Dog breeds that are native to India

In his 'Mann Ki Baat', Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about Indian dog breeds this time. While a lot of people are familiar with dog breeds in general, not many know about the various Indian dog breeds. This brings us to talk about the many dog breeds native to India.

Locally knowns as the 'Gaddi' dog, these dogs come from the Himalayan region. They are large in size and mastiff-like dogs with thick fur for protection from cold.

These dogs come from the region bordering Maharashtra and Karnataka. This dog breed was named after the erstwhile princely state of Mudhol, which was earlier a part of the Bombay Presidency in British India. Mudhol hounds have narrow heads that look disproportionately smaller to their bodies. Overall, they look tall in height.

This dog breed originated from Tamil Nadu and was named after the state's Rajapalayam city in the Virudhunagar district. This one is a rare breed and is only found in certain parts of the state. They are white, lean, muscular and really good hunters.

This dog breed originated from Tamil Nadu as well. Tan in colour with a black snout, Combai dogs are shorter and stouter than the Rajapalayam. This dog breed is classified as terriers. They are rare and a dying breed just like the Kanni and Rajapalayam. Historically, even Combi dogs were used for boar hunting and guarding purposes.

This one is a rare short-fur dog breed that originated in Himachal Pradesh. Vikhan dogs usually guard livestock. They are known to be courageous and fearless. They are also extremely fast at running.

Kanni dog breed is yet another one from Tamil Nadu. Just like Rajapalayam, Kanni dogs are great at hunting hares, wild boars and blackbucks. This dog breed is registered under two names - Kanni and Chippiparai in The Kennel Club of India, which maintains a registry of purebred dogs in India

Found in Andhra Pradesh, this dog breed is a medium-sized hound well-suited to harsh climatic conditions. Pandikona dogs are courageous and friendly at the same time. This makes them one of the best options for watchdogs.

These dogs are powerful, fierce and originally known to guard and protect livestock of villagers in the hill areas of Uttarakhand. Kumaon Mastiff dogs are muscular with a short and soft coat and a thick neck. This makes them appear like the old Great Danes.

This dog breed is known as the Indian Mastiff as they are large working dogs. These dogs are similar to bulldogs and are mostly trained in hunting and patrol. Bully Kutta are very commonly found across Haryana, Delhi and Punjab.