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Discover everything about Magyar Agar
Explore the breed's characteristics, health, and history — and find trusted breeders
Looking for a Magyar Agar?
At a glance
Magyar Agar overview
The essentials — key facts, traits, and health priorities — before you dive deeper.
Health grade
Relative to other breeds
S
A
B
C
D
E
Very healthyHigher risk
The Magyar Agár is a very robust and athletic breed with a low genetic disease burden. Important eye conditions such as Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) and cataracts are already well-controlled through mandatory health tests within breeding programs. By choosing a reputable breeder, you will gain an exceptionally healthy companion with minimal breed-specific risks.
Lifespan
12–14 yrs
Height
62–70 cm
Weight
20–31 kg
Practical
- Puppy price: 1,200 – 2,500 €
- Coat: Short, dense, without undercoat
- Origin: Hungary
Typical coat colors
- Various colors
- often black
- brown
- gray
- white
- brindle
Temperament
Energy
Trainability
Family fit
With kids
Daily life
Care effort
Shedding
Barking
City-friendly
Guard instinct
What matters most
Especially with a Magyar Agar, choosing the right breeder is the single most important decision you'll make. Serious breeders consistently test the parents for inherited conditions, prioritize healthy early socialization, and stay accountable long after handover. A cheap puppy without health screening tends to become the most expensive dog later on.
See HonestDog breeder standards →Is the Magyar Agar right for you?
The Magyar Agár is an elegant, surprisingly robust sighthound — bred for endurance coursing of hare and roe deer across the vast plains of Hungary. Stronger and more enduring than many of his sighthound relatives, but with the same sprint in his blood.
Perfect for you if:
- You are looking for a companion for demanding scent work, tracking, or mantrailing—without a real job, this specialized operating system will wither away.
- You spend a lot of time in the great outdoors and ideally have an escape-proof garden.
- You appreciate a dog that works independently outside but is calm, affectionate, and extremely people-oriented at home.
- You can live with the fact that he usually stays on a long leash in the woods because his hunting instinct will reliably kick in.
Less ideal if:
- You expect a dog that turns around immediately upon command when it has a fresh scent in its nose—it was bred to stay persistently on the trail exactly then.
- You live in a thin-walled apartment and have neighbors who won't appreciate the loud, hunting-typical baying.
- You just want to take relaxed evening strolls in the city park without constantly having to come up with new cognitive challenges.
The real vibes check
A Magyar Agár is two dogs in one: outdoors he switches in seconds from a leisurely trotter to an arrow-fast sprinter; indoors he's a deeply relaxed couch specialist who dozes for hours. You're not getting an order-taker but a gentle, affectionate companion with a built-in turbo — give his sighthound instinct safe chances to sprint instead of fighting against it, and you'll gain a surprisingly uncomplicated partner.
Breed Profile
The Magyar Agar, also known as the Hungarian Greyhound, is an elegant and athletic dog that impresses both with its appearance and its behavior. He belongs to FCI Group 10, the group of greyhounds. In contrast to many other greyhound breeds, he is rather muscular and robustly built, which makes him ideal for various types of dog sports. In terms of appearance, there are no significant differences between show and performance lines, which is a sign of a predominantly healthy and functional breed.
- Height
- 62 - 67 cm (Female), 65 - 70 cm (Male)
- Weight
- 20 - 27 kg (Female), 27 - 31 kg (Male)
- Life Expectancy
- 12 - 14 years
- Character
- Intelligent, persistent, adaptable
- Coat
- Short, dense, without undercoat
- Coat Color
- Various colors, often black, brown, gray, white, brindle
- Price
- 1200 - 2500 €
History
The origins of Magyar Agar lie in what is now Hungary and go back several thousand years. The exact origin is not fully understood, but it is believed that they came to Hungary with the Magyars, an ancient equestrian people, in the 9th century. There they were used to hunt fast game, such as hares and deer. The Magyar Agar has been recognized as a separate breed since the 20th century and is becoming increasingly popular outside of Hungary.
Original Use
The Magyar Agár was bred as a hunting dog for hunting hares and other game on the Hungarian plains.
