[anonymusneo]

Indian Dog Breeds

• The Rampur Hound
  The Mudhol
  The Rajpalyam Hound
  The Alangu Mastiff/The Indian Mastiff
  The Kuchi
  The Kaikadi
  Caravan Hound
  Kombai
  Chippiparai
  Kanni
  Taji
  Bhutiya
  Gaddi kutta
  Himalyan Mastiff

The Rampur Hound

The Rampur Greyhound is native to the Rampur region of Northern India, which lies between Delhi and Bareilly. The Rampur hound is a member of the big sighthound family. In North West of India it is often described as a smooth haired sighthound, substantially built. It was the favored hound of the Maharajahs for jackal control, but was also used to hunt lions, tigers, leopards, and panthers. It was considered a test of courage for a single hound to take down a jackal. The Rampur is built to cover great distances at high speed; thus capable of great endurance.

Appearance

The length from the withers to the base of the tail is about 36 inches, the chest is deep in front but not very wide with well sprung ribs. The tail is long and tapering slightly curving upwards and carried low; it is about 24"–27" in length. The circumference of the neck is about 12 inches and its long arched and muscular and rather broad where it joins the body. The length of the jaw is 9 inches and are powerful with a scissor bite. The males measure 60–75 cm (24–30 in) in height. The females measure 55-60 cm (22–24 in) in height. They weigh about 27–30 kg (60–65 lb).

They are approximately greyhound size, but much wider and more muscular, similar to the Rhodesian Ridgeback.The head of the Rampur is broader and more substantial than the head of the English Greyhound. It has a flat skull and a pointed nose. It also has a characteristic roman bend. Some other unique characteristics are their Roman nose, ears set high, pendant style, and of most interest, their "hare" feet. The Rampur's foot is a large "hare" shape, with heavy webbing. Their toes are very articulated and flexible, even able to bend backwards a bit. They are not unlike our own fingers in many ways. This manuveurability helps to give them a cat-like balance, able to walk on ledges, or to calmly clear a six foot fence. Colors are mouse-gray, grizzle, brindle, parti-colour or most rare, black. Black however is the most sought after. Eye color ranges from yellow to a golden brown. A word about the gray and grizzle color. These two colors have the ability to blend completely with the foliage of the forest, so much so that when the hound is still, you may not see them from a distance of as little as ten feet, in broad daylight. Its bite is extremely powerful.

History

His Royal Highness Ahmed Ali Khan Bahadur bred these dogs by combining the blood lines of very powerful but ferocious Tazi, brought in by the Afghans, and the English Greyhound that was more obedient but less resistant to the varying climatic conditions. He gave the name 'Rampur Hound' to the dogs he bred. The Rampur Hound far exceeded the his expectations. From its Tazi and Afghan ancestors it got its looks and stalwart character, and from the English Greyhound it got its speed. Here was a dog that would seldomly back down in confrontations, and could more or less keep up with the fastest prey.

With the fall of the Maharajahs from power in 1947, so too, fell the popularity of the Rampur Hound. The effect of the arrival of the English was evident to the Rampur, as well as the native Indian people. The English greyhound was bred into some of the lines, making it very difficult to find a purebred Rampur Greyhound.

The Mudhol

The Mudhol Hound is an Indian breed of dog of the sight hound type. The breed is also known as Caravan Hound and the feathered variety is commonly referred to as a Pashmi. In the villages he is known as the Karwani. It is a common companion amongst village folk in India's Deccan Plateau, who use the dog for hunting and guarding.

The Kennel Club of India (KCI) and Indian National Kennel Club (INKC) recognize the breed under different breed names. The KCI registers it as a Caravan Hound while the INKC goes with the name Mudhol Hound.

