Pye-dog

The term pariah dog (also pye dogs, or pi dogs) originally referred to Indian and Middle Eastern feral dogs of a particular type, but it is now also used by the United Kennel Club to refer to a purebred dog category.

The Indian Pariah Dog or INDog

The aboriginal breed of the Indian sub-continent is called the Indian Pariah Dog, Indian Native Dog and is nowadays referred to as the INDog by experts and enthusiasts. The term "Pariah Dog" is not derogatory in the canine context and refers to a class of primitive dogs of a specific appearance known as the "long-term pariah morph."

From the paper "The Indian Native Dog" by Gautam Das: "The Indian Native Dog (INDog) is an ancient autocthonous (landrace) type of dog that is found all over India and Bangladesh. It was featured some years ago on National Geographic Channel's film, 'Search for the First Dog'...along with the other related ancient types such as the Canaan Dog of Israel and the feral Dingo of Australia. This is the original breed of the country, found free-living as a commensal of man all over the Indian subcontinent...Where not mixed with the blood of European dogs or other breeds and types, it is remarkably uniform in appearance all across the entire country...The type represents one of the few remaining examples of mankind's original domestic dog and its physical features are the same as those of the dogs whose fossil remains have been found in various parts of the world, from very early remains in Israel and China to later ones such as those found in the volcanic lava at Pompeii, near Naples in Italy. In India these were the hunting partners and companion animals of the aboriginal peoples of India...they are still found with the aboriginal communities who live in forested areas. Since these dogs have never been selectively bred, their appearance, physical features and mental characteristics are created by the process of natural selection alone. The INDog has not been recognized by any kennel club...even though similarly ancient or 'primitive' dogs have been recognized. It has been recognized by the Primitive and Aboriginal Dog Society (PADS), a worldwide grouping of enthusiasts which is based in the USA."

Feral dogs of India

Indian pariah type feral dogs are typically medium-sized and have yellow to rust-colored coats. The dog on the picture is a street dog puppy from Howrah, West Bengal, India

Pariah-type feral dogs are typically medium-sized and have yellow to rust-colored coats. It was once thought that Indian feral dogs were the ancestral stock of Australian dingoes, but a 2004 Swedish study of mitochondrial DNA found that dingoes originated from southern China, not from India. Indian pariah dogs are found throughout the Indian subcontinent and are a common sight in Indian cities and towns. They usually do not roam freely, but are are territorial to a particular area of their town (Mohalla). Pariah dogs often sleep or doze during day time and become more active during the evening and late night hours. They are sometimes seen to be able to survive on a largely vegetarian diet based on leftover food people throw away. However, pariah dogs have also been observed to suckle milk from sleeping zebu cows and water buffalo. They are also seen eating carrion. In places like Varanasi, pariah dogs can occaisonally be seen eating human remains that are washed ashore the river banks. During late night hours males -mostly alpha males- may display aggressive territorial behaviour towards humans, especially if the person is a stranger to that area. In quite a few cases there have been attacks, but mostly these dogs do bluff attacks and withdraw if retaliated against (not always) .A mere act of picking up a something (a stone or stick perhaps) from the ground is sufficient to ward off the dogs as they are sensitized by past experiences. At day time, the very same alpha males may appear very docile towards humans. Like most other feral Indian animals that live in close proximity to humans, they can understand simple Hindustani commands such "aao" (come) or "hadd" (back off). Similar to wolfs, only the alpha male and female will mate within their town's territory. Any attempts by another young male to mate will meet with aggressive behaviour from the whole group. Often, the offending young male will be driven away and may starve to death if not admitted into his own or any other neighbouring group. This behaviour also keeps the total numbers of pariah dogs in check. If the alpha male dies or disappears, there will be chaos in the group until a new alpha male/female have been established. During these periods pariah dogs may create a lot of noise at the night causing considerable nuisance.

The Sighthound & Pariah Group

The term pariah used to be an epithet to the same extent that the word pariah meant outsider or not your own. Pariah is now used without negative connotation. The United Kennel Club (United States) recognizes purebred dogs bred for chasing large game in the Sighthound & Pariah Group. Included in this group are breeds that are either of early origin or modern reconstructions of early breeds or types. The group includes the Afghan Hound, Azawakh, Basenji, Borzoi, Canaan Dog, Carolina Dog, Chart Polski (Polish Greyhound), Cirneco dell'Etna, Greyhound, Hungarian Greyhound, Ibizan Hound, Irish Wolfhound, New Guinea Singing Dog, Pharaoh Hound, Podengo Portugueso, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Saluki, Scottish Deerhound, Sloughi, Spanish Greyhound, Thai Ridgeback, Whippet, and Xoloitzcuintli.

In place of "pariah" (pariah is derived from a Tamil word first used in English in 1613, to refer to the lowest level of the traditional Indian caste system; in English, it is used to mean "a social outcast"), most registries, other than United Kennel Club, use the term "primitive" (primitive in the sense of "relating to an earliest or original stage or state" or "being little evolved from an early ancestral type") to refer to pariah-type dogs. The American Rare Breed Association, for example, places its Pariah-type dogs within a breed group designated "Spitz and Primitive."

Varieties of pariah dogs

Middle Eastern pariah dogs are typically medium-sized and have yellow reddish to rust-colored coats.Some have erect ears. This image shows a street dog from Assuan, Egypt

Populations of various pariah dogs are distributed in India, Lebanon, Syria, Irak, Iran, Israel, Thailand, Myanmar, Southeast China, Turkey, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Borneo, United States, Korea, and the Philippines.

The Carolina Dog found in the southeastern United States of America is one example of a pariah-type feral dog. The Carolina Dog closely resembles feral dogs found in deserts of middle eastern countries. Both the desert dog (known as the Canaan Dog) and Carolina Dog are recognized as purebred by major registries.

All strains of pariah dogs are at risk of losing their genetic uniqueness by interbreeding with purebred and mixed-breed strays. To insure against this, some strains of pariah dogs are becoming formally recognized, registered, and pedigreed breeds as their fanciers attempt to preserve the pure type.

All pariah dogs are feral, but not all feral dogs are pariah dogs in the genetic sense. Though they are outcasts in the social sense, and thus may still be called pariahs by observers who are not dog fanciers, feral dogs may be of any breed or mix of breeds. The individuals may be stray pets, or descended from strays, or from litters dumped in wild or rural areas by unscrupulous owners. They may form packs with other strays or attempt to join existing canid packs (such as a wolf pack). While pariah dogs are by definition feral, pariah-type dogs are not necessarily feral (wild dog populations which have not been re-domesticated), as well as recognized dog breeds with pariah dog heritage.

See also

• INDog: The Indian Pariah Dog
• Canaan Dog
• New Guinea Singing Dog
• Dingo
• Carolina Dog
• Free-ranging urban dog
• Nureongi

References

'The Indian Native Dog (INDog), Gautam Das, 2010', INDog: The Indian Pariah Dog

"Pariah Dog", Dog Breed Info Center, 12 Mar. 2008

External links

• Primitive & Aboriginal Dog Society
• INDog: The Indian Pariah Dog
• American Rare Breed Association
• United Kennel Club
• Primitive Dog Breeds from dogsindepth.com the online dog encyclopedia