Mudhol Hound is an Indian dog breed that has served both the royalty and the peasants as a tracker, faithful companion and guard dog.Throughout this breed's existence they are known by variety of names such as Caravan Hound, Mudhol Hound, Karwani, Lahori, Pashmi and the Pisuri Hound.
When you want to buy this dog breed, it is best to know all the details relevant to this breed which will allow you to care for these dogs properly. This article contains all important details concerning this breed. Let's continue.
History
The Mudhol Hound is an ancient breed, originally from the Indian Deccan Plateau. The Deccan Plateau region includes parts of the Karnataka, Maharashtra and to a lesser extent Andhra Pradesh states. Mercenaries and merchants from different parts of Asia, who traveled in caravans, initially brought the breed into India.
When the locals saw the dogs running alongside the caravan, they started to refer to them as "karwani," meaning "of the caravans." The term was anglicized to Caravan Hound when the Indian Kennel Club recognised this breed.
Caravan Hound Dog Description
Characteristics of the Caravan Hound are well described. Their head is small and wide, with a tapering muzzle between the ears. Their jaws are strong and thick, but slightly low in appearance.
This breed's nose is growing, and may be colored in liver or black. Their ears are of small size and hang below the forehead. Their big, oval eyes are dark hazel colored to amber.
This dog's neck is long, muscular and clean and fits well into the shoulders & are well laid back.
This breed's forelegs are long, straight and well-boned, and its back is long, strong, and well-muscled, with a slight curve over the loin.
Their chest is wide with well-sprung ribs, and deep. This breed's abdomen is tucked in, and the hindquarters appear well-muscled and long.
The tail at the base is not too long, heavy, set low, and carried in a natural curve.
This should never be folded down over the back. Their gait is high-footed and they stretch all four hands.
This breed's coat may be smooth and thin, or of a silky texture, featuring fringes on the legs, ears, thigh and tail backs. Any other features of this presence are:
1) No Wrinkles & Folds
2) Whip tail type
3) Their eyes are large & oval
4) Their ears are v-shaped
5) Reverse scissor bite type
6) They are very athletic
Mudhol hound Temparament:
A working breed are Mudhol Hounds or Carvan Hounds; they are sensitive, intelligent, cautious, trustworthy, and brave. They are solitary and aloof but very smart and a keen hunter, reserved for strangers.
This breed needs a large amount of physical activity every day and these dogs must be handled with gentleness and reverence.
If these criteria are not met, this wonderful companion can turn into a challenging and even dangerous dog.
This breed does not like being approached or treated by someone other than its owner. Mudhol Hounds require a lot of socialisation from a young age onwards.
Their owners must be cool, they must have an air of gentle, yet strong control.
Living Condition
The best thing about the Mudhol Hound is it was bred in India and it can be adapted to all weather conditions. This breed is not ideal for living in apartments, because they need a lot of exercise in wide open spaces.
They are ideal for homes with a growing, enclosed yard and better living conditions.
Such dogs are most relaxed when outside (but they don't stay alone, away from their family). They're not fond of rainy or cold climates and performs best in tropical conditions.
These dogs require doggie coats in cold weather, and probably boots to cover them.
Health Problems:
Such dogs are a tough breed and were supposed to live and work hard in harsh conditions for many years.
Only the best ones have survived in this setting and the result is that Carvan Hounds are hardy dogs, suffering from very few breed specific health issues.
We have an estimated lifespan of 10 to 15 years.In this breed the most prevalent disease is skin-related issues. Mudhol Hound lacks a fat layer in the body, rendering them vulnerable to cold and heat.
They can easily grow frosty bites. However, intense sun rays can cause them sunburn and if you take your dog outside on warm days, a sunscreen won't be a bad choice.
The other issue of "marasmus" that can be seen in this breed The liver dysfunctions and the food is not absorbed in the body in this disease.
Your pet might eat a lot in that situation but in fact it won't gain weight, on the contrary it might just look malnourished.
Exercise:
The Caravan Hounds need a huge amount of routine exercise to stay healthy both mentally and physically.
They need regular long walks in a wide, enclosed, healthy environment, combined with long, weekly, or bi-weekly running sessions.
You should never allow a Mudhol Hound off leash on unfenced land as they are able to selectively become deaf to calls from their owner.
Exercise is very important for a strong & healthy Mudhol hound so if you can't provide enough please think twice before getting this breed.
Grooming:
In terms of grooming, the Caravan Hound is a breed of low maintenance dogs. They shed an average amount, so it will suffice to brush their short coat once a week to remove most of the dead fur.
Some dogs ' frequent grooming keeps their coats and skin clean by application of the natural oils. Weekly brushing gives these dogs ' fur a lustrous shine, too.
Bathe these dogs only when appropriate, and use mild soap while bathing. Too much washing or using harsh shampoos for this breed will strip the protective oils from skin and hair.
