A first, NBAGR registers three dog breeds

Blurb: Listed as companion animal, will be studied for proper rearing

Box: Fit for guarding

Rajapalayam

Also called Vellai Moonji Naai (white-faced dog), it is found in Rajapalayam (Tamil Nadu)

The medium-sized dog has compact body, white coat colour, semi-dropping ears and semi-curved tail

It is alert and good for guarding

Chippiparai

Found in Madurai, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Virudhunagar districts of southern Tamil Nadu

Also called Kanni (virgin) or Vettai Naai (hunting dog), it is medium in size and has varying coat colour

It runs fast and mostly eats non-vegetarian food

Mudhol Hound

Mainly found in Karnataka, this breed has good guarding ability and can run very fast

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, December 23

The National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR), an institute which registers newly identified livestock germplasm in the country, has registered three breeds of dogs – Rajapalayam and Chippiparai of Tamil Nadu and Mudhol Hound of Karnataka, taking the total count of the registered livestock to 200.

This is for the first time that the dog breeds have been registered. Dogs were earlier not included in the livestock category, but now these have been included as companion animal and will be studied by the NBAGR, says Dr RK Vijh, Director.

The institute has so far registered 50 breeds of cattle, 17 buffalo, 44 sheep, 34 goat, 19 chicken, 10 pig, nine camel, seven horse, three donkey, two duck and one each of yak and geese.

The newly identified dog breeds were recently approved by the Breed Registration Committee of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Dr Vijh says.

The institute will soon characterise all native dog breeds, including Himachali, Bhutia alias Gaddi, Rampur Hound, Caravan Hound and others, he says, adding that if all goes as per plan, the bureau will select Gaddi breed, which has adapted to cold climate, for defence forces for help in search operations in border areas.

As per Dr KN Raja, senior scientist at NBAGR, Rajapalayam is a medium-sized dog, which has white coat colour and pink skin, nostrils and eyelids.

Chippiparai dog is also medium in size and has coat colour varying from fawn to dark brown, brownish black and black. Mudhol Hound dog is mainly found in Karnataka, which has good guarding ability and can run very fast, he adds.