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Sinhala Hound
A Sinhala Hound nursing her pups
Origin Sri Lanka
Breed statusNot recognised as a breed by any major kennel club.
Dog ( domestic dog)

The Sinhala Hound is a landrace of dog from Sri Lanka.

The Sinhala Hound is a native dog found throughout Sri Lanka, often living in a semi-wild state scavenging for food. [1] According to a native legend, when Prince Vijaya first set foot on Sri Lanka in the 6th century BC, he was greeted by the barking of dogs; the Mahāvaṃsa mentions domestic dogs belonging to the island's Stone Age inhabitants, the Yaksha. [2] [note 1] The average lifetime of Sinhala Hounds is 10-13 years.

Long overlooked by authorities in favour of imported dog breeds, only recently has the Sri Lankan Kennel Club been encouraged to recognize the landrace as a breed. [2]

Physical characteristics

The Sinhala Hound can be found in a variety of colors, but brown or dark brown brindle are most common. [1] [2] They are very similar in form to the African Basenji, the New Guinea singing dog, the Carolina Dog and the Australian Dingo. [1] [2]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Fossil evidence indicates domestic dogs have been found on Sri Lanka for over 11,000 years. [2]

References

  1. ^ a b c Barker, A. J.; Barker, H. A. (1984). The complete book of dogs. Greenwich, CT. p. 207. ISBN  0-8119-0621-3.{{ cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ( link)
  2. ^ a b c d e Morris, Desmond (2001). Dogs: the ultimate dictionary of over 1,000 dog breeds. North Pomfret, VT: Trafalgar Square Publishing. p. 687. ISBN  1-57076-219-8.