I'm a landrace dog fancier. Founder of the INDog Project (www.indog.co.in) and the INDog Club. Before that, I worked with urban free-ranging dogs of Mumbai from 1993-2007. Also a spider enthusiast and amateur arachnologist.
This blog is for primitive dog enthusiasts. It is part of the INDog Project www.indog.co.in. Only INDogs (India's primitive indigenous village dogs) and INDog-mixes (Indies) are featured here. The two are NOT the same, do please read the text on the right to understand the difference. Our aim: to create awareness about the primitive landrace village dog of the Indian subcontinent. I sometimes feature other landrace breeds too. Also see padsociety.org
These pictures were sent by Juhee Dubey on behalf of her aunt Mrs Sonu Singh. Five weeks ago a litter of six were delivered in Mrs Singh's garden, and she's looking for good homes for all of them. Two are males and the rest females. They're all happy healthy little things. They are in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad (Delhi NCR).
Anyone interested in adopting them, please contact Mrs Singh on 9818161133, 9810797445.
Another Indi who escaped Ahmedabad's mean streets forever - Pete! I read and hear many shameful things about how dogs are treated in that city by the municipality and other sadists and bullies. Each one that gets away is cause to celebrate.
If you like watching happy dogs, you'll love this video of Pete and Canaan beauty Jorja who live in Ottawa with Sarah O'Neill and Ryan Carman.
Exactly a month ago, Shalini's owner Nicole heard about a pup who had been brutally beaten with a rod. His "crime" was that he had been digging inside somebody's compound! The dog-basher: some brain-dead heart-dead scum who shall remain unnamed. This was in Ahmedabad, and I'm sorry to say ill-treatment of dogs seems a routine occurrence in that so-called "Gandhian" city where criminals and goons are widely tolerated but innocent pups are not.
The pup's screams of pain were heard by some local shop owners who used to feed him and other dogs of the area. They tried to get help from an NGO and a government hospital, but weren't prepared to take him to the hospital themselves. So the pup lay screaming and ignored and would no doubt have died eventually, except that someone told Nicole about him. She and her neighbour rushed to his rescue and after a long drive found a vet to treat him. His front leg was found to be broken and he had to be sedated and put in plaster and given lots of painkillers. At last he stopped screaming and slept.
Initially Nicole's plan was to put him back on the street and keep an eye on him there, but clearly that wasn't a very safe option.
So the pup is now Nicole's pet and Shalini's brother. He has been named Somu. His leg has healed and he now offers Shalini stiff competition in the good looks department and the digging department. No need to tell you what a great life he's leading, you can see that from the pictures. Let's just say he can dig all he wants now and he's never going to get battered for it.
One of the many adoption appeals I receive from animal lovers around India. All these homeless dogs are invariably beautiful, bright-eyed and cute. And yet many remain as they began: homeless. I've no doubt at all that if they'd been pugs or labradors there would have been dozens of takers for them. Such is the hypocrisy and stupidity of "dog lovers" in our country.
These two are in Kolkata. Sadhwi Sondhi gives their details:
These two puppies were dumped outside an animal lover's gate. They had been through abuse and were sick, hurt and terrified. The female puppy (bottom) has bounced back remarkably and is a brave little dog, self-appointed protector of her less fortunate brother, playful and friendly.The male puppy (top) has a birth defect and has weak hind legs.But he has devised a way to move around by balancing himself on his defunct hindlegs and propelling himself forward in short bursts. He will get better with food, care and medicines. Please help us find them both great loving homes. Contact Anandaroop at 09903898247 or email at anandaroop.ghosh@gmail.com
We can each do our bit by circulating these and other appeals to our contacts, posting them on our Facebook profiles or simply telling animal lovers (real ones) about these fantastic dogs. It would only take a few minutes. I strongly believe that for each homeless animal, there exists somewhere a perfect owner. We can try to find them with just a little extra trouble. Specially since we have a mindbogglingly powerful tool at our disposal - the net. Chances of adoption obviously shoot up if more and more people get to see the dogs.
So let's not sigh and think "sad, but nothing much I can do" and turn away while these little creatures fade away in shelters or get crushed to death on the street. You can do something. Once a week or at least once a fortnight, do go through the adoption sites I've listed (check the bottom right of this page) and make sure others get to see them too.
More members of Cara Tejpal's beautiful furry family. Sheru and Bijli are Gaddi Kuttas mixed with INDog. Gaddis are a Himalayan breed used as sheepdogs in the north and Cara adopted these two for her family's home in the hills.Sheru is the white one and Bijli is the darker one. They're two and a half years old.