Origin
Hungary
Date
Antike
Character & Temperament
The Magyar Agar is a dog with a strong character that can delight both active people and couch potatoes. He is an intelligent and adaptable dog who can quickly adapt to new situations. Despite its origins as a hunting dog, the Magyar Agar has a rather calm and balanced nature, but still likes to be active and enjoys any kind of exercise, especially if it challenges his stamina. This makes it ideal for various dog sports, such as coursing or agility. Magyar Agars are very people-oriented and build a close bond with their caregivers. They are loyal companions who want nothing more than to be with their family. The Magyar Agar can learn to stay alone with a little training, but it shouldn't take too long. Although they have high stamina and good speed, most Magyar Agars have a low hunting instinct. However, you should always keep an eye on them when they are running off-leash in an unfamiliar environment, as they may react to fast-moving objects. Magyar Agars are generally not loud dogs, they are more alert and aware of their surroundings without constantly barking. Their vigilance makes them good guard dogs, but they do not become aggressive without real threat. They are rather reserved towards strangers, but this should not be confused with shyness. They are simply cautious and sometimes need some time to build trust with new people. Overall, the Magyar Agar is a versatile and adaptable dog that can be happy in an active family as well as with a single owner. His balance and loving nature make him a great companion, but he also has his active phases and wants to live them out. Therefore, potential owners should be prepared to challenge and stimulate their Magyar Agar both physically and mentally.
| Trainability Has its own ideas and will test limits. | Strong-willed |
| Watchfulness Strong territorial instinct — may actively confront intruders. | Very high |
| Openness to Strangers Neither pushily friendly nor suspicious. | Neutral |
| Hunting or Herding Drive Powerful instinct that can override recall when triggered. | Strong |
Fun Fact!
Did you know that, unlike most sighthounds, the Magyar Agár isn't a pure sprinter? On the Hungarian puszta he ran for centuries alongside mounted hunters and was deliberately bred for stamina – he could hold his pace over long distances rather than sprinting only short ones.
What Awaits You
The Magyar Agar is an elegant and fast sighthound that was originally bred for hunting. He is intelligent, enduring, and requires a lot of exercise. Despite his hunting drive, he is very loyal and friendly towards his owner. The Magyar Agar is well suited for active families who can provide him with sufficient activity and exercise.
Housing & Care
Due to its calm and balanced nature, the Magyar Agar is definitely suitable as a city dog, provided it gets enough exercise and activity. Small children are usually not a problem for the Magyar Agar, he is a very patient and gentle dog. Living with other pets, including cats, is usually easy with proper socialization.
- Family Friendly
Loves family life and thrives in a group.
Family-oriented - Child Friendly
Gets on well with children — with adult supervision.
With supervision - Dog Friendly
Actively enjoys the company of other dogs.
Dog-friendly - City Friendly
Can manage in the city, but only with very active owners.
Difficult in cities
Owning a dog is a privilege, but it's also a real responsibility. Before you bring one into your life, be honest with yourself about the commitment it takes.!
Training & Education
The Magyar Agár is intelligent and genuinely willing to learn, but as a sighthound he's not a dog for stubborn repetition drills. He'll happily work with you as long as the sessions are short, friendly and varied. He responds sensitively to harshness or loud scolding and withdraws – you'll achieve far more with positive reinforcement and calm. Even though his hunting instinct often seems moderate in everyday life, he remains a sighthound: he can react to fast movement in a flash. A carefully built recall and a long line in unfamiliar terrain are therefore a must, and off-leash freedom belongs in securely fenced areas. An ideal outlet for his running instinct is sighthound sport: at coursing or on the racetrack he can show, in a controlled way, what he was bred for. Alongside that, exercises for impulse control and frustration tolerance help him stay responsive even around exciting stimuli. The people-oriented Magyar Agár learns to be left alone well with small-step training. All in all, he's pleasantly uncomplicated to raise, as long as you respect his sighthound-typical independence and guide him through motivation rather than force.
Nutrition & Care
The Magyar Agar is a relatively undemanding dog when it comes to his diet. He tolerates both dry and wet food well and has no particular need for special nutritional supplements. However, it is important that he receives a balanced and varied diet that meets his needs. In terms of care, the Magyar Agar is also very easy to care for. Its short, dense coat has no undercoat and sheds very little. Therefore, brushing him occasionally is enough to remove dead hair and keep the coat shiny. Despite the lack of undercoat, the Magyar Agar is very weatherproof and also copes well with the German climate.
| Care Level Minimal effort — occasional brushing and bathing. | Low-maintenance |
| Exercise Needs Needs several hours of serious exercise every day. | Very active |
| Shedding Regular shedding — dog hair on clothes is now normal. | Moderate |
| Trainability Has its own ideas and will test limits. | Strong-willed |
Our experts are still reviewing this information. Spotted something wrong? Email us at info@honestdog.de.!
Health
A
Robust
Health grade
The Magyar Agár is a very robust and athletic breed with a low genetic disease burden. Important eye conditions such as Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) and cataracts are already well-controlled through mandatory health tests within breeding programs. By choosing a reputable breeder, you will gain an exceptionally healthy companion with minimal breed-specific risks.
Grade is relative to other breeds — AI-generated by our veterinary-genetics model.
