Appearance
It is a medium-sized dog of square to slightly rectangular build and short coat. The dog has a double coat, a coarse upper coat, and a soft undercoat. The most commonly observed colours are browns, ranging from dark to reddish-brown, with or without white markings. Solid blacks are rare, but some dogs are pied. Shaded coats, brindles, solid white and dalmatian-type spotting are never seen in pure populations. These may be a sign of mixing with modern breeds, as they are only seen in dogs in cities and other sites where non-native dogs have been introduced.
The head is medium-sized and wedge-shaped. The muzzle is pointed and is of equal or slightly greater length than the head. The neck is noble and the forequarters are erect. Hindquarters are minimally angled. The trot is short. The eyes are almond-shaped and dark brown in colour. The ears are held erect and are pointed at the tips, with a broad base, set low on the head, and the tail is curled and held high when excited.
The term “pariah dog” was initially used to describe any stray or feral dogs. The word “pariah” comes from a Tamil word, paraiyar, which was used to describe the lowest class of people with the Indian caste system. In modern English, the term is used to describe a social outcast, but was also used to refer to pariah-type dogs. So, Indian Pariah Dog refers specifically to the dogs who lived alongside humans, sometimes scavenging on the edges of society in the Indian subcontinent. India is a linguistically diverse place, so the Indian Pariah Dog has many regional names. In some areas they are known as Pye-Dog (from the Hindi word pahi for “outsider”), while others refer to them as Desi (native) dogs. Many Kennel Clubs now prefer to use the word ‘Primitive’, referring to the fact that these dogs closely resemble early domesticated dogs to refer to pariah-type dogs. The Indian Pariah Dog is not recognised by any official kennel club, but is by the Primitive and Aboriginal Dogs Society who have shed the word “pariah” in favour of the term INDog, which will use henceforth in this article.
As an aboriginal landrace breed, the INDog has no recorded origin. They evolved alongside humans in the Indian subcontinent without interference and selective breeding from the people who lived alongside them. The clues to their origin can be unmasked using genetic analysis and archaeological evidence. Whilst neither approach is perfect, they can give us a good idea of where INDogs came from. The physical features of the INDog are very similar to fossil remains that have been found around the world, including China and even those buried in lava at Pompeii. This leads us to believe that the INDog is one of the few modern examples of what an early domesticated dog would have looked like.
The Indian Pariah Dog has been shaped by natural rather than human selection. They are classed as a Primitive breed like Canaan Dogs and Basenji. They are healthy dogs with a good appetite for exercise. Indian Pariah Dogs do best in a stimulating and social environment where they can feel part of the pack, spending plenty of time out and about with their owners.
Character & Temperament
An INDog is generally a cheerful soul. They are a highly social breed since their usual day-to-day life in India would involve interacting with a variety of other dogs and people. They enjoy being around people and dogs, which they consider to be in their family group. In the instances where they have a specific owner, they have been known to develop a strong bond of loyalty and preference to them.
INDogs are known for being territorial to dogs outside of their group. This trait makes them good watchdogs, but introducing strange dogs on their home turf might make them defensive. They are a very alert breed and tend to be cautious in new situations, weighing up whether there is an immediate threat. This tendency for caution and territorial behaviour is often expressed as barking, they are a noisy breed!
As their place in Indian society often made them rely on their own wits for survival, the INDog is an intelligent breed. While other breeds will happily chase and fetch a ball to exhaustion, an INDog will quickly get bored and require something else to do. They thrive in a diverse and stimulating environment that meets their need for a family group and regular exercise.
INDogs differ from other domestic dogs in another crucial and surprising way. Rather than sporadic oestrus every 6 months, INDogs have an annual breeding season between August and January. During this time, their territorial nature is heightened and some dogs may become aggressive to other males, especially during the evening and late at night. During this period, male INDogs will be on high alert for intruders and may show aggression to strangers or visitors.
Trainability
Some say that INDogs cannot be trained, however, this is not true. INDogs are an intelligent breed, which take well to training. They are keen to work with their owners to accomplish tasks. Training should start early and be tailored to the dog’s personality. Most INDogs will quickly become bored with repetitive training exercises, so it’s important to keep sessions interesting.
Taking them to new places to experience new sights and smells will help keep them fresh and responsive. Socialisation is also particularly important for INDogs. As a territorial breed, they may react with aggression to unknown dogs or people as adults. Exposure to as many different dogs and people in puppy-hood will help them to react in an appropriate way when confronted by new situations as adults.
Health
INDogs are a generally healthy breed with an average life expectancy of 15 years. Since they were not selectively bred for looks but relied on natural selection to define their characteristics, they are not plagued by genetic conditions as in some European breeds. There is very little data about causes of death in INDogs. If they avoid road traffic accidents and infectious disease, the cause of mortality is likely to be tumours or cardiac disease. However, they don’t have a predisposition to certain tumour types.
Exercise and Activity Levels
INDogs are active dogs that love exercise. In India, they would normally live in a stimulating and varied environment, so it’s important to replicate that as much as possible. They will enjoy long walks and it would be preferable to give them outdoor access in a well-fenced garden.
Grooming
INDogs are very low maintenance when it comes to grooming. They shed very little so a weekly brush should be enough to keep their coats in good condition.
The pariah dog of India is an ancient autochthonous landrace that is found all over India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and even beyond South Asia.A pariah-like dog skull was discovered in the ancient Indian site of Mohenjo-daro and prehistoric rock art depicting a dog of similar type has been found in the Bhimbetka rock shelters. It was featured on National Geographic Channel’s film, Search for the First Dog along with the other ancient types such as the Canaan Dog of Israel and the Australian dingo.
The Indian pye-dog was introduced to the Andaman Islands with the establishment of a penal colony there, dogs having been previously unknown to the native Andamanese
Despite the Indian pariah dog being highly intelligent and easily trainable, the breed was intentionally downplayed during the British Raj by merchants who wished to sell their foreign breeds within the country. Their popularity in the West in recent years, however, has resulted in hundreds of dogs being exported out of the Indian subcontinent.