Though Afghan Hounds are sighthounds, of course, the breed is sometimes referred to as “the scented hound” for the scent glands in their cheeks that emit a pleasant, musky odor. It’s described as muskier than jasmine, perhaps more like sandalwood, with hints of cinnamon.  Most Afghan Hound owners describe this as a pretty rare quality to find in an Afghan, but some breeders claim the scent is especially noticeable when a new litter is born, and some owners say they can smell the pleasant musk on their own dogs, especially when they’ve come indoors after getting caught in the rain. There may be a genetic component as breeders of scented hounds have found that some puppies of such parents are also often scented. At one time, there was even an online database of scented Afghan Hounds from all over the world, but that site seems to have vanished. It was at that same site that one could read the legend about how the Afghan Hound became scented – it had to do with a princess who tucked sprigs of Jasmine under the collar of her most favored hound.

Image: Afghan Hound by Barbara Keith
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