Mudhol Hound: The Forgotten Indian Dog Breed You Should Know About 

In 2017, six dogs from a small town in Karnataka became the first Indian breed inducted by the Indian Army․

They were Mudhol Hounds, a breed most Indians have never heard of.

Meanwhile, we have families across the country who are paying lakhs of rupees for imported breeds that cannot survive in Indian summers. This breed is a dog that was made here, for here.

The Mudhol Hound is a sighthound native to Mudhol town in the Bagalkote district of northern Karnataka, India. The breed is also known as the Caravan Hound, the Pashmi, and the Mahratta Hound depending on which of the two major Indian kennel clubs is recording the name.

Most historians claim the ancestry is linked to light sighthounds brought to the region from traders in Arabia and Central Asia, making them distant cousins of the Saluki. These dogs were used to hunt hare and blackbuck in broken terrain․

The preservation of the breed is credited to Shrimant Rajesaheb Malojirao Ghorpade of Mudhol, who saw the hound with local hunters in the early years of the twentieth century. By selective breeding, he was able to re-establish the breed in the Mudhol area. He is said to have also presented a couple of these hounds to King George V of England during a visit․

Appearance. Tall and lean, roughly 60 to 76 cm at the shoulder, with a long narrow head, a deep chest, a tucked abdomen and pendulous ears set close to the skull. The coat may be short and smooth or lightly feathered. Colours range widely — fawn, cream, red, black, brindle and combinations.

Temperament. They are devoted to their family and distinctly aloof with strangers. Mudhols are dignified rather than demonstrative — the breed is not a dog that greets everyone at the gate. They are independent thinkers, which stubborn dog owners recognise instantly, while everyone else mistakes their behaviour for stubbornness.

They are typically quiet indoors, which surprises people given how much energy they have outside.

With Children. Generally good with the children of their household when raised with them. Their reserve with strangers means supervision with visiting children is sensible.

With Other Pets. Here is the honest caveat. The breed is a hunting sighthound with a strong prey drive. Cats, rabbits and small pets are a genuine problem unless the dog was raised with them from puppyhood, and even then, care is needed.

Exercise Is The Big One. The Mudhol is a running dog. It needs a proper daily gallop in a secure open space, not just leash walks. A mudhol in a small flat with two short walks will be unhappy, and so will you.

Never off-leash in an unsecured area. Sighthounds hunt by sight, and once a Mudhol locks onto a moving object, it is gone at speed and it will not hear you. Indian traffic makes this non-negotiable.

Gentle training. They are sensitive and shut down under harsh handling. Reward-based methods, short sessions and patience. Do not expect Labrador-style eagerness to please; expect a dog that decides whether your request is worth it.

Soft Bedding. Very lean dogs with little body fat get pressure sores on hard floors.

Warmth in Winter. The low body fat that helps in summer works against them in a north Indian January. A coat is reasonable.

The Canine Research and Information Centre at Thimmapur is the recognised source, and hundreds of families in and around Mudhol breed them.

Buy from within the breed's home region where possible, ask about the parents, and be cautious of online sellers offering "Caravan Hound" puppies with no traceable background. Prices are typically a fraction of what imported breeds command.

We import dogs bred for European winters, pay heavily for them, and then run air conditioners to keep them comfortable — while a breed that thrives here guards the border and lives fifteen years and sits largely unknown outside one district of Karnataka.

The Mudhol Hound is not a compromise. For the right home, with space to run, it is one of the best dogs in the country.

Not especially. They are calm indoors, but they need to exercise outside every day. A flat with only leash walks may not suit

Although generally considered one breed with two names, there are breed splitters who regard them as two different breeds, and both names are recognised by the two major kennel clubs of India.

Usually not, as they have a strong prey drive. If raised with cats as puppies and supervised, it may be fine.

Prices tend to be less than imported breeds, and the safest option is often to buy from the breed's homeland