How many names can one breed be known by?  As it turns out, a lot if you’re an Afghan Hound.

The breed brought to the United States by one of the first to do so, Herbert “Zeppo” Marx  (yes, that Marx Brother) has been known as the Afghanischer Windhund, Tazhi Spay, African Hound,Persian Greyhound,Barakzai Hound, Da Kochyano Spay, Balkh Hound, Sage Balochi, Baluchi Hound,Lebrel Afgano,  Barutzy Hound, Eastern Greyhound, Galanday Hound, Kabul Hound,Levrier Afghan, Kuchi Hound, Ogar Afghan, Shalgar Hound and in Afghanistan, it’s home, Tāžī (though the word may have been used in reference to other hound-type dogs, as well).  Many native Afghans continue to believe that the Afghan is the dog portrayed on the cave walls in the northern province of Balkh, which is why the breed has also been called the Balkh Hound.

Image presented with the kind consent of Irene Rohrer Duramus