Afghan Hounds
Afghan Hound is originally from Afghanistan, but has been developed into the modern form in western countries.
Afghan Hound
Bakhmul
Khalag Tazi
Luchak Tazi
Continental European Sighthounds
Hungarian Greyhound
Polish Greyhound
Spanish Greyhound
Anglo-Spanish Greyhound
Italian Greyhound
Foggian Greyhound
South Italian Greyhound
North Italian Greyhound
Sardinian Greyhound
Frisian Greyhound
Old Croatian Greyhound
Old Serbian Greyhound
Slavonian Hound
Chinese Sighthounds
The original Chinese Hound is most likely extinct. Nowadays there are four breeds of Chinese sighthounds: a North Eastern from Inner Mongolia (menggu xigou), a Northern from Hebei, a Central from Shaanxi (shaanxi xigou), and a Central from Shantung (shandong xigou).
Chinese Hound
Kansu Hound, Tschika, Tsika, Hsi Yang Min-tzu
The Chinese Hound was most commonly found in Gansu and Shaanxi. It was probably
developed by Chinese nobility who imported Indian and Persian
sighthounds and gave them as gifts to each others. Centuries later these
ancient sighthounds were crossed with the Greyhound in order to improve
the breed. The result was a dog that resembled the Greyhound, except
being smaller in size and having a fringed tail. The
Chinese Hound had a short coat which was usually fawn or brown,
but could sometimes be also cream or beige. Its height was approximately 50 cms.
Northeastern Chinese Hound
Menggu Xigou, Mongolian Hound
The Northeastern Chinese Hound comes from Manchuria, where it has been used for hunting for centuries. Nowadays it is mainly used for hare, but earlier it also hunted wolves and other larger game. It is the largest and most powerful Chinese sighthound. Its coat is short and smooth.
North Chinese Hound
Hebei
The North Chinese Hound is used as a hare-hunting dog. It is a very homogenous breed. It is the most Greyhound-resembling Chinese sighthound, mostly because there are Greyhound crosses in its background. Its coat is short and smooth.
Shaanxi Hound
Shaanxi Xigou, Central Chinese Hound
The Shaanxi Hound is used as a hare-hunting dog. Unlike the other Chinese sighthounds, it has a sheep-like nasal bridge. This might be caused by a Borzoi or Chortaj ancestry. Earlier the breed was known in two varieties: fringed and short-coated, but only the latter still exists today.
Shantung Hound
Shandong Xigou, Coastal Greyhound
The Shantung Hound is used as a hare-hunting dog. Its built differs a lot from the North Chinese Hound, resembling much more the Saluki. The breed is divided into two types: fringed and short-haired. The first mentioned occurs in various colours - such as brindle and black - while the latter can only be fawn, beige or cream.
Indian Sighthounds
There exists many types of sighthounds in India, which come from different regions: two from the north (Rampur and Banjara), two from the central region (Kaikadi and Mahratta) and four from the south (Caravan, Pashmi, Chippiparai, and Kanni). In addition, there was one hairless sighthound breed in the past, which is now extinct.
Rampur Hound
Rampuri, Rampuree, North Indian Hound
The Rampur Hound was developed by Ahmed Ali Khan Bahadur, a provincial governor of the state of Rampur. Its ancestors were the Greyhound and one of the Afghan Tazi breeds, which was more ferocious, but better accustomed to Indian climate. The Rampur hound is nowadays used for hunting deer, jackals and rodents, but Maharajas used it also to hunt tigers, lions, leopards and panthers. Actually, killing a golden jackal was considered as a courage test for the breed. The Rampur Hound used its sight to find and drive the prey out. After hunting it was taken to a pond or spring to cool down.
The Rampur Hound was popular in the late 19th century, when it was brought to Central India and Bengal. After Maharajas started to lose power in 1947, the population of the breed started to decrease. It was frequently crossed with the Greyhound and at the end there was almost no pure-bred individual left. Another factor that decreased the number of dogs was that hunting became less popular and it was no more fashionable to keep these kinds of dogs.
