Breed library

Pharaoh Hound

Pharaoh Hound photograph.
Pies faraona e34.jpg - Pleple2000. CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pies_faraona_e34.jpg. License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/. License: CC BY-SA 3.0.

Breed overview

The Pharaoh Hound or Kelb tal-Fenek is a Maltese breed of warren hound. It is traditionally used for rabbit-hunting in the rocky terrain of the islands; the Maltese name means "rabbit dog". It is the only Maltese dog breed with international recognition.

  • Breed type: dog breedBreed reference breed kind.
  • Country of origin: EgyptBreed reference country of origin.

Breed facts

  • A study in 2023 of seven Mediterranean breeds of warren hound found the Kelb tal-Fenek to have the greatest genetic distance of the group from the street dogs of Egypt.
  • In 1647 Giovanni Francesco Abela, in his Della Descrittione di Malta isola nel Mare Siciliano: con le sue antichità, ed altre notizie, wrote "... we have the dogs called Cernechi, much valued for rabbit-hunting, which are often in demand as far away as France, mainly for [use in] steep and stony mountain terrain".
  • The modern Cirneco is a Sicilian breed of similar structure and appearance to the Kelb tal-Fenek, but somewhat smaller.
  • The breed was accepted by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale as the "Pharaoh Hound" in the same year, under the patronage of the UK.
  • A breed standard was approved by the British Kennel Club in 1974.

Size and appearance

The Kelb tal-Fenek is slender and graceful. The head is long and finely chiselled, with a slight stop. The coat is glossy and short. It may be chestnut or tan; white patches on the back, sides, shoulder or back of the neck are a disqualifying characteristic, but the tip of the tail may be white. The eyes are amber-coloured. The dogs have an unusual trait of "blushing" when excited or happy, with their ears and noses becoming bright pink. It has little genetic pre-disposition to disease, and may be expected to live for some 11 to 14 years.

  • Height reference: 53 cm or moreBreed reference height. female, minimum.
  • Height reference: Up to 61 cmBreed reference height. female, maximum.
  • Height reference: Up to 63.5 cmBreed reference height. male, maximum.
  • Height reference: 56 cm or moreBreed reference height. male, minimum.
  • Coat length: short
  • Height category: tall
  • Height category: medium

Personality and behavior

Care planning: record what your dog enjoys, how they greet visitors, and how they respond to new places. Add notes after walks and training so you can see their habits over time. Where this profile includes behavior research, use the same named measures when comparing your shortlist.

Exercise and activities

The Kelb tal-Fenek is usually taken out to hunt at night when there are fewer distractions. Generally, the hunters take their dogs into the countryside and release pairs of a male and a female dog in each compass direction. The dogs then search out their prey using scent. When a rabbit is found the hounds give chase, the small and more agile female in the lead with the male keeping the rabbit from darting too far to the sides. At this point the dogs giving chase emit a high pitched bark, attracting the other dogs and the hunters, all of whom come running. By the time the hunters and other dogs arrive the rabbit has almost always gone to ground. The hunters then gather and leash all but one dog, then place nets over all of the likely escape holes of the rabbit. Finally the hunter takes a ferret (with a small bell attached) from a round wicker basket, and places it into the last entrance to the rabbit's burrow. The Kelb tal-Fenek can hear the little bell up to 3 metres down under the rocky terrain. When the ferret flushes the rabbit out a hole, one free dog swoops down upon it. The use of ferrets is mentioned by Strabo about rabbit-hunting in the Balearic Islands under Roman rule.

Training and enrichment

Care planning: choose one everyday skill to practice and keep a record of each session. Note the cue, the reward your dog enjoys and what went well. Rotate familiar games and new activities, and use your notes to choose the next small step.

Coat and grooming

Care planning: use the coat details above to discuss a grooming routine with your groomer. Record brushing sessions, baths and appointments in the app. Add the tools you use and your preferred schedule so the whole household can follow the same routine.

  • Coat length: short

Health and lifespan

Care planning: keep your dog's veterinary records, health-check dates and agreed care plan together. Add reminders for appointments and record changes you want to discuss at the next visit. Use the linked breed organizations and original references to explore their current health resources.

Living with this breed

Care planning: compare this profile's adult dimensions, coat care and available activity information with your household's routine. Make a shortlist, plan who will handle daily care and save the questions you want to ask a breed club, rescue or breeder.

Compare breeds

Compare supported adult height and weight ranges, matching research measures and sourced coat and care categories.

Add Pharaoh Hound to a comparison

Breed history

The Kelb tal-Fenek is a traditional breed of rural Malta. As the English-language exonym suggests, it is sometimes claimed that the Pharaoh Hound descends from the dogs shown in the tomb paintings of Ancient Egypt. A study in 2023 of seven Mediterranean breeds of warren hound found the Kelb tal-Fenek to have the greatest genetic distance of the group from the street dogs of Egypt. Other DNA studies suggest that the breed is not of ancient origin, but a moderately recent development; it apparently became genetically distinct from the Cirneco dell'Etna of Sicily no more than two hundred years ago. Some have taken this to refer to the Kelb tal-Fenek. The modern Cirneco is a Sicilian breed of similar structure and appearance to the Kelb tal-Fenek, but somewhat smaller.

Clubs and further reading

Sources

  1. Wikidata structured breed dataWikimedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0 1.0. Wikidata contributors (CC0).
  2. National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.PLOS ONE / Figshare Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 4.0. Bohland, Kyle R.; Lilly, Meghan Leanne; Herron, Meghan E.; Arruda, Andréia G.; O’Quin, Jeanette M. (2023). National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.. PLOS ONE. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289356.s003 CC BY 4.0. Selected rows and field names adapted; values unchanged.
  3. File:Pies faraona e34.jpgWikimedia Commons Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 3.0. Pies faraona e34.jpg - Pleple2000. CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pies_faraona_e34.jpg. License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/.
  4. Pharaoh Hound - WikipediaWikipedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted excerpts from Wikipedia contributors, Pharaoh Hound, revision 1368751809. CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting, citations and selection changed. Source history: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pharaoh_Hound&action=history
  5. Palipaws everyday care planningPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Palipaws. Original care-planning text, separate from breed measurements and licensed article summaries.
  6. AKC national parent club directoryAmerican Kennel Club Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Factual reference only. Names and verified external links only. No source descriptions, logos or endorsement reused.