Country/Date of Origin: Malta/1000 BC
There is no mistaking the striking resemblance of the Pharaoh Hound to the ancient Egyptian god, Anubis, guide of the dead. The traceable history of the Pharaoh Hounds, however, lies in Malta where they are used for rabbit hunting. The Maltese heritage is almost three thousand years old and it is thought that the dogs were purebred long before, having been brought to the island by Phoenician traders.
The agile sight hunters remained in relative obscurity on the Mediterranean island until the late 1960s when they began to attract an international following. It was not accepted into the American Kennel Club until 1983.