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Differences between Ghazni (Mountain Type) and Bell Murray (Desert Type) |
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| Mountain type (GHAZNI) | Desert Type (BELL MURRAY) |
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COLOUR |
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| Most of this original type were Black. Black and Tan. Red with masks or Solid Rich Golden, Many old imports had white feet and face markings | This type breed true for Fawn, or Sand Colour with shaded mask, White, Ivory etc. |
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Blues and off colours fall apart in a row of dilution factors. Some may have some heritage to the Rampur, which had shining blues, mouse greys and satin reddish coats. |
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| HEAD/NECK | |
| The head is larger in proportion to the body than the BM | The head is smaller in proportion to the body |
| The nose has a tendency to be a little roman and has a slight stop. From nose to stop should be the same length as from the stop to the occiput. The nose itself is broad with good nostrils and the back of the nose has plenty of bone without being course. | |
| The under jaw is in balance and must be seen and the jaw line (in profile) tends to go down and flow into the beard. | The under jaw must be seen as in the mountain type and more or less disappears in the upper jaw. The chin line goes more up in the direction of the eyes. |
| The skull is broader around the eyes than between the ears. Here we see the face of that fascinating human look (eyes set more human like) There is room for the eyes in this position and if the dog has good head carriage will look down at you. As the mountain type has more bone and in general is heavier built, the nose looks a little heavier. This is also because of better muscles as the head is carried higher. | The head is broadest between the ears and mostly has a longer nose. The cross bred tend to have both, so the head goes course at the eyes and ears and looks common (some as GSDs). The ears are higher set and are slightly smaller. This type stay with head and tail more horizontal and look up at you. |
| The head and neck act as a counter weight if the dog has to come to a sudden stop in the rough terrain | |
| BODY | |
| There is a need to have well laid back shoulders and this seems to give a dip behind the shoulders. This is not so much the spine but the large shoulder blades laid so well against the brisket | The shoulders are placed more forward on the body and lay more against the neck and so the spine is more open to feel all the way down |
| The brisket is so important in this type as it has to have space for the neck and shoulder muscles; the quarters well hooked and under the body. | This type is more a sprinter and also a better trotter with longer strides but not so springy. |
| The mountain type has the front chest going down to its deepest point between the front legs and then goes straight for a while before it takes a short cut tot he tuck up. The spring of rib goes far more back all along the ribs. | Being a sprinter this type has not so much forechest and the deepest part is about the elbows (in profile) and goes right up to the back and there is all over spring of ribs. |
| In the mountain dog the loin goes a little up in the hip bone though it is flat in itself and always broad. It must never have the greyhound rounding over the loins. | The back from shoulders to tail in this type is more flat, in one line, and only the hip bones go out of it. |
| Because of the heavier muscling the hip bones are not so prominent but they are further apart as the hind quarters have to direct the dog in any direction at any moment | Hip bones more prominent and narrower. |
| The croup must be long and fall away more in this type and the sit bones as far apart as the hip bones. The tail is set on approximately half way down | The croup may be less steep and the tail is set higher. |
| The head and tail set has more power and span in this part of the body and in movement (trot) appears to 'hang in the air'. This is a must for a springy gait. | |
| The tail must be broad at the base and taper to the end and is also a little shorter. The tail should be up on the trot, halfway in canter or racing (even down) and down when standing. | The type tail is small at the base, does not taper as much but is longer. |
| The early standard says the tail ended mostly in a ring; today it has to be a ring. Only half the first Ghazni imports had ring tails, but in the first generation many had setter tails and all were broad at the base. Many had more a full bow but never touched the back when moving. Us Links | The first Bell Murrays mostly had a tight ring. |
| The tail feathering is more heavily coated without being bushy. | This type tail is most lightly feathered. |
| In the old description of the crossing of the two types, it was said that the ring tail was more prominent in the desert type. | |
| The hindquarters must have a 'good bend of stifle', which is best considered a zig-zag of bones from pelvis to toes - long bones and the hock very close to the ground, with the feet placed well under the legs. | |
| All four pasterns should be halfway down and flexible - all four feet stable on the ground and the toes well arched - going up in the middle like a 'hawk beak', broader fore to back, but all long. | All pasterns more upright and higher at the hock. The desert type is more upright all over - the toes not so arched - they had camel like feet, not the cat feet often seen. |
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COAT |
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| The woolly undercoat growing through the upper coat, giving that typical look of trousers and the big feet and that break between. (ie: bare pasterns) | The coat is more feathered, but with some of the older ones having a real coat, but never the woolly undercoat of the mountain coat. |
| Smooth saddle | |
| The coat is more woolly with a tendency to have a slight wave to hold more air and be more waterproof. | Some of the crossbred had lots of goat like texture and harsh Bobtail appearance - others had silky straight coats. |
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The original imports had bare pasterns, which showed large feet. Even the Bell Murrays feet were prominent. |
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EYE COLOUR |
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| The early Ghaznis and their offspring had golden and brown eyes. | The darker eye seems to come from the desert type. |
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TEMPERAMENT |
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| The Ghaznis had lots of personality, were more straight forward and do not panic in strange situations | A lot of crossbred were spooky and cringing which was said to come from the desert type. However, pure desert type were docile, medium tempered and showed a lot of suspicion in new situations. |
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OVERALL APPEARANCE |
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Two hounds with the same body length |
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| In profile - forequarters, ribs and hindquarters each of the same proportion. The neck flows slowly to the dip. Often a little higher in the rear when young. This specimen is more hooked in appearance so he can immediately stretch up a little. | Higher on the legs, appearing to have a longer body, more upright shoulder further forward on the brisket and less turn of stifle. The neck goes into the back with more of a quick turn. The desert type is stiffer at this point. |
The above information has been researched from the observations of Eta Pauptit (vdOM) 1913 - 2008
The full the story of her life with Afghans since 1931 together with other hounds and animals and
her travels around the areas that these hounds originated is in her book of MEMORIES,
which is available to order by e-mail to dawn.padaki@blueyonder.co.uk
ALL PROCEEDS GO TO AFGHAN RESCUE OR ANOTHER ANIMAL CHARITY CHOSEN BY THE PURCHASER.
Dawn Kirwan - Padaki Afghan Hounds Email: dawn.padaki@blueyonder.co.uk