Pariah: A free-roaming, indigenous and ancient race of dogs who evolved a distinct appearance and character without human intervention. Named after the Pariah tribe of Tamil Nadu which was considered outcast. While the original usage of the term is derogatory, it has been commonly used by cynologists for many years and has no negative connotation in the canine context. Pariah dogs across continents have the same basic physical characteristics. In biological terms, the pariah dogs of Asia and Africa are of the highest value for study of genetics and origin of the dog.
Cynology is not well-known in India as a field of study and in the early days there were no Indian experts in this area, so terms coined by western scholars tended to stick. Some Indian scholars feel the name Pariah Dog should be changed. I personally am neutral on this issue but am quite open to promoting a name-change if necessary. The name INDog is already being used by some experts and would be perfect for this indigenous breed.
(We should remember that even the words dog, its Hindi equivalent kutta, and bitch are used in a derogatory way although they are obviously perfectly acceptable when used in reference to dogs alone).
Pariah breeds in some parts of the world have now been officially recognized by kennel clubs and are being carefully bred. The best-known are the Canaan Dog of Israel, the Carolina Dog in the US, and the African Basenji.
It is now generally accepted that most of the free-roaming dogs in Indian cities and towns are actually mix-breeds (mongrels), though some certainly look more "mixed" than others. Pure Pariah dogs are more common in rural areas where there are no purebreed dogs to interbreed with. However, in the Club and in this blog we will go by appearances and refer to the "purer-looking" dogs as Pariah dogs or INDogs.
INDog: Another name for the Indian Pariah Dog.
Mongrel: (called mutt in the US) A dog of mixed but indeterminate breed, whose lineage is not known. Earlier pariahs were considered to be mongrels but for the last few decades it has been recognized that they are a breed in their own right.
Mongrels exist thanks to irresponsible dog-owners who let their pets mate with strays. This practice not only exposes the pet to serious health risks (including venereal disease), it also increases the already huge street dog population, and lessens the number of genetically "pure" pariahs.
(I've nothing against mongrels - in fact, I think they are adorable - but the reason for their existence is poor pet ownerhip, which is regrettable to say the least. It would be a pity to lose the unique character of the ancient Pariah race because some silly people let their pets roam and breed on the street.)
Pi-dog, pye-dog: A term used by the British. It also means pariah dog.
Stray: There is a lot of confusion about this word and it is frequently used incorrectly. “Stray” does NOT refer to breed but to the legal status of the dog. It means an ownerless, unlicensed free-roaming dog. Since most strays in India happen to be Pariahs or mongrels, all these terms are often used interchangeably. This is wrong. Purebreeds abandoned by their owners become strays. Pariahs and mongrels adopted into homes are no longer strays but pets.
Purebreed: A dog of only one breed, born of selected parents. Most of the commercially recognized “pure” breeds have only been created in the last two centuries, as strict breeding norms were not followed earlier. In actual fact, almost all “pure” breeds are created by mixing two or more breeds.
Pedigree: A recorded line of descent.
Monday, December 3, 2007
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