Besides this, you need to follow daily grooming routine with your Mudhol Hound that brushes their teeth, this should be done at least once a week because this will help eliminate the tartar buildup and ensure a fresh breath at all times.
It will also discourage the dog from contracting gum diseases.
Trainability:
The Mudhol Hound needs to be trained regularly with a strong trainer. Note that this breed naturally has a nervous temperament, therefore they do not react well to harsh treatment.
Indeed, when their nervous disposition is curbed, it can intensify as they get a little older.
This breed of dogs needs to be trained to socialize with other animals, especially smaller ones.
They were built to chase and could either scare away the small animals, or just think of them as their prey.
Puppies:
Owing to their pace the Mudhol Hound puppies can be a handful. When you put this little bundle of joy back home, do remember this is a super active puppy. Be prepared to run all day round this little pooch.
You can't leave them long alone. They love their family & can develop separation anxiety.
Such hounds are often one man dog so socializing with various people and animals is extremely necessary.
He is an extremely loyal breed towards the family and with one family member, he can establish attachment very quickly.
Faults:
Any deviation from the above points should be considered a fault and the severity of which the fault should be regarded should be reasonably proportional to its degree and its impact on the dog's safety and welfare.
1) General appearance: Greyhound type
2) Outline is untypical
3) Pink Nose, skin & paws
4) briskets are too narrow
5 ) Lack of angulation
6) Hip bones put significantly lower than the Withers
7) Ring & bushy tail
It recognizes dogs with fade markings over fur. Pure white coat has pink skin that induces skin ailments and is thus undesirable for the purpose of coursing.
Owing to the demand for pure white [pink] pups, it has been found in recent instances; breeding has been undertaken to produce full pink litters.
This practice has also contributed to genetic problems such as deafness and bone deformation.
The pink paws are unable to bear the rugged terrain, and sometimes bleed. Owing to its inefficiency to bear sun, any dog with pink hands, ears, and skin is disregarded for hunting by the natives.
A Hound chasing a hare often has to navigate the obstacles of small stones, thorny shrubs, rocks, ditches and other competing dogs on the ground.
When the dog approaches the hare, he has to lean over to catch it managing the aforementioned obstacles simultaneously.
The bigger the dog, the more he has to lower his head, the more time it takes.
This millisecond time lapse is enough for the hare to temporarily or permanently escape the instantaneous grasp of the dog which makes it difficult for the dog to bag the game.
The chase stretches excessively which wears out the dog. After knowing this, the tall dogs stop bending and continue to paw the game in a desperate attempt to bag it that is futile and time consuming.
The dog who takes longer to take the game is considered inferior and the performance of these tall dogs doesn't seem to be successful, thus disregarded.
A big dog also has a body and structure which are proportionately enlarged. Given Mudhol hounds' already voracious appetite, a bigger dog needs humongous meals that are costly to the natives, as they keep more than one dog as required for the game.
Using the aforementioned reasons, any dog over 30 inches of height would have considerable chances of being ineffective as a hunter and such a large specimen is not so usual among the natives.
After the hunting ban in India, a hunter's primary role is lost, and the height is greatly favored by the people who want Mudhols to serve purpose or shows in guarding.
It is the duty of the buyer to carefully test and pick the puppy with the correct pigmentation and parentage in order to prevent potential unnecessary medical expenses.
Disqualifying faults:
1) Any dog that clearly displays physical behavioral irregularities must be excluded.
2) Lack of form (especially when displaying a recent crossing with another breed).
3) Very Tall
4) Coat which does not comply with the norm, i.e. long hair, thick rough coat or feathering.
5) Eye color which does not comply with the norm, i.e. Blue
6) Nose color that does not comply with the standard, i.e. pink, or partly unpigmented, spotted.
7) Ears upright (Prick ears), extended or folded backwards (rose ears) with tips drooping.
Unique characteristics
One of the most interesting things about Carvan or Mudhol Hound is the various names that make this dog breed known nationwide. There is no other dog whose nomenclature is so varied and vast.
The British named this sight-hound Caravan hound because they followed people in caravans; the local villagers who owned the dog named it Mudhol in the south, and Karwaani.
The other thing that makes this dog special is their amazing sight, which lets them scare away rabbits or any other small animals.
Perhaps this is due to the location of their head, as they have a long elongated skull with a tapering muzzle that allows them provide a field of vision of 270 degrees.
It is almost double what can be used by humans.It wouldn't be unfair to suggest that this breed of dogs even can see behind its eyes.
Pros & Cons of this Breed:
Pros:
1) Suitable for Indian weather
2) Very easy to groom
3) Very hard and healthy dog breed
Cons:
1) Are not good with strangers
2) Can be temperamental
3) This breed is one mans dog