Kanni

Several breeds of dogs are popular around the world. There are some which are indigenous to a particular area. They were bred there and have been living there since ages. Some of them have adapted themselves to the surroundings very well. They will show some of the features of its parent breed. One such indigenous breed of dog is the Kanni. It is found exclusively in Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is an extension of another popular breed called the Caravan or the Mudhol Hound. This is also an Indian breed. It is a hunting breed and hence has some features which help them in hunting.

The Kanni looks similar to the Doberman pinscher, with natural ears and tail it is an elegant and graceful dog. The colour of the breed is usually black or tan. As with many of the popular Indian breeds this dog does not have a thick coat. It is slim, agile and powerful breed. It has a lean chest and the body is designed for running very fast. It has a height of about 25 inches which is average and the female is about 22 inches.

This breed is usually seen as a house pet today. It was used extensively for hunting purposes. It was very good at chasing down the game. They can develop extremely sharp bursts of incredible speed but they do tire quickly. Their temperament is shy and playful. They are not very intelligent but they can be trained well. It is a priced possession for the family, in fact it forms part of the dowry system ritual were the girl’s party has to offer cash, gold and other items to the grooms family. The worth of this dog is very high and hence it is part of that list. This dog has found a place in the customs and rituals of the South Indian states. It is a very popular breed and is seen all over.

Today the number of the Kanni dog have dwindled and it is one the verge of extinction. Work to reverse the process has not been taken up because there are very few specimens remaining and there is not a lot of information about it. This has been detrimental to its existence. Since it has been kept as a house pet it is fed on the food items that the humans have. They are rarely given non vegetarian food and they are not dogs which complain. This is because they are used to this diet and any change would upset them.

They are used as guard dogs as their bark is very aggressive. They are also very aggressive towards strangers and have been known to bite them. This is the reason they are not popular in urban areas. The breed needs to be disciplined and will only listen to its master. All these reasons have made the breeding of the Kanni breed very difficult. Since the Kanni breed shares its genes with other successful breeds, they may have a good chance of surviving and moving on.