The breed is much more muscular and massive and its head is larger and more massive than the Greyhound, its body being more similar to the Rhodesian Ridgeback. The nasal bridge is slightly snub, the bite is very powerful and the ears are pendant and high-set. The legs are long and the paws are webbed. The colour is either white, fawn, grey, black, brindle or spotted. Brindle individuals are preferred due their ability to merge with the terrain (bushes with their leaves). The colour of eyes varies from yellow to golden brown. A male is around 70 cms high and weighs 30 kgs. The Rampur Hound is able to jump over two meters high and to walk on rocky terrains. In past years popularity of the breed has increased, but it is
still on the edge of extinction. It is almost unknown outside its home
country, being only registered in small numbers in New Jersey.
Banjara Hound
Banjara, Vanjari, Sindh
The Banjara Hound was developed by the Banjara nomadic tribe, which moves from a region to another. Its original territory included the state of Rajasthan, western Madhya Pradesh, northwestern Gujarat and eastern Sindh (in Pakistan). It is probably a result from crosses between local Indian dogs and the Saluki. The Banjara Hound hunts by its sight and uses a deep bark while tracking the prey down. When hunting deer, it attacks the hind feet of the prey. In addition, it has been used as a cattle drover and the guardian of nomad camps.
The coat is wire, very thick, dense and soft, without being silky. The colour is black with grey shades. The Banjara Hound is loyal towards its owner, but reserved around other dogs. It is said that it has the resistance of the Collie and the speed of the Greyhound. In recent years, crosses with local mutts have decreased the purity of
the breed. It is rarely seen outside its home country, but in the past
some individuals were exported to the United States.
Kaikadi
The Kaikadi has been named after a nomadic tribe of Maharashtra. It is used for hunting rabbit, hare, rats, monkeys, and pests. It is also a good watch dog. The head is elongated and eyes prominent. The ears are long and they straighten up when the dog is alert. The legs are elongated, thin and muscular. The tail is long and tapering. The colour is variable, but the most common one is black tricolour. The height is around 40 cms or less.
Mahratta Hound
Mahratta
The Mahratta Hound comes from the state of Maharashtra. It is unclear whether its ancestor is the Saluki or other indigenous Indian sighthounds. However, the most popular theory counts on the Saluki. The Mahratta Hound is used for hunting small and medium-sized game. It resembles the short-haired Saluki. It is compact and muscular. It has a deep chest and well-developed hind legs. The coat is short and thick, providing a good protection against Indian climate. The most common colours are fawn and dark blue, but also brindle individuals occur. The height is slightly over 50 cms. The breed gives the impression of speed combined with endurance.
Mudhol Hound
Mudhol, Caravan Hound, Kathewar Hound, Pashmi
The Mudhol Hound comes from the lowlands of the Deccan Plateau. It is named after a former princely state (which was located in the region that is nowadays the state of Karnataka). Its ancestors were probably the Afghan Hound, the Saluki or other sighthounds that Persians, Arabs, Afghans, and Pashtuns brought with them to India. In Hinduism, the breed was the favourite dog of Shiva. It is also told that Shahuji Maharaj owned a couple of sighthounds that killed a tiger in order to protect the king. A former governor of Mudhol gave a couple of sighthounds to the king George V, who called them "Hounds of Mudhol". In addition to the governors of the Mudhol princely state in the past, one of the most important breeders of the Mudhol Hound is the Chandrashiva family, which has bred these dogs for generations.
The Mudhol Hound is used as a hunting and watch dog - nowadays more commonly known as the latter. Its main prey includes hare, antilopes, and jackals and it is capable of working in a difficult terrain. It has been bred rather for its working abilities than its appearance. It is a medium-sized dog, between the Whippet and the Greyhound. The breed is more slender and compact built than the Greyhound. All the colours are accepted, including brindle.
The Mudhol Hound is known for its adaptation for very dry climate, as well as its speed and endurance. Its character is not out-going and it is reserved towards strangers - without being aggressive, though. It is not suitable for a city apartment and it requires a lot of exercise in a fenced area. Recently there has been a lot of cross-breeding with the Saluki in order
to strengthen the breed. However, there are some pure breed individuals
left in more remote areas. Nowadays the Mudhol Hound - or more specifically the variation Caravan Hound - is the most popular Indian breed in Indian dog shows.
