Canis familiaris Version 1.O

I've finally managed to complete the INDog site and it was uploaded today

http://www.indog.co.in

I've been working on it for nearly two years, compiling text and pictures from many kind contributors. I have almost as many people to thank as an actress at the Oscars! Starting with Anuj Kapadia for creating the site! I'm hugely grateful to Col. Gautam Das and Janice Koler-Matznick of PADS for answering my endless questions patiently and for giving me text and images for the site. A big thank you to Aditya Panda, Myrna Shiboleth, Johan Gallant, Dr Vladimir Beregovoy, Emmanuelle Occansey, Stephanie Little Wolf, Dr Michael Fox, Brad Purcell, Julie Fechner, Jacinta Johnson of SPCA Selangor, Julie Jacobs, Bulu Imam, Rachel Nagher, Rohan Mukerjee, Revati Bose and Kiran Khalap for contributing text and images.

And above all, thank you, readers of this blog, for being Pariah Dog fans. May our tribe increase!

A mediaeval tale

This was in the Times of India today. Click on the image to enlarge and read.

Yes, "untouchability" is alive and kicking in 21st century India. Well, let's look on the bright side. At least dogs don't believe in the caste system and Sheru didn't turn down a chapati given by a kind-hearted Dalit lady. Those fossils in Morena village could learn a thing or two from him. But then we never do learn anything from dogs, do we?

And while I'm still in whingeing mode, can someone please tell reporters that village dogs in rural MP are unlikely to be "mongrels" but on the contrary may be of purer lineage than dogs normally considered purebred?

Morena
Madhya Pradesh

South-East Asian Pariah Dog

These pictures were taken by Dr Radhika Das on Pulao Ubin island off Singapore. The second picture is of the Taoist shrine outside which this dog was clicked.

Dog enthusiast and expert Gautam Das believes the dog is probably "either 3/4 or 7/8 pure native village dog (Kampong Dog), with the other 1/4 or 1/8 being German Shepherd Dog (GSD). In India at any rate, only GSD admixture with our INDog produces the common GSD tan-with-black-saddle colour pattern, as seen here."

Readers travelling in Asia, Africa, Central and South Amercia - may I request you to look out for local pariah-type dogs and click them for this blog? Please email them to me at rajashree DOT khalap AT gmail DOT com

Radhika, thanks for permitting me to use these pictures!

Photos: Radhika Das, PhD
Pulao Ubin Island,
Singapore

Run rabbit run

Was that an overdose of green in the last post? Here's some more: Kimaya having a blast after the rain. Chasing Lalee, chasing our langur visitors (who had the sense to remain in the trees), but most of the time simply running for the fun of it. Very happy very muddy.









Nagaon

Explorations

Nagaon and our whole strip of coast have been badly affected by the recent oil spill, so the dogs are barred from going to the beach to play. It wouldn't have been unsafe to take Lalee for a walk there because she avoids the water, but Kimaya loves splashing in the sea and also gobbles up fish dropped from the fishermens' nets. So we have simply stopped going there for the time being.

Luckily my relatives have a beautiful coconut plantation (called wadi in Marathi) and their place adjoins our house. On rainy days we don't leave our own garden, but there was a sunny morning recently so I took the dogs over to play. In the monsoon it's always green and beautiful, overgrown with colocasia and other plants.

More pictures in the next post.





















Here are some of last year's monsoon pictures.

Nagaon

Irresistible INpuppies for adoption - Bangalore

I've posted dozens of adorable puppy pictures here in the last three years and could never decide which one was the cutest. Competition is very tough as you can imagine. But these two little girls have to be in the top 10!

Both are healthy and have had all their vaccinations.

Call Michelle Stewart on 91 9845689006 for adoption.

Bangalore