Hungarian Greyhound

The Hungarian Greyhound or Magyar Agar originates from Hungary. The International Cynological Federation classifies him in group 10, sighthounds, section 3, standard n° 240. He is used as a hunting and pursuit dog with a sense of smell which is also very developed. In greyhound racing it is faster than the Greyhound over certain distances. He is also an excellent companion dog and a very good guardian. Care and health It is a robust and rustic sighthound which supports extreme temperatures. Sport Racing events on cynodromes or racing. Sight pursuit on decoy (PVL) or coursing.

Throughout their journey of more than 4 centuries, the Asian Greyhounds who accompanied the Magyars (people of nomadic horsemen originating from the Caspian Sea) reproduced with descendants of the Celtic Vertragi, Sloughis and Tazis belonging to the populations encountered. These dogs pursued and captured game encountered while searching for new pastures for the herds. In the 9th century, the sedentarization of the Magyars on the plains of the Danube (Hungary) fixed the type and gave rise to the current Magyar Agar. This dog was never reserved for the aristocracy. He was also the farmers' farm dog. There were then two types, a large one and a smaller one known in Hungary as the “hare catcher”. In the 19th century, it was crossed with various greyhounds (mainly with Greyhounds), to increase its speed. The two world wars and the ban on sight hunting on hares taken in 1944 almost caused the breed to disappear. In the 1960s, dog racing came back into fashion. The Hungarians realize that the old type of Magyar Agar is disappearing in favor of a faster type, with a more powerful conformation, closer to that of the Greyhound. Not wanting to see their race become a "by-product of Greyhound", they reconstituted it from elements found in isolated farms, and selected according to their qualities as hunters and guardians. In 1971, the FCI recognizes the breed, a step which marks a renewed interest in the original type, both in Hungary and everywhere else in Europe. In 1972, there were 320 Agar Magyars in Hungary. In 1986, a first Hungarian greyhound (Vera Arpadhazi) was imported into France. And the first litter of French Magyars Agar was born in 1987. In Hungary, we distinguish the dog (herdsman) called "Kutya", from the Greyhound (hunter) named "Agár".

Of a reserved nature without being shy, he is intelligent and faithful. He has a highly developed guarding instinct. When hunting, he is tireless, persevering and enduring with the qualities of a long-distance runner.