Appearance
The Mudhol/Caravan of today has well-defined characteristics. The head is long and narrow, broad between the ears with a tapering muzzle. The jaws are long and powerful, with a scissors bite. The nose is large, and may be black, liver, or flesh coloured. The ears are medium sized, very slightly rounded at the tips, and hang close to the skull. The eyes are large and oval in shape, and may be dark or light in colour. The expression is a piercing gaze. The neck is long, clean, and muscular, and fits well into the shoulders. The forelegs are long, straight and well-boned. The males are 68–72 cm in height at the withers and the females are 64–68 cm tall. The back is long, broad and well-muscled. The loins are wide and deep. The chest is strong and deep with well sprung ribs. The abdomen is tucked in. The hind quarters appear wide and well-muscled. The tail is strong at the base, not too long, set low and carried in a natural curve. The gait is high-footed, flexing all four legs, but should not be hackneyed. There are two coat varieties—one with an entirely smooth coat and the other with silky featherings on the ears, legs, and tail. All colours and combinations of colours are acceptable.

History
The Mudhol/Caravan is an ancient breed, native to the Deccan Plateau of western India. This region covers parts of the states of Karnataka, Maharashtra, and, to a lesser degree, Andhra Pradesh. The name, Karwani, endures to this day in the villages, but it was anglicized to Caravan Hound when the Kennel Club of India recognized the breed.

Many hound dog varieties like the Saluki and the Afghan Hound were brought by the Pathans, Arabs, Persians and Afghans when they came to India through the Khyber Pass. The Karwani is probably descended from these dogs. They followed their nomad masters in caravans from place to place, hence the name - Caravan Hound. It is said that the Afghans were given lands to act as a buffer between Aurangazeb's Deccan kingdom and the Maratha Empire, therefore the dogs are also found in the same area. They were bred for their functional qualities like the ability to withstand the harsh weather, hunting skills, speed and endurance, among others, rather than for aesthetic qualities.

In Karnataka, the breed is also known as the Mudhol Hound, after a small town in Bagalkot District. A former ruler of Mudhol, Sri Srimanth Raja Malojirao Gorphade (Maloji Rao Ghorpade), is said to have presented a pair of hound puppies to King George V of England. Upon inspecting these curiosities, the monarch found them true to sighthound conformation and dubbed them “the Hounds of Mudhol”.

It is found not only in Mudhol, but is widely kept throughout the Deccan; however, the Indian National Kennel Club uses the Mudhol Hound name.

The Rajpalyam Hound

The Rajapalayam is an Indian Sighthound. It was the companion of the royalty and aristocracy in Southern India, particularly in the town Rajapalayam from where it gets its name.

Appearance

It is a large dog, usually measuring about 65-75 cm (25-30 inches) at the withers. It is a hound, and therefore should be kept in optimum working condition. It tends to be heavier boned than most sighthounds, but shares the depth of chest and basic body structure. Its facial structure is considerably different from that of, say a Caravan, as it is meant primarily for hunting wild boar. The tail has a slight curl.
The most prized colour is milk white, with a pink nose and golden eyes. However, other colours including spotted or solid, black, and brown, are known to occur. In the past, puppies of colour were usually culled from the litters since the owners preferred the pure white dogs. The coat is short and fine. An extremely handsome and graceful dog, the Rajapalayam has a gait similar to the trotting of a thoroughbred horse.

History
It's history still remain's unknown.

 

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Continued



The Alangu Mastiff/The Indian Mastiff

Appearance

This is a tall breed with a noble carriage and short coat. The dogs may be red, fawn or brindle, markings vary. The muzzle is black and the skin around their neck and mouth is loose. The brisket is deep, and the limbs are well muscled. The back is long with the tail tapering to a fine point. The ears are set high on the skull and pricked. It has a long and graceful stride. Their height varies between 73,6 to 76,2 cm. (29-30 inches).

History

The Persian Army used Indian mastiffs, but just for guarding and were introduced into Greece by Xerxes the First when he marched towards this country in 486-465 B.C..

The Indian Mastiff originated in and around the desert area of Kachchh, the Rajasthan area and Bhawalpur area of Punjab. A part of the Kutch area in Rajasthan was under the Sindh District and so the other name of this breed is Sindh Mastiff. Alongside the Kumaon Mastiff, the Indian Mastiff were used for hunting large games. A sudden change in the hunting practises saw the Indian Royal families to use cheetahs for hunting instead. This changed the Indian Mastiffs job to guard dogs and dogs used for fighting instead. With time most people forgot the breeds and the Indian Mastiff became rare. The people who used the Indian Mastiffs to fight dropped its height a couple of inches for performance sake. Its height was originally, 30-34 inches (76,2 - 86,3 cm), but as 150 years has passed the height of the breed has dwindled to 29-30 inches (73,6 - 76,2 cm).

