Magyar Agar

Also known as: Hungarian Greyhound

The Magyar Agar, or Hungarian Greyhound, is one of Hungary's oldest breeds, used for centuries to course hare and fox across open steppe by speed and sight rather than scent. The short, close-lying coat offers less insulation than some other sighthound breeds, so the dog often needs a coat of its own in cold winter weather. A build reaching 31 kilograms stays lean and muscular, suited to a short, explosive sprint rather than sustained running. Like many sighthounds, it can take off after anything that moves, so a fenced area matters. At home it tends to be surprisingly calm and fond of lounging. Life expectancy runs 10 to 13 years.

Browse dog food sized right for this breed

Magyar Agar: how old in human years?

62–70 cmHeight
22–31 kgWeight
10–13 yrsLife expectancy

Chart Polski

FCI group: Sighthounds
FCI section: Section 3: Short-haired Sighthounds
FCI: 240
Country of origin: Hungary

Energy level

4/5
Trainability

3/5
Family friendly

4/5
Grooming need

1/5

At a glance

Height

Males 65–70 cm

Females 62–68 cm

Weight

Males 22–31 kg

Females 22–28 kg

Life expectancy

10–13 yrs

Coat

short, dense, close-lying (short)

Temperament & Family Life

Magyar Agar's average temperament and family-life score for this breed is moderate.

Family friendly 4/5
Good with children 3/5
Good with other dogs 3/5
Friendly with strangers 2/5
Intelligence 3/5
Trainability 3/5

Exercise, Energy & Space

Magyar Agar's energy and exercise needs are high.

Energy level 4/5
Exercise need 4/5
Apartment friendly 3/5
Prey drive 5/5
Hunting instinct 4/5

Guarding & Alertness

Magyar Agar's guarding and alertness traits are low.

Guarding instinct 1/5
Watchfulness 2/5
Barking level 1/5

Grooming & Care

Magyar Agar's grooming needs are low.

Shedding 2/5
Drooling 1/5
Grooming need 1/5

Living with the Magyar Agar

A hare bursts from a furrow in an open field, and within a second your calm dog becomes a bow flying low over the ground; half an hour later the same dog is asleep on the sofa with its legs pointing at the ceiling. The Magyar Agar is an old Hungarian sighthound, bred to chase game by sight across open plains, and it holds both of those worlds in one body.

It needs a fair amount of exercise, but not non-stop: long daily walks and, a few times a week, a chance to run flat out in a securely fenced area will keep it entirely content. Fenced is the word: its prey drive is very strong, and once it sees a running hare, cat or deer, it hears nothing. It learns at an average pace and responds better to gentleness and patience than to strictness. Cats and small pets call for great caution.

Indoors it is quiet, calm and gentle, attached to its family and usually good with children, especially calmer ones. It is reserved with strangers and seldom barks, so it is neither a guard nor an alarm. Given a daily chance to run, it can adapt to a flat, though that long body does like a soft, roomy bed.

Grooming and coat

Coat care here takes less time than a cup of coffee. The Magyar Agar's coat is short, dense and close-lying, it sheds little, and there is so little hair on the sofa that you might almost miss it. Once a week go over it with a rubber brush or a damp grooming mitt and it will shine; it only needs a bath when it has genuinely rolled in something it shouldn't have.

What deserves more attention is not the coat but what it covers. After a gallop across the fields, check the skin and paws: a thin coat offers little protection from thorns and branches, so small scrapes happen. Check the nails every few weeks and the ears weekly. On a cold, wet day a short-coated dog may appreciate a jacket.

How to do it:

By age:

Health and possible conditions

We don't have reliable health information specific to this breed, so we don't list conditions here. Keep up regular vet check-ups, and if you are getting a puppy, ask the breeder about the parents' health testing.

This is general information, not veterinary advice. For your own dog's health, tests and treatment, see a vet.

Food for large breeds — cheapest per kg

This list is chosen by the breed's weight (31 kg) rather than the breed itself: shops label food by dog size, so every breed of the same size gets the same list. Prices are updated daily.

≈ 340 g of dry food a day, from €18,51 a month For a neutered, normally active 25,8 kg dog. Calculate for your dog