In Cara's words:
"My two beautiful mountain dogs live a happy existence in our house in the lower Himalayas.
Sheru is a complete Mamma's boy and follows us (my mother and I) around like a lamb. His first year of life he was partially terrorized by my nine-year old Bhutia Baloo. Since Baloo passed away, Sheru has been having some dominance issues as he has suddenly realized he's king of the castle. The house staff say he is aggressive with strangers which I find hard to believe since he behaves like a little kitten around me. Trying to climb on to my lap despite his size and constantly licking any bare body part.
Bijli on the other hand is far more poised than Sheru. She is a real beauty - intelligent, kind and with a rich glossy coat. Despite never being formally trained she knows immediately what you want from her. She commands love unlike Sheru who demands love. Together they're a tornado. Racing up and down the house, splashing in the pond and scaring any guests we may have."
Below is Astro, who has no INDog ancestry but is a mix of labrador and beagle. His mother was one of the beagles rescued from Ranbaxy's labs several years ago. I wanted to include him here because he is an adopted dog too, and an important member of Cara's family!Astro is now eight years old.
Photos, text: Cara Tejpal Lower Himalayas and New Delhi
Animal lover Cara Tejpal has five lovely adopted dogs, four of them Indian. This post is about Karma and Dharma, bright-eyed and gleaming INDog-mix twins.
Their story is particularly touching. Cara volunteers at Friendicoes, a Delhi NGO and is a staunch desi dog fan. She saw these two pups in a cage at the shelter.
"Karma had paralyzed hind legs but the sweetest eyes," she writes. "I had been seeing him and his sister in the shelter for three weeks and knew that they would never get adopted, as there were cuter, healthier pups available. In fact I got him adopted once but the men who took him home called back three hours later and said he was crying too much and returned him. That very night I succumbed and took home Karma, his sister and a third puppy who didn't survive...I convinced my parents that they would be 'outside dogs' and brought them back. Of course now they sleep on the sofas and are doted on by everyone...
They came as sickly puppies but have grown up to be gorgeous, sleek dogs with bodies like hounds and sharp instincts. They are territorial and fantastic guard dogs - nothing escapes them. Karma is completely submissive to the family but regards everyone else with a cautious eye. Dharma is quietly affectionate and smarter than her brother. The two are good with the numerous pups, kittens and other animals I get home on a regular basis but will not stand for an older dog coming into their territory...
Hot summer days are spent sleeping in the cool hallway with their best friend, my cat Neo, all day and roaming in the compound of the house all night. They have insatiable appetites and consume almost anything that looks edible!"
Karma and Dharma are now one and a half years old.
Their names are as beautiful as the dogs and have multiple and complex meanings in Indian philosophy. Roughly translated, karma means "the religion of action" and dharma means "the religion of belief." I think Cara's act of kindness was worth a million prayers and a zillion rituals. I'm sure these canine souls would agree.
Maria is a pup with special needs. She was rescued after a car hit and is currently living at the VSPCA shelter in Visakhapatnam. Her spine was injured and she can't use her hind legs and may never be able to. She is otherwise an absolutely normal and active puppy but may have to spend her life in a wheelchair.
Abigail lives in the US and sadly she can't adopt Maria because she already has four dogs. But she is willing to transport this pup to any destination in the US or Canada if someone in either of those countries would like to adopt her.
Abigail leaves India on 24 June. Please circulate this appeal. Let's try and find a home for Maria, or even a sponsor for her special needs here in India.
An abandoned pup in Chennai got a happy-ever-after home with Sashi Nair's family. In Sashi's words:
After Nancy passed away a few years ago, there was a vacuum we felt at home and for long we did nothing to fill it. She was a dachshund but was at home exchanging pleasantries with Brownie and other dogs in our colony every time I took her out for a walk. I had by then (after she died) got hooked on to adopting an Indian dog or a mongrel and decided to wait a while.
One Sunday I saw an advertisement in The Hindu classifieds. It talked about a mongrel pup available for adoption. I immediately called and on the other side was this grandmother with almost flawless diction, urging me gently to take the last pup home. I then spoke to her son who was more than happy to let go of the pup. Two days later my daughter and I drove down to their home near Loyola College and soon we found in our hands Scotchy (she was already named) and her playthings.
Scotchy came home and slept peacefully. She was such a beautiful pup that several times strangers would walk up to me to ask what breed she was. To cut a long story short, Scotchy did not stay with us for long. One day when there was rain and thunder and lightning, she just disappeared. The front door must have been open, but she was missing and all attempts to locate her proved futile. Even today, when I think of her a lump forms in my throat and I wonder where she might be. Could she have been taken away by someone who had fallen for her charms? Perhaps I'll never know.