The Indian Mastiff are used as fighting dogs in Pakistan, where they then are called Bully Kutta, alongside the proper Bully Kutta, since most Pakistani dog fighters are accustomed to calling all Mastiff breeds used for fighting Bully Kutta. The Indian Mastiff are still used in Pakistan as excellent Fighting Dogs and also as one of the most dangerous guard dogs, known to excel the true Bully Kutta.

The Kuchi

Kuch the Rare breed (dog) is few in number


the Kuchi dog, a livestock guardian dog type which originated with the nomadic Kuchi people of Central Asia, and is now marketed in Europe and the United States as several differently named purebred rare breeds.

Its Very rare in India now last time it was seen in a pic of the terrorist Osama bin laden

The Kaikadi

The Kaikadi is a terrier dog breed named after a nomadic tribe in Maharashtra, India. They make excellent watchdogs. They can hunt hare and vermin. The Kaikadi is very similar to the whippet dogs.

Appearance
It may be white, tan and black. The dogs are small (about 40 centimeters or less) with thin long legs, but powerful thighs and hocks. The tail is long and tapering. The head is long and thin with prominent eyes and long ears that stand erect when alert.

Kombai

a south Indian guy showing kombai dog

Appearance
The Kombai is usually red or brown with a black mask, and with a dark line along the back. The chief differences between the Rajapalayam and the Combai breeds are that the Combai has more powerful jaws, often with a black mouth, much more pendent ears, rich red colour and a savage temper. It has, like Rhodesian Ridgeback, a ridge of fur along its back.

Their coats are easily maintainable and are less prone to skin disorders, fungal and yeast infections, and ticks-fleas infestation. The breed, having evolved naturally many centuries ago, are very immune to most diseases that haunt the man-designed breeds.

History
History

The Combai is a very ancient breed of dog, used in hunting as early as the 9th century B.C. when the Marava Kings held sway over South India. The Combai was used for hunting boar, bison and deer. Once available in large numbers throughout Southern India, the Combai is now restricted to certain parts of Tamilnadu and to some special kennels.

 

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Continued.

Chippiparai

The Chippiparai is a sight hound breed of dog from the south of India. Thought to be a descendant of the Saluki, today it is found in the area around Periyar Lake. It is used primarily for hunting wild boar, deer and hare. It is said to be an excellent hunter, and is also used for guarding the home.

Appearance

The typical color is a silver-grey, with very limited or no white markings. Other colors, particularly variations of grey and fawn, also occur. This is a handsome dog, tall (27-32 inches at the withers) and powerful. It has a short coat that is very close; on the whole the coat if kept groomed has a shine on it. A shining, shell-like appearance is greatly desired. This kind of coat makes it ideal for hot climates. This hound is also less prone to ticks and fleas, with their short coat providing easy detection. The overall appearance is very similar to that of the Sloughi, or the Rampur Hound.

History
follow this magazine artical link

http://pets.indiatimes.com/articleshow/635771835.cms

Kanni

The Kanni, which means maiden, is a rare indigenous South Indian dog breed found in the state of Tamil Nadu. The breed is a further extension of the Caravan or Mudhol Hound, and is also a descendant of the Saluki. However, the Kanni does not possess the grand features of these breeds. It is used mainly for hunting.

Appearance

In general appearance, the Kanni is similar to a smooth-coated Saluki or a Doberman Pinscher with natural ears and tail. The dog is usually black and tan in colour, perhaps with limited white on the feet and chest. There also exists a cream-coloured variety of the breed, which is known as "Paalakanni". The Kanni is agile, slim, graceful, and moderately built, with a deep chest and slim body. The dog stands about 25 inches at the withers, the bitch about 22 inches.

History

The Kanni is found in and around Tirunelveli, Pollachi, Kovilpatti, Kazhugumalai, Kileral, Kodangipatti, Sivakasi, and Madurai. It is said that the name Kanni ( which means Unmarried Girl) comes from the fact that the dog used to be given as a gift to the bridegroom just before the marriage. They are usually of four colours, brown, cream, black & tan and brindle. The Kanni is kept by families who do not sell them but may gift them if a promise is made to look after them well. They are not allowed to roam on the streets and brought up as pet animals. They are given a diet of milk in the morning, corn porridge in the afternoon and a "Ragi" porridge in the evening. Meat is given once a week or once a month only. The breed is now extremely rare, and on the verge of extinction. Efforts to revive the breed have not been taken up, as specimens are few, and there exists little information about them.

