temperatures.

His state of health is generally excellent, he is rarely ill. His life expectancy is also impressive.

GROOMING

No special or demanding maintenance is necessary in his case. A simple regular brushing, about twice a week, is more than enough.

History of this breed

The Hungarian Greyhound has been used for hunting since ancient times. Originally from Hungary as his name indicates, this Greyhound, still called Magyar Agar today, is descended from the Asian Greyhounds that were introduced to the country in the 9th century by the Magyar people.

In Hungary, the name Magyar Agar is used to identify the hunting Greyhound, while the name Magyar Kutya is used to identify the herding Greyhound.

At that time, there were two varieties, large and small. Later, to make him faster, crossbreeding with Greyhound took place which, unfortunately, contributes today to tarnish his reputation.

In 1944, after the ban on sight hunting and the two World Wars, the breed was almost extinct.

To avoid watching their Greyhound become extinct in favor of a faster breed, the Hungarians reconstituted the breed from specimens found on Hungarian farms. Subjects were selected for their great qualities as guardians and hunters.

The breed was thus revived in the 1960s, but it was not until 1971 that the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) recognized the breed, which had the effect of increasing the popularity of the Hungarian Greyhound in his country as elsewhere on the European continent. He came to France in the 1980s.

This dog, with his special physique, has many qualities as companion, guard and also as excellent hunter. Performing on long distance races, he is apparently even faster than the Greyhound, so he often stands out on dog tracks.

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