Rajapalayam

The Rajapalayam is a large white Indian sighthound from Tamil Nadu — a hunting and guarding dog once kept by the region's nobility.

History

It takes its name from the town of Rajapalayam and was bred by the Nayakar rulers to hunt boar and to guard estates. Tradition holds that these dogs were used against the British in the Polygar wars. Numbers fell sharply through the twentieth century, and Indian state programmes have since worked to keep the breed going.

Temperament

The breed is known for being reserved, dignified and intensely loyal to one household, indifferent to strangers and unsuited to crowded or noisy homes. It bonds narrowly and deeply.

Care and training

It needs a great deal of exercise and secure space; the prey drive is real and it was bred to run. Socialising must start early. The short white coat needs almost nothing, though pink-skinned dogs need shade.

Health

Dogs with the pure white coat and pink skin can be prone to deafness, as in other predominantly white breeds. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.