Taji/Tazi

A sighthound strongly built .It is a courageous dog used for the hunting of bare, fox, gazelle, wildcat and marmot.Tazi measures 60-70 cm at the withers.
it was found in India but now mostly found in Russia

 

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Bhutiya

Himalayan breed, found in the Eastern Nepal-Ladakh region.
Strong and powerful.
Found in two varieties: the longhaired small one, called Bully, and the shorthaired large breed.

Appearance
Generally black or brown, or with patches of white on the ears, legs and body.
Have a thick, coarse overcoat in black or tan colour.
Have an under coat of thick, smooth fur, to tide over the winter months.
Resembles a black Labrador, with a thicker and longer coat.

Temperament
Human friendly never turning aggressive with the family unless provoked.
Alert and quick to react, with sharp reflexes.

Strengths
Gentle and sensitive with humans.
Hardy, can sustain the Indian heat as they moult in summer.
Strong, ferocious and courageous dogs.
Excellent guard dog for cattle, capable of overpowering a panther with their agility and boldness.

Height
In the larger breed, male dogs are 32-34 inches in height, female dogs are 29-32 inches.
Bullies, or the smaller breed have a height range of 8-10 inches in male dogs and 6-8 inches in female dogs.

Weight
Weight for the male dogs in the larger breeds are 35-40 kg, while female dogs are 30-35 kg.
Male bully dogs are 7-10 kg, while females are 5-7 kg.

Body
Luminous, dark rimmed eyes.
Medium, half-covered and black coloured ears.
Have a pointed muzzle.
Compact and muscular without being stodgy.
Short legs, and a long back.
Tail is plumed and up turned.

Gaddi Kutta

Gaddi Kutta is a mastiff-type mountain dog found in northern India, preferably the Punjab region. They are also called the Indian Panther Hound, as well as Mahidant Mastiff, the former pointing to the breed’s skills and the latter to its origins. Though initially bred for hunting purposes, the multi-talented Gaddi is widely used by local shepherds, mostly Gaddis (from the tribe of the same name) and are reputed to be strong enough to repulse attacks by snow leopards, and to have the intelligence to herd stray sheep and goats back to their pens.

Appearance
Leaner than most mastiffs, the Gaddi is athletic, deep-chested and muscular, capable of great speeds and prized for its stamina. When left in its natural state, the tail curls over the dog's back. The ears are usually cropped short, although quite a few unaltered examples exist.

Two main coat types are observed in the breed, the shorthaired variety and the more common, slightly fuller coat of medium length, somewhat shorter on the body with longer feathering on the chest, legs and tail. Although some dogs have small white markings, the Gaddi Kutta is usually solid coloured, with most dogs seen in lighter pastel shades, like cream, fawn, and yellow, but brindle, brown, and piebald dogs can be found as well.

Males are between 22 to 31 inches in height and 40 to 45 kilograms in weight, while females are between 20 to 28 inches in height and 35 to 40 kilograms in weight. The size, however, varies greatly and the dogs that are around 25 inches tall are the ones most encountered.

History
The Gaddi is thought to have been developed by the Asur King Mahidant of Meerut by crossing the wild dingo-like hounds (these dingo type dogs are not dholes but are a type of wild mastiff type of pariahs, descended from the massive Hyrcanian dogs), found in the Jamuna Khader region of India, with the variety or fighting line of Himalayan Mastiffs for hunting purposes.

Continued

Special thanks you Mr. Sanakdeep sandu and Arun for pics and information on Himalayan Mastiff



Himalayan Mastiff

Introduction to breed

we have forgotten about the mysterious guardian of Himalayas.. they are Himalayan mastiffs.. these valiant dogs have always been the defenders of humanity and the assets and life of humans.. today, they are endangered.. to be endangered doesn't mean, to near extinction.. today, we find a lot of watered down specimens.. true Himalayan mastiff is the gem of indian canine race.. efforts are to be taken to preserve it for our further generation!

