Tamil Nadu's native dog breed 'Chippiparai' that found a mention in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Mann Ki Baat' radio address could run very fast and jump upto 10 feet at one go with ease.
Besides it, all the three other Tamil Nadu breeds—Kombai, Kanni and Rajapalayam—are fearless and loyal to their masters, experts said.
In an initiative to conserve the native dog breeds and to create awareness about them, Chippiparai, Kanni and Rajapalayam varieties were being reared in Chennai since last year by authorities of the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University(TANUVAS). "From the place it stands, Chippiparai could jump 10 feet quite easily and it could run really very fast. It is a tall and robust breed," professor and dead, department of clinics, Veterinary College, TANUVAS, Namakkal, R Ezakial Napolean said. Kombai, is comparatively more intelligent and has a higher sense of smell, he told PTI.
Mentioning about Indian dog breeds, the prime minister said they cost less to raise and are better adapted to the Indian environment and surroundings, adding that the security agencies had also been inducting these dogs. "Among the Indian breeds, Mudhol Hound and Himachali Hound are of excellent pedigree. Rajapalayam, Kanni, Chippiparai and Kombai are fabulous Indian breeds.They cost less to raise and are better adapted to the Indian environment and surroundings," Modi said.
Other veterinary doctors, who too have a hands on experience in handling the native varieties in the state, said all the four breeds were highly useful and dependable.
These breeds, once used by royals and local chieftains for hunting and to help protect them, were now being deployed by many farmers to guard their farms and all these breeds do not have much maintenance expenditure, they said.
Of the four breeds, the number of Kombai dogs are "very low," one of the veterinarians said adding thethree other varieties were found in many regions of the state.