The breed is registered in the Kennel Club of India as the Caravan Hound, while the Indian National Kennel Club recognizes it as the Mudhol Hound. However, generally the Caravan Hound only refers to the short-haired variation (whereas the fringed variation is called the Pashmi). In Karnataka, only the name mudhol is used, which today refers to a small town in the area of Bagalkot.
Caravan Hound: Originally known as karwani, the variation is named after the fact that it followed nomads with caravans which moved from one place to another; this is how it finally reached India. Another possible origin of the name is the city of Karwar. The Caravan Hound is used for hunting hare, deer, muntjac, and Indian monitor lizard. The head is narrow, the chest deep, the abdomen tucked up, and the legs very elongated and muscular. The tail is set low and carried with a curve. The coat is short, smooth, and fine. The most common colours are cream, fawn, red, and black; usually with white markings. The height varies from 70 to 75 cms. The Caravan Hound is always alert and watchful. It is very resistent, healthy, and immune to many diseases. Its gait is springy and flashy.
Pashmi: The Pashmi arrived to India over 800 years ago. In the 1970s, it was recognized by the Indian National Kennel Club and in 1995 by the Kennel Club of India. It is used both as a hunting and companion dog. sometimes even as a sheepdog. Its main prey include hare and wild rabbit. It resembles the Saluki a lot and therefore is considered as a kind of local variation. The coat is silky, hair being fringed on the ears, legs, and tail; sometimes the hair on the body is semi-long. The colours include for instance white, cream, fawn, red, and black. The Pashmi is very agile and durable, being able to work in dry regions. Due to its good character, it has become very popular for dog shows. It is nowadays found in all over India, being especially popular in the states of Karnataka and Maharashtra. Numerous individuals can be found particularly in the village of Janwal-Vadval. Some authors consider the variation to be an individual breed on its own.
Chippiparai Hound
Chippiparai, Chippirai
The Chippiparai Hound comes from the district of Thanjavur in the State of Tamil Nadu. It was originally developed as a harehound, but has also served as a police dog. It has a curvy and compact built. The skull is dome shaped and the muzzle long. The eyes are dark and the ears either semi-erect or rose shaped. The chest is deep and abdomen tucked up. The most common colour is fawn, but also white and cream individuals exist. A male is around 50 cms high and weighs 15 to 20 kgs. The breed is loyal to only one master and is reserved towards strangers.
It is easy to maintain and eats very little, but requires a lot of
exercise. It adapts easily to different kinds of climates.
Kanni
The Kanni comes from the state of Tamil Nadu, where it is mainly found in Kalugumalai, Kileral, Kodangipatti, Kovilpatti, Madurai, Pollachi, Sivakasi, and Tirunelveli. Its name translates as "a bridesmaid", which might come from the fact that it was often given as a present before marriage. It might be related to the Mudhol Hound. It is used for hunting and as a companion dog. It is never sold, but only given as a present to someone.
Generally the breed resembles a cross between the Saluki and the Doberman and it has the structure of the first mentioned. The most common colour is black & tan - sometimes with white markings on the chest and paws - and the other possibilities are cream, brown, and brindle. The cream individuals are known as paalakanni. A male is around 64 cms and a female around 56 cms high; some individuals might be almost 80 cms high. The Kanni is fed by milk in the morning, by cereal soup in the afternoon, and by porridge in the evening; meat is given only once a week or month. It is nowadays extremely rare, almost on the edge of extinction.
Indian Hairless Dog
The Indian Hairless Dog came from the hottest parts of India. It was used for hunting small game, but was more often kept because of its oddity. It became extinct around the 19th century. It had a sighthound-like shape, except the ears being erect. There were tufts of hair on the head, legs, paws and tip of tail; otherwise the breed was naked. The skin was thick and wrinkled, grey or reddish by colour. The Indian Hairless Dog was able to work in environments with undergrowth.