Thereafter there was not much conversation about dogs and pups at home. Until Vidya Reddy who runs an NGO called Tulir - Centre for Prevention and Healing of Child Sexual Abuse, called me one day to say there was an abandoned pup on the road she had found - he looked like a Dalmatian-cross she said, and asked if I'd take him. On the spur of the moment, I said yes. The following day, Vidya brought the pup to the neighbourhood vet, one she knew. And that was where I first met Spotty. He was fast asleep and hardly woke up as I took him away in the car.
Spotty in some ways reminded me of Scotchy - the relentless wagging of tail, the hyperactivity, and the seemingly endless appetite for food. Today, Spotty has his various favourite spots. He basks outside in the sunshine in the morning, rests outside our front door towards noon and has his siesta in the garage after lunch. For company he has good old Brownie and another absolutely charming female I just haven't been able to name. Maybe I will soon. These two are inseparable and some day I must take pictures of both of them playing and frolicking like there was no tomorrow.
Ever since I saw Kirti Chavan's dog picturesI've been pestering him to click my red girl. And here she is, sulky expression and all! Modelling is not her favourite activity though she gets bribed with treats to sit still. Am I just biased or is this a really good-looking and intelligent dog?! Kirti called her Lalee the wise-eyed and I so agree.
Next on the agenda: an outdoor shoot with Lalee. Thanks Kirti!
For those who've been wondering what our two Goa INPuppies look like nowadays, Tina D'Souza sent these lovely snaps. They are 18 months old in these pictures. Check out Raju's Cheshire Cat smile!
Puffy poses in her Club tag, staring into the middle distance in a regal manner. I hope she likes it, but not too much. Some of our junior members loved their tags so much they chewed them to bits and ate them, but Puffy doesn't look as if she'd do something like that!
This is an informal, unofficial group of INDog enthusiasts, linked to my awareness campaign the INDog Project. "INDog" is what we call the Indian native dog, (earlier known as the Indian Pariah Dog). The INDog belongs to a group of dogs known as aboriginal and primitive dogs, or indigenous village dogs. See also padsociety.org
This is not a welfare or animal rights blog, though health and welfare are discussed sometimes. It is not about any organization. It is not about the "stray dog issue." There are many other sites dealing with such topics. Moreover, primitive and stray are NOT the same thing (see the glossary below, and also the INDog website).
This blog celebrates the INDog as an aboriginal race of domestic dog - its origins, characteristics, appearance, temperament, behaviour, and the sheer fun of keeping it as a pet. If, like many of us, you are captivated by our indigenous village dog, read on.
Quoting from this blog or the INDog site: I have noticed that while most people follow the normal etiquette and credit my blog or site if they use content, there are a few who have copied text and pictures or quoted copiously without any acknowledgment. Please do not use any content from here or from the INDog site without permission and acknowledgment.
Dogs featured in this blog: I only feature INDogs adopted as house-pets. I also feature INDog-mixes who are house pets. In fact, if you live in an Indian city, your dog is possibly of mixed lineage and not a 100% indigenous native dog. I call these dogs INDog-mix or Indies. This is a point of difference but NOT a point of superiority or inferiority. INDogs, INDog-mixes, and in fact all dogs are equally wonderful as pets!
If you'd like me to post your dog's story in this blog, please write to me at rajashree DOT khalap AT gmail DOT com, along with photographs. I also have a page on Facebook called The INDog Club. Please join if you find this topic interesting.
Why I created the INDog Project and INDog Club: I had the idea of setting up this forum after adopting my own dog, Lalee. I was disturbed by the general confusion and misconceptions about our native dogs. My pet project is to get this ancient race the respect and recognition that is its due.
The Indian public is not particularly dog-literate, and the common third world mindset affects perceptions about dogs. As in many countries of Asia and Africa, pets are still selected according to an outdated colonial-era ranking order which perceives anything foreign as superior to anything native. The growing middle class also seeks to display its spending power by purchasing expensive European breeds.
If you believe that artificially developed modern breeds are superior to landrace indigenous ones, read no further. This blog is not for you.
In a slide presentation on stray dogs I created for a Mumbai NGO in 1994, and in their website, I pointed out that the INDog is NOT a mongrel but a primitive breed in its own right, evolved by natural selection over many centuries. This is based on the theories of canine biologists and experts worldwide. True primitive dog populations have suffered minimal or no genetic admixture with modern breeds. To read more about this, click here.
