Sinhala Hound

Sinhala Hound
A Sinhala Hound nursing her pups
Origin	Sri Lanka
Breed status	Not 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^{[ when? ]} 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

• Dogs portal
• List of dog breeds
• List of dog breeds from India
• Pye dog
• Indian pariah dog

Notes

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

References

1. Barker, A. J.; Barker, H. A. (1984). The complete book of dogs. Greenwich, CT. p. 207. ISBN   0-8119-0621-3.
2. 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.