Males stand : 28" - 37" at the shoulder. you can keep 30 as average.
females stand : 26" - 35" at the shoulder. here, you can keep 28 as average.
their weight is 60+ kilos! it can go even up to 90 - 100 kilos!
females weigh upwards of 50 kilos!

they have inherent will to guard their turf and guarding their turf is paramount to them! nothing can surpass their inherent noble wish to defend their turf! and in what they wish to do, they are masters and dynamic warriors!

their might have been described and praised by great scholars and personalities like Alexander the great and Aristotle and many others.. their valor and furiously mighty exploits in the arena against king of beasts like lion have also been proudly spoken about by foreign scholars far far before even Jesus Christ was born!

such race of dogs they are.. we can't just neglect them and go for ruined breeds which can no longer perform.. in my opinion, like how himalayan ranges stand tall and mighty in the world of mountains, the mysterious Himalayan mastiffs of the mighty Himalayas stand tall before all other dogs in the dog world! the legendary Himalayan mastiff is an embodiment of love,valor,courage,sacrifice and devotion.. it is indeed our privilege and fortune to work for this magnificent breed which shines by all its glory of positive traits and feats! they have made their mark across the history! for which, we are proud of! the very presence of the himalayan mastiff instills confidence in the heart of a tender child and inflicts mortal fear even in the hearts of deadliest of assailants! that is what they are! they are canine gems of India!


Quotes from some Historical Books

Aristotle's opinion
In BOOK VIII Chapter XXIII, “….. mythologically it is said that Indian dogs have been born from a cross breeding between the dog and the tiger…..”

"They say that the Indian dog is a cross between the tiger and the bitch, not the first cross, but a cross in the third generation; for they say that the first cross is a savage creature. They take the bitch to a lonely spot and tie her up: if the tiger be in an amorous mood he will pair with her; if not he will eat her up, and this casualty is of frequent occurrence."
( The history of animals by Aristotle:350 BC)

"Animals grow biggest in india ,from india comes the dog that are larger than all others."( Naturalis Historia by Pliny the elder 77CE)

"The Indian dogs are very large and even attack lions. "( Ctesias,400BC)

"His country possesses a noble breed of dogs, used for hunting,and said to refrain from barking when the sight their games which is chiefly the Lion .Sopithes( the indian king) wishing to show alaxender the strength and mettle of theses dogs caused a very large lion to be placed within an enclosure where four dogs in all were let loose upon him.The dog at once fastened upon the wild wild beast ,when one of the huntsman who was accustomed to work of this kind tried to pull away by the leg one of the dogs which with the others had seized the lion ,and when the limb would not come away,cut it off with his knife.the dog could not even by this this means forced to let let go his hold ,an so the man proceeded to cut him in another place,and finding him still clunching the lion as tenaciously as before ,he contined cutting away with his knife one part of him after another .The brave dog ,however ,even in dying kept his fangs fixed in the lion's flesh."
(The Invasion Of India By Alexander The Great As Described By Arrian, Q. Curtius, Diodorus, Plutarch And Justin)

"Indian dogs were highly prized among the Persian aristocracy; Xerxes I (489-65 B.C.E.) reportedly took a large number of them with his army when he marched against Greece. One of the Persian satraps of Babylon assigned the revenues derived from four large villages in that province to the care of his Indian hounds. A dog belonging to Darius III (336-30 B.C.E.) supposedly refused to leave his corpse after he had been struck down by Bessus."
( Encyclopaedia Iranica By Mahmoud and Teresa P. Omidsalar.

