Mudhol Hound
Dogs
Mudhol Hound
| Mudhol Hound |
A Mudhol Hound (Caravan Hound).
|
| Alternative names |
Mudhol Dog
Caravan Hound
Karwani
Pashmi |
| Country of origin |
|
India
(Deccan Plateau) |
| Common nicknames |
| |
| Classification and breed standards |
| Not recognized by any major kennel club |
| This breed of dog is
extinct |
| Notes |
| |
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. However it is
largely unknown to the general public or dog lovers, both in India and abroad.
The Kennel Club of India and Indian National Kennel Club 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 poweful, 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 cms in height and the females
are 64-68 cms 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 the four legs, but should not be hackney. 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.
Temperament
The breed is not spoilt; it leads a hard life that is essentially the
survival of the fittest. It does not know
veterinary
care and food is in short supply. The hound is employed for hunting but it
receives only very little of what it brings back. Its usual diet is
roti and milk,
supplemented with occasional table scraps. Still it is extraordinarily strong
and resistant to a variety of diseases.
The breed is above all a
working
hound, capable of providing an excellent performance in the field on a
consistent basis, under gruelling conditions that would decimate most other
dogs. It is therefore elegant, graceful, and courageous. Its physical strength
couples with great speed and plenty of stamina to allow it to catch and kill
several types of game, from
hare to
blackbuck,
over rough country.
History
The Mudhol/Caravan is an ancient breed, native to the
Deccan Plateau
of western India. This region covers parts of the states of
Maharashtra,
Karnataka,
and, to a lesser degree,
Andhra Pradesh. The breed is basically an offshoot of the
Saluki and was
first introduced into India by traders and mercenaries from various parts of
Asia, who traveled in
caravans.
When local people saw the dogs running alongside the caravans, they began
referring to them as “karwani”, meaning “of the caravans”. The name endures to
this day in the villages, but it was anglicized to Caravan Hound when the Kennel
Club of India recognized the breed.
In Karnataka, the breed is also known as the Mudhol Hound, after a small town
in Bijapur
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.
External links
Home | Up | Mackenzie River Husky | Maltese | Manchester Terrier | Maremma Sheepdog | McNab | Mexican Hairless Dog | Miniature Australian Shepherd | Miniature Fox Terrier | Miniature Pinscher | Miniature Schnauzer | Mioritic | Mountain Cur | Mudi | Mudhol Hound | Munsterlander
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