The INDog is a beautiful early version of our best friend Canis lupus familiaris. It’s probably what Nature intended dogs to be.
Why I created this blog: This is the informal side of my project. It's a place for us besotted INDog and INDog-mix owners to show off our beloved pets.
INDog owners, please use this space to share your experiences, dog photos and videos, useful information for other dog-owners. Owners of mix-breeds (Indies) are also welcome, as long as the dog is at least part INDog. Mail your dog stories and dog images to me at rajashree DOT khalap AT gmail DOT com. They will be moderated but everything relevant to this topic will appear here.
Must-know stuff
Primitive/aboriginal dog:A type of domestic village dog which evolved a distinct appearance and character without human intervention. This appearance was earlier called the "long-term pariah morphotype" by some scientists -clickhereto seephotos of the type.The modern and preferred term is 'primitive type' or 'dingo type.'
Primitive-type dogs across continents have the same basic physical characteristics. These naturally evolved dogs are not only extremely hardy, they are also very alert and have the high-order intelligence required for a free-roaming life under circumstances that are often difficult and hostile. In biological terms, the aboriginal dogs of Asia and Africa are of the highest value for the study of genetics, behaviour and the origin of the dog.
Dogs were never studied in India till recently, and in the early days there were no Indian experts in this area, so terms coined by western scholars tended to stick. I believe the term "Indian Pariah Dog" is very generic (apart from having negative social connotations) and that our aboriginaldogs should have a name of their own, like the Canaan Dog of Israel and other landraces. The name INDog, coined by Col. Gautam Das, is perfect for this native landrace. I have been using and promoting it since 2007.
Aboriginal dogs in some parts of the world have now been officially recognised by canine registries, including the UKC, which has a 'Pariah and Sighthound' group. The FCI (Federation Cynologique Internationale) refers to this category as "Primitive Types." In some countries such dogs are being selectively bred. The best-known are the Canaan Dog of Israel and the African Basenji.
It is now accepted that many of the free-roaming dogs in Indian cities and towns are actually mix-breeds, though some certainly look more "mixed" than others. Pure INDogs are more common in remote rural areas where there are no Eurobreeds or other types of dog to interbreed with, and minimal or no admixture has occurred.
INDog: An aboriginal dog which perfectly conforms to the true primitive-type and is not mixed with any other breed. This is the name we use for the 'Indian Pariah Dog.'
How would you identify an INDog? By both type and location. Read the criteria in this post.
Indy, INDog-mix: A mix-breed dog descended from INDogs. I prefer these terms to 'mongrel', for our urban street dogs and other mix-breeds with INDog ancestry (see 'Mongrel', below). Since our mix-breeds are almost descended from INDogs, they are different from mixes of only Eurobreed dogs.
Mongrel: (called mutt in the US) Defined as a dog of mixed butindeterminate breed,whose lineage is not known. Primitive dogs were once considered to be mongrels, but for the last few decades it has been recognised that they are unmixed, natural types of dog in their own right. In India almost all mongrels have INDog mixed in their lineage. I prefer to call such mix-breeds 'Indies' or INDog-mix.
Mongrels exist thanks to irresponsible dog-owners who let their pets mate with street dogs. This practice not only exposes the pet to serious health risks (including venereal disease), it also increases the already huge street dog population, and lessens the number of indigenous dogs.
(Let me clarify that I love mongrels - in fact, I think they are adorable, and I have adopted four over the years - but the reason for their existence is poor pet ownership, which is regrettable to say the least. It would be a pity to lose the unique character of our ancient aboriginal race because substandard dog owners let their pets roam and breed on the street.)
Pi-dog, pye-dog: A term used by the British. It also means street dog.
Stray: There is a lot of confusion about this word and it is frequently used incorrectly. “Stray” does NOT refer to breed but to the legal status of the dog. In India it seems to mean an ownerless, unlicensed free-roaming dog. Since most "strays" in India happen to be INDogs or mix-breeds, all these terms are often used interchangeably. This is wrong. Purebreeds abandoned by their owners become strays. INDogs and mix-breeds adopted into homes are no longer strays but pets.
I find this word very vague and don't use it much. I prefer the terms "free-roaming" or "free-ranging" dog.
Purebreed: A dog of only one breed, born of selected parents. Most of the commercially recognised 'pure' breeds have only been created in the last two centuries, as strict breeding norms were not followed earlier. In actual fact, almost all modern 'pure' breeds have been created by mixing two or more breeds.
We use the word 'pure' to describe landraces as well. In this case it means a dog of only one landrace/type.