In daily life this can mean
You should enforce strict rest after eating to prevent gastric torsion, ensure joint-friendly rearing, and alert your vet to the sighthound-typical sensitivity to anaesthesia before any procedures.
The breeder's role
Reputable breeders have the parents' hips and elbows checked, ensure heart and eye examinations, and deliberately prioritise diverse, healthy lines in this rare breed.
No Health Tests Available
No specific health tests are currently available for this breed.
What owners say about the Magyar Agar
Sabine M., Halterin aus dem Raum Brombachsee (Rüde, seit 2014)
James kam im Alter von knapp fünf Monaten über eine Tierschutzorganisation aus Ungarn zu uns, und wir waren bereits seine fünfte Station. Er brachte anfangs ein ordentliches Päckchen mit: Er war stark abgemagert, klaute absolut alles Essbare, konnte überhaupt nicht allein bleiben und fuhr nicht gerne im Auto mit. Mit viel Geduld haben wir ihn aufgepäppelt und voll in unsere Familie integriert. Mittlerweile klappt das Alleinbleiben super, er fährt gerne Auto und lässt sogar die Frühstücksbrötchen auf dem Tisch in Ruhe.
Was man bei dieser Rasse aber absolut nicht unterschätzen darf, ist das extrem ausgeprägte Jagdverhalten. Der Magyar Agár ist ein leidenschaftlicher Hetzhund. Ich arbeite deshalb vom ersten Tag an intensiv an einem Jagdersatz-Training. Die Fortschritte sind zwar sehr vielversprechend, aber es erfordert extrem viel Konsequenz und Geduld. Man muss sich bewusst sein, dass man hier einen echten, selbstständigen Jäger an seiner Seite hat.
Christian T., Halter aus Bayern (Rüde, seit 2021)
Wer sich einen Magyar Agár anschafft, muss verstehen, dass diese Hunde einen sehr unabhängigen Charakter haben. Draußen sind sie jederzeit bereit, ohne einen Blick zurück durchzustarten, sobald sich etwas bewegt. Ein ungesicherter Freilauf ist bei uns nur in extrem wildarmen Gebieten möglich, ansonsten bleibt die Schleppleine dran. Sie sind eben Sichtjäger durch und durch, und diesen Trieb kann man ihnen nicht einfach abtrainieren.
Im Haus hingegen zeigt sich das absolute Kontrastprogramm: Da ist mein Rüde der reinste Couchpotato. Er liebt es, sich anzukuscheln, und sucht eine sehr enge Bindung zu seinen Menschen. Damit er drinnen so ausgeglichen und ruhig ist, braucht er aber draußen unbedingt die Möglichkeit, sich richtig auszupowern und im Sprint die Beine zu strecken. Reine Spaziergänge an der kurzen Leine um den Block reichen dieser Rasse definitiv nicht aus.
Annett B., Züchterin/Halterin aus Sachsen (mehrere Hunde, langjährige Erfahrung)
Ich halte seit Jahren Magyar Agárs und bin immer wieder von ihrer Robustheit fasziniert. Im Gegensatz zu manch anderen, sehr sensiblen Windhundrassen sind sie unheimlich zäh und wetterfest. Sie haben ein etwas gröberes, dichteres Fell und bauen im Winter sogar eine spürbare Unterwolle auf, was sie sehr widerstandsfähig gegen Kälte macht. Dennoch sollte man bei eisigen Temperaturen oder langen Stehpausen im Freien einen Hundemantel bereithalten, da sie kaum schützendes Unterhautfettgewebe haben.
In der Erziehung darf man niemals mit Härte oder Druck arbeiten, da sie trotz ihrer Robustheit im Kern sensible Hunde sind, die auf eine unhöfliche Ansprache stur reagieren. Sie lernen extrem schnell und sind sehr intelligent, wollen aber mit positiver Verstärkung und einer liebevollen, klaren Führung überzeugt werden. Wer einen reinen Befehlsempfänger sucht, wird mit dem eigenständigen Wesen des ungarischen Windhundes nicht glücklich.
Paraphrased from real owner reports
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Frequently asked questions about the Magyar Agar
Is a Magyar Agar the right dog for me?
The Magyar Agar is an active dog that needs plenty of exercise and mental stimulation. Research the temperament, grooming needs, and space requirements before deciding.
How long does a Magyar Agar live?
The average life expectancy of a Magyar Agar is 12-14 years. With proper care and regular vet visits, your dog can live a long, healthy life.
How much grooming does a Magyar Agar need?
Magyar Agar grooming requirements include regular brushing, nail trimming, and dental care. HonestDog provides detailed grooming tips for every breed.
Is a Magyar Agar good for families with children?
The Magyar Agar can be a great family dog. Proper training and socialization are key. HonestDog provides family suitability information for every breed.
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