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Kanni
Other names	Maiden's Beastmaster
Origin	India
Traits Height 64–74 centimetres (25–29 in) Weight 16–22 kilograms (35–49 lb) Coat short coat
Kennel club standards Kennel Club of India standard
Dog (domestic dog)

The Kanni (கன்னி), meaning pure (also known as the Maiden's Beastmaster), is a rare indigenous South Indian sighthound breed of dog found in the state of Tamil Nadu. Their native breeding tract is located around villages in the Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar and Thoothukudi districts. The breed is used mainly for coursing. "Kanni" refers to the black and tan and black and sable varieties, while the solid-coloured variety is known as the Chippiparai. However, some experts claim that the Kanni and the Chippiparai are distinct breeds.

History

In the beginning, Kanni dogs existed only in several pockets of Southern Tamilnadu, especially in Southern districts such as the northernmost part of Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, and the southern part of Virudhunagar.

Name

The name Kanni means "pure" in Tamil and was given to this breed for its loyalty – purity of heart. The Kanni is also known as the Maiden's Beastmaster for how voraciously it defends its territory against wild animals, and because they are often gifted to newlywed brides as their guardians. Although Kannis come in different colours, generally only the ones that were black and tan were given as marriage gifts. This practice led to the wrong naming of the black and tan coloured breeds as Kanni in dogs as well as goats. Even though the native people call this breed Kanni, the Kennel Club of India (KCI) registered it with two names. It registered the black and tan coloured dogs as Kanni and the solid-coloured variety as Chippiparai, respectively.

Characteristics

Kannis are medium-sized dogs, with straight top lines and tucked-up abdomens. Height at the withers is 64–74 centimetres (25–29 in) and weight ranges from 16–22 kilograms (35–49 lb). They have straight heads, strong jaws, golden eyes and black noses. The ears are medium-sized and flat, and can be erect, dropping or semi dropping. The tail is semi curved. Kannis have a lifespan of 14 to 16 years.

Colour types

Kannis have short coats, which can be brown with black, fawn (Santhana Pillai), light red (Sevalai) to dark red (Karum Sevalai), cream, white (Mayila Pillai), red with white, or pale grey (Sambal).

Other colours include black with fawn markings (Paal Kanni), black with dark tan markings (Seng Kanni), black with fawn face and legs (Karung Kanni), fawn head and legs with rest of body being black (Parukki), and brown and white (Semmarai).

Temperament

The Kanni is usually shy, but will always defend its home or master if the need arises. The Kanni dogs are extremely faithful and easy to train, but they will think independently when on a hunt. They are very loyal to their family.

Hunting

Kannis are specially bred and used for hunting Indian hares. Like other hounds, Kannis use their speed and endurance to hunt their prey. They use their excellent sense of smell and sight to track and hunt their prey. Kannis are trained to obey subtle hand signals of their masters while on the hunt. Kanni dogs have been known to hit speeds up to 60 km/h. The key to the Kanni's ability as a coursing dog can be found in its light but muscular build, large heart, double suspension gallop, and extreme flexibility of its spine, similar to that of Cheetah.

Habitat and food habits

Kannis live in a temperate climate zone. They need free space and their own territory, and are not suited to city life. Kannis eat millet, corn, jowar, rice porridge with milk or curd, and non-vegetable foods.

See also

• Dogs portal
• List of dog breeds
• List of dog breeds from India

Gallery

• Kanni Dog in Thrissur Kerala
• Kanni Dog in Thrissur Kerala
• Kanni Dog in Thrissur Kerala
• Kanni Dog in Thrissur Kerala
• Kanni Dog in Thrissur Kerala
• Kanni Dog in Thrissur Kerala
• Kanni Dog in Thrissur Kerala
• Kanni Dog in Thrissur Kerala
• Kanni Dog in Thrissur Kerala
• Kanni Dog in Thrissur Kerala

References

1. "Gardening Tips, Interior Decoration, Real Estate News, Garden Ideas". The Hindu.
2. ^ "Canine watch". The Hindu. 9 January 2005. Archived from the original on 8 April 2009.
3. "Kanni dog". Barks.in. 11 November 2019.
4. "Kanni". dogsindia.
5. "கன்னி நாய் பெயர் காரணம்". kannidogs. 8 March 2017.
6. ^ "Kanni". PetGuide. 24 June 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
7. "கன்னி நாய்களின் சராசரி உயரம் என்ன?". 7 April 2017.
8. "Kanni Dog - Breed Information". kannidogs. 6 July 2014.
9. "Kanni Dog". barks.in. 11 November 2019.
10. "Man's best friends flaunt their stuff at dog show". timesofindia. 31 January 2017.

v t e Dogs originating in India and Sri Lanka
India	Bakharwal dog Banjara Hound Bully Kutta Chippiparai Gull Dong Gull Terrier Haofa Tangkhul Hui Himalayan Sheepdog Indian Spitz Jonangi Kaikadi Kanni Kombai Mahratta Hound Mudhol Hound Indian pariah dog Rajapalayam Ramanadhapuram Mandai Rampur Greyhound Vikhan
Sri Lanka	Sinhala Hound

• Hounds
• Dog breeds originating in India
• Rare dog breeds