JOIN USDog-lovers raise concern on perishing Indian breeds
At first glance, it appeared that only German Shepherds were part of the Open Dog Show, organised by the Canine Club of Mysore. A closer look revealed a variety of breeds, from the huge Great Danes to the Miniature Pinscher, which was a delight for both dog owners and lovers.
The first open show of the Canine Club of Mysore, attracted a total of 357 dogs from various parts of the country. Although more than 30 different breed of dogs participated in the event, 85 among the 357 dogs were German Shepherds. While many events were held to judge the participating canines, visitors busied themselves in getting to learn about the various breeds that were present at the venue.
Among the dog owners participating in the event were Karthik Dume and Ingrid Dume, with a native breed, Chippiparai. Residents of Bandipur, Ingrid said that Chippiparai was one of the indigenous breeds of India, found especially in Tamil Nadu. Chippiparai breed which was widely used for hunting, is now a rare breed, Ingrid said.
While only a handful of Mudhols, a breed indigenous to Karnataka, participated, Sinoj Kumar raised concerns on the poor state of dog breeds of the country. Sinoj, who hails from Mysore owns a Mudhol, said that dog enthusiasts of the country were attracted to exotic foreign breeds, which has put the survival of indigenous breeds at risk.
“There are not many dog lovers who would go for a Indian breed. As a result, breeds such as Rampur Hound, Kanni and even Mudhol are on the verge of extinction,” he said.
Dogs such as ‘Amos’, a three and half year old Rottweiler, owned by Dr Sebastian from Tripura, Manipur; ‘Sony’, a two year old St Bernard, owned by Akash N from Mysore; ‘Leo’, one and half year old Siberian Husky owned by Devkumar S from Bangalore were among the attractions at the Dog Show.
Breeds such as Newfoundland, Chow Chow, Miniature Pinscher, Belgian Shepherd, Fila Brasileiro or the Brazilian Mastiff and Irish Setter were also part of the day long show.
President of the Canine Club of Mysore, B P Manjunath said that only dogs affiliated to the Kennel Club of India (KCI) were part of the event. “All dogs have been installed microchips and no dogs without documents have been allowed,” he said.
The show was dedicated to the memory of Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar. Pramoda Devi Wadiyar inaugurated the show.