Kanni

Breed Rating

Breed Details

General

The Kanni is a very rare breed of dog that originated in Tamil Nadu state of India. This hunting dog is the descendant of the Saluki dog and an extension of the Caravan dog. The word Kanni means maiden or virgin. This dog was given this name as it was given as a gift to bridegroom just before the marriage.

This tall dog stands between 22-25 inches. It has a lean and athletic body, long legs, natural ears and tail. The dog resembles the Saluki or Doberman Pinscher in body structure. It is moderately built dog with deep chest and slim body.

This rare breed is near extinction. It is NOT recognized by AKC or any other major kennel club.

Color

The dog is usually found in brown, cream, black and tan and brindle. The cream coloured variety is known as "Paalakani".

Coat

This dog has a short and close-fitting coat.

Personality

The Kanni dog has been used as hunting dog for so many years but is now seen as family pet. This dog is made for speed and agility and it is seen that the dog develops sharp bursts of incredible speed but it does tire quickly. As a hunting dog, the breed did not kill the game and just retrieved it back to its master. This dog has a shy but playful nature. It is calm and even tempered when in the house. Though not very intelligent, it can be trained easily to do specific tasks. Very loyal and devoted to its master, the dog will protect its family and owner if such need arises. It is wary of strangers and is known to be aggressive towards them. This makes the dog very good watch and guard dog as it will be a natural deterrent to intruders with its aggressive nature and loud bark. It is a quiet breed that is silent most of the time and will only bark to divert attention to something unusual. Early age socialization and training is a must for this dog to prevent it from developing shy nature and train the dog to be gentle with guests. This rare breed is highly valued in its area and is a part of custom. The dog is given as a gift to the bridegroom in wedding. This dog is fed vegetarian diet and is fed meat only once a month. This rare breed makes a very good watch and guard dog and faithful house pet with proper training and socialization.

Care

The short coat of this dog is low maintenance and does not need much grooming.

Training

Though not a highly intelligent breed, the Kanni dog is very trainable and it can learn different tasks. The owner or trainer must display calm and stable temperament when training this dog. Consistency is important.

Activity

As a working dog, the Kanni needs sufficient amount of exercise. Though rarely used as hunting dogs these days, this breed still needs fair amount of playing time and space. This breed is most suitable to suburban or rural setting.