Overview
The Taigan is the sighthound of the Kyrgyz highlands, a close relative of the Afghan Hound and the Tazy, developed to hunt fox, hare, marmot and even wolf alongside horsemen and eagles. It is a tall, lean dog with a soft feathered coat on the ears, legs and tail, and the thick undercoat needed for cold mountain nights.
Very few exist outside Central Asia and you would be doing well to meet one in Britain. Expect a quiet, dignified dog that is affectionate with its own family, indifferent to strangers and transformed into a hunter the instant something runs.
Exercise and walking needs
A sighthound of this type needs a chance to gallop, and that means a secure field or a fenced track, not an open park. Once or twice a week of real running plus daily lead walks of an hour or so keeps it in good shape.
Between runs it is a surprisingly lazy dog that will happily walk at a stride beside you for an hour. Hills do not trouble it; heat and hard tarmac bother it more than distance.
On the walk
- Chase: Anything moving at distance is prey: rabbits, deer, cats and small dogs. The dog will be gone before you finish calling. Lead on in open country, always.
- Recall: Sighthounds are not bred to listen while hunting, and this one is no exception. Treat recall as a party trick for enclosed spaces.
- Other dogs: Polite but distant with large dogs; small fluffy dogs may trigger the chase instinct. Introduce carefully and avoid mixing with toy breeds.
- Lead manners: Usually easy, with a smooth stride and little pulling until something catches the eye. A wide sighthound collar or a harness is best, as the head slips a normal collar.
Tips for professional walkers
- Find a secure, fenced field and hire it; the dog needs to run flat out somewhere safe.
- Use a harness or a fitted sighthound collar; a lunge from a standing start will slip anything loose.
- Check the feathering between the toes and under the ears for seeds and tangles.
- Keep the dog off hot pavements and offer shade in summer; the coat was made for cold.
What to ask the owner
- Has the dog ever coursed or chased live game, and how does it react to cats and small dogs?
- Where do you let it run, and is there a secure field you want me to use?
- How does it handle strangers approaching it, and does it accept being touched by people it does not know?