“ Curtius after describing the many good qualities of the people and their high mental standard and physical beauty, tells us of a type of hunting dog whose prowess was exhibited in the arena before Alexander: ‘four of which being let loose upon a lion, an officer took one which was fastened upon the beast, and cut off one of his legs, then another, and continued to hack and mangle him till he had killed him, yet was the dog so obstinate and savage that he would not let go, but left his teeth sticking in the lion.’
A number of these dogs were presented to Alexander ,many of which eventually found their way back to Macedonia to survive even to this day as the breed now known as the ‘Molossian mastiff’. That they were identical to ferocious- looking hunting dogs depicted in the bas-relief of the palace at Nimrud ( circa 640 B.C. and the palace of Assurbanipal at Ninevah(668-628 B.C.); these bass-reliefs can be seen in the British Museum there can be no doubt.
They were also probably the terrible war dogs of Manghols (Mughals) at the time of their
conquests, and probably the ancestors of the modern Banjara and Poligar dogs, fierce and intractable brutes standing about thirty-two inches high at the shoulder, used in india for hunting tigers and panthers.” (As written exactly in the book “Alexander the great” by Lawis Vance Cummings).

 

[Arun]

the dog in the combai's profile is kanni! it is a sighthound! combais are extremely tenacious hunting dogs with ferocious vigor of a bear dog! they are described to have extremely good agility and are known to be able to attack swiftly! they are also known to be used in wars while defending castles!! they were used for bear hunting and as a guard dog!

combais don't come in black n tan at all.. in fact no one has seen a combai.. it is an extremely rare breed in the verge of extinction! they are known to have red to fawn bodies with black mask. height is known to be around 22"

 

[anonymusneo]

oh k ty

 

[Shah]

Thanks for info. But this all info already mentioned as it is on dogsindia.com.
Do you have any latest updates about these breeds ?

 

[ufimych]

We publish articles written by dog users, scientists and dog experts about primitive aboriginal breeds of the world. This is PADS (Primitive Aboriginal Dogs Society International). Some issues contain articles about dogs of India. There are a few articles about Tazy, Tazi, Saluki and Eastern Sighthounds in general. I can send you them as e-mail attachment, if somone is interested.

 

[Porphyria]

I've always loved the look of the mudhol hound, particularly the feathered pashmi variety.

 

[jenz]

I LOVE the look of the Rampur Greyhounds. They seem much more rugged and hardy than the racing dogs over here in the US. More pictures please!

Jen

 

[Shah]

yeah., . .actually I wanted to own the Himalayan Mastiff or Old Tibetan Mastiff. I've found quality breeder of TM in Amritsar, India.
But TM is such a giant breed, known for its loyalty & aggresion as well. So I want to do enough research about this breed before owning it.
I've had GSD's, hounds hybrids & mixed breed also. These all had different levels of energy.
I've heard from some Gaddi & TM owners that these breeds bark loudly at night. That will be helpful for my purpose because I own purebreds for protection of my farms from wild animals.
That's the reason I wanna own one of the ancient Indian Mastiff breeds. Another reason is that the life span of Indian mastiffs is longer than the Western Mastiffs.
So I want to know more & more about these breeds. I'll send you my email id if you could send me info about these.
Thank you.

 

[Avie]

Since there are no pics of it, here are some of one very lovely Caravan Hound (mudhol). Her name is Sunanda and lives in the Netherlands.

And together with a Taigan (Kyrgyz sighthound):

 

[jenz]

Sunanda is gorgeous!!!!

 

[Porphyria]

Those dogs are both beautiful, Avie!

 

[Avie]

I absolutely adore Sunanda too, but after having read about her personality I feel like it will be a long time before I could even consider getting a Caravan hound, if at all. They're very strong willed dogs and really intelligent.
If you want to read more about her and see more pics, here's her blog: Sunanda blogspot
The Taigan is a beauty too!

 

[anonymusneo]

Hi guys ,

Thanks for your Replies ,


Here are pics of my Himalayan Mastiff "Anubis"

 

[Dezzoi]

Love all the sighthounds (love them all) but the sighthounds are my favorite. I've actually been reading and studing into the more pariah breeds of them such as the indian ones and caravans. Very interesting!

 

[Goodwillkennels]

This is not a kombai,its kanni we breed kombai's for past 30 yrs by my father and now by me, kombai is a short breed 22''- 25'' only, colors might differ from fawn to rich red, with black mask and dark line on the top they are extremely inteligent and very powerfull dogs. 2 dogs can bring down a bison,but they dont have a flashy look like imported breeds.

 

[akhilesh316us]

Very true, This is the website i developed for my Kombai, http://circlepad.com/kombaidog/

 

[akhilesh316us]

Here is a Video on an authentic Kombai, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoQ1RQABptU