Kanni

The Kanni, which means maiden, is an indigenous South Indian dog breed found in the state of Tamil Nadu. The Kanni Dog, the Black and Tan – hound of the South. His depth of chest is phenomenal. With all that, his body streamlined and while running, he appears to float through space.

The Kanni is a rare variety of dog found in South India. It is said that the name Kanni (which means unmarried girl) comes from the fact that the dog used to be given as a gift to the bridegroom just before the marriage. Infact, it was in the list of dowry items offered to the groom.

The story is that the Kanni was often given away as part of dowry, the idea being not to let the dog go out of the family.The Kanni is kept by families may gift them if a promise is made to look after them well . They are not allowed to roam on the streets and brought up as pet animals. The breed is a further extension of the Caravan or Mudhol Hound, and is also a descendant of the Saluki. However, the Kanni does not possess the grand features of these breeds.

Appearance

They are usually of four colours, brown, cream, black & tan and brindle. In general appearance, the Kanni is similar to a smooth-coated Saluki or a Doberman Pinscher with natural ears and tail. The dog is usually black and tan in colour, perhaps with limited white on the feet and chest.It is an all black dog, like the Doberman, with two yellow spots above the eyes. There also exists a cream-coloured variety of the breed, which is known as Paalakanni. The Kanni is agile, slim, graceful, and moderately built, with a deep chest and slim body. The dog stands about 25 inches at the withers, the bitch about 22 inches.

Temperament

It is used primarily for hunting, and is also used for guarding the home. They are given a diet of milk in the morning, corn porridge in the afternoon and a "Ragi" porridge in the evening. Meat is given once a week or once a month only. They are used mainly for hunting.

History

The Kanni is found in and around Tirunelveli, Pollachi, Kovilpatti, Kazhugumalai, Kileral, Kodangipatti, Sivakasi, and Madurai. It is used mainly for hunting. The Kanni was often given away as part of a bride's dowry. The breed is now extremely rare, and on the verge of extinction. Efforts to revive the breed have not been taken up as specimens are few and there exists little information about them.